The stress of day-to-day life can build up until we become overwhelmed with things and become ill - whether this is physical, emotional and/or psychological.

 

Self-care involves a combination of healthy lifestyle and self-reflection or awareness of what you do day-to-day.

 

Self-care isn’t selfish or self-indulgent – it’s essential.

 

If we neglect our self-care, various aspects of our life could be affected:

• Being impatient or irritable with family members and friends,

• Not doing our job well or having to take time off work,

• Not doing fun or enjoyable activities, 

• Being overwhelmed by routine or everyday tasks,

• Getting repeatedly ill with colds, flu, headaches etc.

 

Self-care may include:

• Keeping good mental health,

• Eating healthy, nutritious foods and having regular meals,

• Being active and exercising regularly,

• Limiting alcohol consumption,

• Quitting smoking,

• Getting enough sleep,

• Being outside in nature,

• Learning to say “no”,

• Making it a habit to look after yourself,

• Maintaining friendships,

• Practicing relaxation techniques – such as yoga, meditation, prayer, mindfulness, thoughtful reflection,

• Reducing screen-time,

• Asking someone for help,

• Congratulating yourself when you do something well.

 

Self-care is different for each person, so it can help to talk to someone to determine your stress-levels and explore how to reduce stress or be able to manage it better.

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