Wellbeing is an essential aspect of overall health and part of maintaining your wellbeing is practicing self-care.
Looking through social media, you’ve probably seen ‘self-care’ pop up. It has become such a buzzword that you may feel that it’s lost its meaning and is just something people say.
But self-care is a crucial part of looking after yourself, both physically and mentally.
Self-care is about fostering and maintaining your emotional, mental, and physical wellbeing. Self-care is not an emergency response to overwhelming stress, but a way to prevent and manage any stress you may have.
What works for one person may not work for another as self-care is about your particular needs. It’s not one size fits all.
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For example, as a form of emotional self-care a friend may need to strengthen their connections by saying ‘yes’ to hanging out with friends more. On the other hand, you might prefer to say ‘no’ to lots of social gatherings to prevent burnout or overstimulation, and to give yourself some downtime.
There is often an idea that you need to spend lots of money. Social media shows people buying face masks, going on fancy weekend getaways, purchasing new clothes, and other expensive activities.
These actions can be self-care, but an important way to define self-care is to look at the long-term effect of the action.
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If buying clothes feels good in the moment, but then puts extra financial stress on you until your next pay day, then the action may not be an act of self-care.
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If buying a new video game means you can have downtime with yourself, or connect with others playing the game, bringing long-term happiness without causing long-term negative impacts, then that spending can be a positive form of self-care.
Remember that self-care can also be going for a walk, having a good night's rest, or reaching out to a friend, which doesn’t cost you anything.
Why is self-care important?
Self-care is important because it helps us to live happy and healthy lives.
Self-care is a set of actions that form a toolbox to be brought out regularly for maintaining good health and wellbeing, and when recognising the start of negative emotions.
For example, knowing that after a stressful day at work, you will feel better having a bath, compared to lying on your bed and overthinking everything is a great way to be mindful of self-care. It also means that you can avoid coping mechanisms that won't benefit you in the long-term.
Self-care is about improving your overall wellbeing. If you aren’t able to complete tasks related to self-care, be kind to yourself about it!
Making changes and implementing new things is hard but being hard on yourself for not being able to complete self-care goes against the values of self-care.
Mila
‘Looking after yourself is super important, so let’s see what other people are doing for their self-care.
Jacob, what does your self-care look like?’
Jacob
‘Oh well, I like to read. I’ll like lock myself in a room, put on some music, and just kinda pretend nothing else Is really there and just take a a few hours to enjoy the book.’
Mila
‘Kano, what does your self-care look like?’
Kano
‘Yeah, great question. I recently started writing a lot. So journaling, if I’m having a lot of thoughts. I have a notepad and I just write down how I’m feeling.’
Wellbeing is closely linked with mental health, but also encompasses other aspects of health including physical and social health.
The Better Health Channel defines wellbeing as ‘a complex combination of mental, emotional, physical, and social health factors. Wellbeing is strongly linked to happiness and life satisfaction. In short, wellbeing could be described as how you feel about yourself and your life.’1
Why is wellbeing important?
Wellbeing is important as it impacts the way that you feel and operate in your daily life.2
If your wellbeing is poor, chances are your happiness and motivation levels will also be low. This can lead to negative effects on all aspects of your life, from overall health to your career and social life.2
However, if your wellbeing is good, you will feel much healthier and happier which can support you to build and maintain your resilience, social networks, and self-esteem.2
Physical self-care
Physical self-care are actions that can improve your physical wellbeing:3,4
- Having a shower
- Brushing your teeth
- Going for walks or participating in other exercise you enjoy
- Eating regular nutritional meals
- Prioritising getting enough sleep
- Seeing a doctor when needed
Emotional self-care
Emotional care is about recognising and processing emotions. It’s about accepting the emotions we feel rather than attempting to push them away or ignore them.4
- Focusing on your body to notice any physical symptoms of stress or anxiety
- Practicing mindfulness
- Practicing self-empathy
- Identifying triggers and healthy coping mechanisms that work for you
- Setting boundaries
Mental self-care
Mental self-care refers to keeping your mind engaged and challenged in ways you enjoy. It can help with energy levels and overall wellbeing.3,4
- Listening to a new podcast or reading a book
- Starting a new hobby
- Doing something nice for someone
- Volunteering for something you care about
Social self-care
Social isolation and loneliness can negatively affect our mental health. Maintaining relationships with others can be a great source of self-care and comfort.4
Some relationships can also bring stress so try to find a balance that works for you.
- Weekly calls with a parent or close friend
- Going on dates with partners
- Hosting events with your friends
- Considering if certain friendships are draining or not and revaluating the place of those friendships in your life
Professional self-care
Professional self-care includes social or emotional self-care but there are tools that can be used in the workplace to reduce your stress while on the clock.4
- Advocating for your access needs
- Setting your work chats and emails to do not disturb when not at work
- Scheduling breaks throughout your day
- Attending additional training or conferences to develop skills to set you up for your chosen career path
- Taking mental health days when needed
- Accessible access to Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)
Spiritual self-care
Spiritual self-care does not necessarily only apply to those who believe in a higher power. Spiritual self-care is about connecting with and grounding yourself.4
- Attending worship or prayer
- Sitting in nature
- Meditation
- Dedicating time for self-reflection and mindfulness
Financial self-care
Financial self-care can begin as an intimidating task but it can set you up for success in the future.
Money can be a common source of stress, especially for young people and setting up resources to help ease this stress is important.4
- Setting a budget
- Identifying and working towards financial goals such as paying off debt or developing a safety net
Drawing of a young person walking a dog along a path.
Many of these self-care examples are around setting boundaries.
Boundaries are important for maintaining your overall wellbeing. This is because boundaries help you decide what you are and are not comfortable with.
If someone crosses a boundary, you are aware and can take appropriate action.
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For example, explaining to your manager that you will not be available after 5 PM during the work week is a boundary. If your manager breaks this boundary by calling you, you could remind your manager that it’s outside of work hours or just respond next week. If this continues to occur, you should talk to HR or a trusted person at your workplace.
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Better Health Channel, Victorian Government. (2022). Wellbeing. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/wellbeing
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Black Dog Institute. Wellbeing. https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/resources-support/wellbeing/
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National Institute of Mental Health. 2022. Caring for your Mental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/caring-for-your-mental-health
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Rocky Vista Health Center. (1 October 2022). 8 Areas of Self Care and How to Practice Them. https://www.rockyvistahc.com/8-areas-of-self-care-and-how-to-practice-them