What is self-care and why is it significant?
Table of Contents
Introduction
Do you take time for your well-being? Are you concerned about your social, emotional, physical, mental, financial, intellectual and spiritual health and well-being? If so, congratulations! If not, maybe it’s time to do some self-care.
No matter who you are, what you have done or what stage of your life you are in, there is one thing that you should definitely incorporate into your life: self-care.
When it comes to efficiency, most of us think that the key to success is always getting more done.
More work, more projects, more clients, more time … more and more.
The problem is that it is almost impossible to get out of this mindset without making time for ourselves.
But if we take time for ourselves and prioritize it by following a constant self-care routine, we not only avoid being exhausted (happier), but ironically, we increase our productivity.
When we hear about self-care, we may think of spa trips, hot tubs, and massages, but the truth is, it is much more than that.
Why is self-care so important and how does it affect our productivity? Let’s see it next.
What is self-care?
Taking care of yourself means asking what I need and answering honestly.
It can be as simple as going to bed early after a long day at work, or as difficult as studying the habits we’ve learned and their long-term effects.
Taking care of yourself means realizing your physical, emotional, mental, financial and spiritual needs and making better decisions.
It must begin first of all with the recognition that we are responsible for our own well-being and also for everything that goes beyond the individual context: our family and our community.
You are not solely responsible for each other, but when those around you are happy, the environment or context of interpersonal relationships will promote comfort and well-being.
Now we have a definition: self-care is the set of measures that are taken to help us maintain mental, physical and emotional health.
With that in mind, a massage can be a form of self-care (at least for me!), But it can also be a walk, a chat with a friend after a hard day at the office, or just skipping a party to get between the covers little to read and little to sleep.
Self-care is relative: Just as everyone is unique, self-care is different for each of us.
The way you take care of yourself is not the same way that others take care of themselves. Self-care also varies from day today. Sometimes we need a moment to be still and think, sometimes we need to exercise, be with family and friends, or play sports.
What is NOT self-care?
It is not just something we force ourselves to do or something we enjoy. It has a lot of both, because sometimes we have to prioritize and that is the biggest challenge.
But without a doubt, it is something that charges us instead of carrying us.
Nor is it a selfish act, it is not that we care about the projection that people or society have on us. It does not mean losing 20 pounds to look like a model or stretching like a snake to do an extreme yoga pose.
It’s about doing what feels good. They are those basic healthy or beneficial activities for all.
These activities that I do for the body, mind, heart and soul that are you.
Self-care is an option
Only you can choose to take care of yourself.
Nobody can do it for you.
Trusting someone to promote self-care is not a healthy option.
You have to take responsibility for yourself, take responsibility.
If you care about others … why don’t you start taking care of yourself?
You can be inspired or influenced by the people you love, the people you follow on Instagram, the magazines, your dietitian, your therapist, etc. But only you can go one step further and take care of yourself.
Self-care is a matter of balance
Regardless of how you take care of yourself or what you choose to do, you need to be very clear: less is more.
You don’t have to overdo it or do too many things to find your balance. Therefore, it would be ideal to find the right place between the downpour and the drought. Because in the first we threaten to drown and in the second we could pass out from thirst
Exercise, for example, is good for the body. But running two marathons a week is neither sustainable nor healthy.
If you want to cycle, don’t start walking 100 kilometres every day; That would not be optimal for the body and we would also get tired in the short or medium-term of such an intense effort and we would put aside a sport that we could have discovered and adapted to our interests.
Taking time to meditate is good for our soul, but if I spend all my free time meditating, when will I see my friends or family? A healthy diet is also good for our body. But it can be frustrating to deprive yourself of the pleasure of chocolate or the occasional ice cream.
Also Read:- What stays the 2030 Agenda, and why is it so important