Why I chose self-care and you should, too

Self-care isn’t a quick fix we should resort to once we have shattered our mental and physical health. It is practice we need to prioritize and put on a par with our work, accomplishments, and relationships.

Have you ever reached a state in which you are reluctant to do any of the things you love? You detach yourself from your environment and steer clear of social interactions? Your self-esteem levels are alarmingly low and this extends to a feeling that you can’t count on anyone? You have troubled sleep, loss of appetite, frequent headaches, or stomach aches without an apparent medical reason?

If you haven’t been there, good for you. Unfortunately, I was. For more than three months I didn’t feel myself: I couldn’t sleep, lost six kilograms, couldn’t concentrate, lost track of my priorities, and, above all, cut down on the activities and people that made me happy. 

The reason? Burnout caused by toxic work environment which wrung out my productivity levels and mental health.

Reaching this edge didn’t happen in a day or two. There were red flags on the way but I chose to turn a blind eye simply because there were too many things I had to do. I didn’t have time to take care of myself. It was easier to say: “I am fine, it will be better tomorrow, this will pass too.” 

But it didn’t. It only exacerbated.

Being in a condition of stagnating productivity and general apathy to anything around you, locked in a mental prison that muffles your goals and drains you emotionally, can be a result of different factors. For example, toxic work environment or high-stress job, social isolation, bereavement, severe or long-term stress, bullying. The list is long, yet the symptoms are more or less the same. So is the treatment. 

Self-care holds the key to well-being in all its forms. Self-care stands for taking care of yourself, making the time to invest in yourself, prioritizing yourself, and not feeling guilty about it.

I have embraced self-care as a building block of my lifestyle for already two months and now I see it as a relationship with me that consequently affects my relationship with others and the world.

But what exactly is self-care?  

• Self-care means surrounding yourself with people who bring the best in you and inspire you.

• Self-care means leaving toxic workplaces, people, and relationships.

• Self-care means making a living from something that gives you energy instead of sticking with a job that leaves you run-down.

• Self-care means saying “No” to people: it might be challenging at the beginning, but the more you practice saying “No”, the easier it gets. You will start to feel more in control of your time and confident about yourself.

• Self-care means carefully choosing to say “Yes” only to activities or requests that align with your values and personal mission statement.

• Self-care means creating a list with things you no longer want to do: for example, not checking emails outside working hours, not accepting situations or issues at work that are downright unacceptable, not meeting people you don’t like, not checking your phone when in the middle of a conversation with someone.

• Self-care means having a good night’s sleep and taking measures when it gets disturbed.

• Self-care means eating healthy food that makes you energetic and strong, drinking more water, and cutting down on alcoholic beverages.

• Self-care means playing sports that you enjoy and give you energy.

• Self-care means having a short walk every day: getting out somewhere quiet and peaceful, preferably in nature, listening to the sounds, watching the sky, smelling the grass.

• Self-care means appreciating who you truly are outside of how other people define or judge you.

• Self-care means keeping a journal to record your reflections, ideas, and goals, clear your mind, and help you work through your problems.

• Self-care means projecting and writing down concrete short-term and long-term goals and systematically working to achieve them.

• Self-care means having a digital detox: putting all your digital devices in airplane mode for an hour or even a whole day.

• Self-care means practicing the power of now.

• Self-care means delighting in small pleasures: cooking something delicious for yourself, sending a kind message to your mum or close friend, buying fresh flowers form the market, taking a long relaxing shower or bubble bath, listening to an old song you used to love.

• Self-care means booking time in your weekly schedule for sharpening the saw.

• Self-care means laughing: as a person who laughs a lot, I have to acknowledge that laughing tends to reduce stress and anxiety, boost positive thoughts, and make you forget why you were cranky in the first place.

• Self-care means meditating: meditation unlocks inner peace and teaches you to be present in the Now. One type of meditation I practice is to sit in a lotus pose, close my eyes, empty my mind, and solely focus on my breathing. No thinking, no doing, just being. Although I have to admit it is challenging, the more often you do it, the more you will gain control of your mind and the bigger health benefits you will get in your life. 

Are you practicing self-care on a daily basis? 

No? —> Today is the best day to begin. While investing time in self-care may seem to be a productivity killer, you will notice that in the long run it will enhance your efficiency and prevent you from physical sickness, mental collapse, or plain apathy to your life.

Yes? —> What does self-care mean to you? Please, share in a comment.

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PS: Self-care is something personal. You decide what self-care activities to take up that will bring you happiness and inner peace. 

Featured image: Buena Vista Images, Getty Images.