In times of stress, personal needs can often take a backseat to the many tasks at hand. Although it may be difficult to find the time, it is important to check-in with yourself and practice self-care. When you hear of “self-care” you may picture face masks and spa days, but self-care has many forms. Below we will discuss the six types of self-care, and how you can incorporate them into your life starting today.
Emotional Self-Care
These are the activities that help you connect, process, and reflect on a full range of emotions. Emotional self-care is about reacting to your emotions in a healthy way. Do you have healthy ways to process your emotions? Are the activities you incorporate into your life helping you feel better? Seeing a therapist, writing in a journal, creating art, and playing music are all great ways of addressing emotional self-care.
Practical Self-Care
This type of self-care relates to core aspects of your life. They are the tasks you complete to prevent future stressful situations. This can include getting active, eating well, and taking care of your physical health. It also may involve things such as creating a budget, taking professional development classes, or simply organizing your closet.
Physical Self-Care
One of the most talked-about forms of self-care is physical self-care. Physical self-care is doing things to improve the well-being of your overall physical health. Some examples include staying hydrated, maintaining a healthy diet, and having a good night’s sleep. It also means taking a break when you need it. Other great ways to practice physical self-care are getting a facial or a haircut and wearing clothes that are comfortable and make you feel confident.
Mental Self-Care
Mental self-care activities stimulate your mind and intellect. Activities in this group help you work towards self-improvement and personal growth. The things you fill your mind with greatly influence your mental well-being. Practice this form of self-care by reading a book, listening to a podcast, solving a puzzle, or going to a museum.
Social Self-Care
Relationships are complex, even the most important relationships can hit rough patches, but whom you surround yourself with has a significant impact on how you feel about yourself. When it comes to social self-care, it’s important that you try and limit contact with people who tend to bring you down, while nurturing and deepening relationships with those who bring your life joy. Effective ways to practice social self-care are by having dinner with friends, spending time with your family, having a and learning to say no.
Spiritual Self-Care
Taking care of your mind and body is great, but what about your soul? Spiritual self-care is all about activities that nurture your spirit and allow you to think bigger than yourself. Spiritual self-care does not always have to be religious either. It’s about doing things that feed your soul. Meditation, yoga, going to a place of worship, being in nature, and dedicating time for self-reflection are all great ways to practice spiritual self-care.
Self-care is not the same for everyone. Your self-care plan will need to be customized to your individual needs. A self-care plan for a busy working mom will be different from the plan of a student headed off to college. It is important to begin with self-reflection and identifying your personal self-care needs. The areas in your life that are currently being neglected are the best place to start. At BHAVA Therapy Group we understand the importance of making yourself a priority. If you need guidance on finding a self-care routine that’s right for you, contact us today.
