The Art of Self Care

In a nutshell

In a nutshell, ‘self-care’ covers all the things you can do to take care of your wellbeing. This can be something physical, like a run and check your iron levels, or psychological, such as taking the time to meditate or journaling your thoughts. Self-care also covers your spiritual growth and emotional well-being, which looks closely at the relationships you have in your life.

How much time you dedicate to each element of self-care can often depend on your personal circumstances. One curveball might leave you needing to give extra attention to the physical aspect of self-care, whereas you might need to invest more in the emotional side further down the line. In this blog, we look closely at the different dimensions of self-care and why it’s so important to prioritise your health and wellbeing.

Physical self-care

Physical self-care focuses on a healthy lifestyle that includes plenty of exercise, a balanced diet and drinking enough water. It can also involve making physical changes to your surroundings so you feel less stimulated and overwhelmed. You could, for example, decide to limit your screen time or stay away from your phone after a certain time of night. If you’re concerned about your physical wellbeing, you could also take a test to check on certain aspects of your health, such as your vitamin D levels or thyroid function. This can have positive repercussions as your results could encourage you to make positive changes to your diet and put your health first.

Emotional self-care

This element of self-care revolves around the relationships you have with other people as well as yourself. Prioritise spending time with people who make you feel good and set boundaries with certain individuals if needed. Invest in preserving friendships with those you care about and who demonstrate respect and kindness in return. Likewise, learn to identify people who zap your energy and take up your brain space for the wrong reasons. If any issues do arise within a relationship, try to tackle them as early as possible so they don’t add to your mental load. Interactions with other humans can be complicated, so try to simplify things by investing your time in people who enhance your wellbeing instead of making you question it.

Psychological self-care

This self-care feature can be easily confused with the emotional aspect. While they are closely connected, psychological self-care addresses your thoughts and feelings, along with habits you can form to promote your mental health and wellbeing. Journalling, for example, can help you process your thoughts and feelings, as can learning to meditate and talking to a counsellor or trusted friend. You may also find there is a crossover with the things you do to preserve your physical self-care, as activities such as running or yoga could help you find mental clarity in certain areas of your life.

Spiritual self-care

This is perhaps a less obvious plane of self-care but still needs prioritising as it can help you find stability in new circumstances or unsettling periods of your life. Spending time outside is a tried and tested method in helping you feel grounded and connected to your surroundings. You could also try practising mindfulness as this can make you feel much more present in the moment. Spiritual self-care can also be supported by disassociating yourself from the material aspects of your life. Think about what matters to you and what you find meaningful as prioritising these matters will help you feel more balanced and in tune with the world around you.