Self-Care

Making Time for Me, Myself and I

by Lauren Kelley

It’s quite easy to become consumed with the hustle and bustle of everyday activities. Most of us have busy schedules, stressful jobs, and are exhausted by the use of technolgy used to work and communitate within the pandemic. All of these factors can lead to failure to schedule much needed breaks from our overactive lives. So much time and energy is spent doing things for others that we often neglect the need to care for ourselves. The necessity of self-care is often misunderstood, undervalued and ignored. To maintain a healthy balance between yourself and an increasingly overstimulating world, you must adopt self-care strategies and embrace them in everyday routines to boost your overall well-being.

Self-care is can be confused with self-indulgence. The self-indulgent mentality views this a luxury rather than a priority; therefore, stimulates feelings of guilt about taking the time required to care for ourselves. Nonetheless, taking a little “me time” is not self- indulgent; it’s self-preserving. Consistently putting “me time” last on the agenda give reasons to why we can feel drained, agitated, and overwhelmed. Simply put, self-care is about being in tune with what your mind and body needs to function properly.

“What exactly is self-care?” According to medical reviews by Scott and Gans, self-care is defined as, “a multidimensional, multifaceted process of purposeful engagement in strategies that promote healthy functioning and enhanced well-being.” So, what does that mean in everyday terms? Simplistically, self-care is anything that we deliberately do, or refrain from doing, with our own well-being in mind. It is offering ourself the same grace, compassion, and care that we extend to others. Consider the benefits. Setting time aside for yourself can promote physical, mental, and emotional health. There are many facets to self-care. It can include anything from getting adequate sleep at night to stepping outside to take in a little fresh air. Only you can decide what the perfect self-care regimen is for you.

A great way to begin your self-care journey is to create a self-care plan. While planning, be sure to analyze interactions to protect your time, energy, emotions, peace, and self-worth. Write out your intentions and how you propose to achieve them daily. Will your journal? Will you read a new book or try a new dish? Will you spend time with friends and family or spend time alone? Will you take a bath instead of a shower? Will you budget to alleviate financial stress?

It can be difficult for some to grasp the idea of putting themselves first, but the necessity of self-care is understood to be essential for individual health and well-being. Being mindful of what you need is just as (if not more) important as meeting the needs of others. If you are not your best self it is nearly impossible to perform at your best. Take time for yourself. Time to recharge, refresh, and renew your mind, body, and soul. Take advantage of the opportunities to showup, grow-up, and glow-up with all the beauty and uniqueness that is in you.