Did you know that taking care of yourself is productive?
You may have been hearing the term “self-care” a lot lately.
You may even be wondering what is self-care and why is it important.
Well, in this post, you will get the answers to those questions along with the 5 amazing benefits of self-care that you need to know.
WHAT IS SELF-CARE?
Self-care refers to the practices that are done by an individual to maintain or improve his/her health and well-being.
These practices are typically done without the support of a medical professional.
In other words, self-care is about taking a proactive approach towards your health and well-being.
And I’m sure you would realize by now that you have to be healthy and well to be productive.
The interesting thing about self-care is that it is multidimensional so it’s not just about having a good skincare routine.
There are 8 areas of self-care and each area contributes to your well-being and productivity.
Remember taking care of yourself is productive so it is important to give attention to all of them.
WHAT ARE THE 8 AREAS OF SELF-CARE?
1. Physical Self-Care
Physical self-care refers to the activities that you do to take care of your body.
Your body has internal and external organs and these organs work together to carry out the functions that are necessary for everyday living.
That is why you have to give your body what it needs to grow, repair, and function optimally.
Remember you only get one body so you have to make time to care for it by eating nutritious meals and getting adequate rest every day.
2. Intellectual Self-Care
Intellectual self-care is about stimulating your mind or intellect and it involves expanding your knowledge and skills. This type of self-care is important because it helps you to think critically, take on challenges and overcome them even amidst adversity.
Therefore taking the time to engage in activities that stimulate your mind will help you to grow and innovate, contributing to your well-being. You can start engaging in intellectual self-care by reading a book or doing a puzzle.
3. Emotional Self-Care
Emotional self-care involves being aware of your feelings, identifying the needs associated with them and then meeting those needs.
You can start expressing and exploring your feelings by journaling.
4. Spiritual Self-Care
Spiritual self-care refers to the activities that people do to nurture their spirit and to connect to God. It also involves living in a way that aligns with your values and beliefs while living a meaningful and purposeful life.
Some examples of spiritual self-care are going to a place of worship, praying and volunteering.
5. Social Self-Care
Social self-care is all about your relationships… relationships with your family, friends, colleagues, classmates, neighbours etc.
We are social beings so relationships are vital for our emotional well-being.
You can practice social self-care by spending time with the people in your life. This can take the form of calling a friend or having lunch with a colleague or classmate.
6. Occupational Self-Care
Occupational self-care is sometimes referred to as professional self-care. This involves having professional boundaries and using your strengths and gifts to contribute meaningfully and productively to society.
You can practice occupational self-care by taking necessary breaks and professional development classes.
7. Financial Self-Care
Financial self-care is all about money management. Good money management helps you to reduce or prevent stress caused by finances. The truth is your personal finances can affect your well-being.
Some examples of financial self-care are creating a budget and saving money wisely.
8. Environmental Self-Care
Environmental self-care refers to having a clean, organized and well-maintained work and living space.
An example of environmental self-care is clearing out the clutter at your home and workplace.
WHY IS SELF-CARE IMPORTANT?
So by now, you know what is self-care and you know the 8 areas of self-care. But why is it important? Why should you make time for self-care activities?
Well, self-care is important because it helps you to maintain your well-being even during periods of stress. Here are 5 benefits of self-care that will help you to grasp its importance. Keep these in mind as you strive towards a healthier life.
5 BENEFITS OF SELF-CARE
1. Self-care helps to prevent burnout
As you go through life, you are faced with demands and challenges in the workplace, at school, in relationships, etc. These demands and challenges can overwhelm you and lead to stress.
Consequently, they may lead to burnout if you don’t address them. Burnout is simply a state of physical, emotional and mental exhaustion that is usually a result of prolonged stress.
The good thing is that self-care can help to reduce stress and prevent burnout. When you practice self-care, it helps you to maintain your health and increase your resilience. Resilience is your ability to bounce back from the challenges and demands of life.
If you are healthy and resilient, you will be more likely to have the strength and capacity to deal with the challenges positively.
When your body and mind are healthy, it will be easier to deal with challenges.
2. Self-care helps you to be productive
Some people think that working all the time is the best way to get things done. But your body needs to be healthy to function optimally.
You have to give your body the energy it needs to be productive. So you have to make time to eat nutritious meals throughout the day and to get adequate rest.
If you are working all the time and neglecting your health, then you are more likely to become exhausted physically and mentally.
You need to be healthy mentally to focus so you can make good decisions and work productively.
3. Self-care helps you to have a healthy immune system
Making time for self-care will help you to manage stress and lower cortisol levels which can weaken your immune system.
Your immune system is very important because it helps to protect you from harmful substances that could make you sick.
That’s why you should engage in self-care activities such as exercising, getting adequate sleep and eating a balanced meal. These activities in particular have been proven to boost the immune system.
4. Self-care helps you to be happy
Remember self-care is multidimensional so it involves doing activities that will help you to be emotionally and mentally well.
Good emotional and mental health is important because it contributes to your well-being and your happiness.
In addition, self-care also helps to reduce stress. This is beneficial because people tend to be happier when there is little or no stress.
So take the time to do activities that will contribute to your emotional and mental well-being so you can be happy.
5. Self-care helps your relationships with others
One of the amazing benefits of self-care is that it can improve your relationships. We are social beings and we need each other so relationships are a big part of our lives.
If we want to serve others and make a positive contribution to this world, we need to be well enough to do so. Furthermore, when you are healthy, you can spend more time and energy meeting the needs of others.
One of the benefits of self-care is that it contributes positively to your well-being. Therefore it will help you to be in a good mood and as a result, people will enjoy being around you.
It’s so much more fun and pleasant to be around happy people than those who are cranky all the time.
You are also more likely to be kind and patient with others and these are virtues that are needed for good relationships.
Here is a video with 7 Easy Self-Care Ideas You Can Do At Home.
TAKEAWAY
Some people wait until they are sick, burnt out and unhappy before they start taking the necessary steps to improve their health.
However, you don’t have to wait until you are sick to start prioritizing self-care. You can start now.
Remember taking care of yourself is productive.
Here is a quick reminder of the 5 benefits of self-care mentioned in this article:
- Practising self-care can help to prevent burnout
- Self-care helps you to be productive
- It helps you to have a healthy immune system
- It can contribute to your happiness
- Self-care can improve your relationships with others
Finally, here are 3 activities you can do today for your well-being:
- Take a walk
- Eat a balanced meal
- Call a friend
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