Practicing self-care reduces or eliminates anxiety and depression, improves focus, reduces irritation and aggression, increases happiness, improves energy, and more. So how do you practice self-care? Here are some steps to help you develop your self-care plan.
Step 1: Learn about the importance of self-care
Self-care means taking responsibility for yourself to maintain optimal health, including a balanced lifestyle that encompasses many areas of your life, including your physical, emotional, spiritual, professional, social, financial, and psychological health.
As caregivers, it is easy to put the needs of others ahead of your own. It is important to recharge your batteries because over time, the stress of caregiving can lead to burnout complicated by the risk of developing health conditions, anxiety, social isolation, etc. You will not be able to support others effectively if you’re physically and emotionally exhausted.
Be kind to yourself, even if it is just a few minutes a day, you deserve it. Remember what works for one person may not work for you, no two people will have the same self-care needs.
Chances are you’re already taking some effective steps to meet your needs. Think of your self-care plan as a living document, one that grows with you. Revisiting it regularly can help you identify less impactful strategies and add in more beneficial approaches.
Completing steps 2–6 will help you to identify your needs and ensure that you are taking responsibility for yourself and maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle throughout your caregiving journey.
Step 2: Determining your stress level
Stress is unavoidable. We have forces in life that pull us in different directions—families, friends, work, pets, hobbies, you name it. As caregivers, we often don’t realize the effects stress has on us until it is too late. Recognizing your stress levels is essential to taking steps to prevent burnout. Recognizing the signs of caregiver stress will help you to reflect on how you look and feel.
Step 3: Identify your stressors
Strange as it may seem, we are not always aware of the stressors in our life. Take a moment to write down some of the top issues you’re facing right now. You will notice that some of the events that happen to you, while others seem to originate from within. Below are a few examples to get you started. Learning how to recognize sources of stress in your life is the first step in managing them, not eliminating them, because stress is a normal part of life.
Step 4: Evaluate how you cope with life’s demands
The way you live your life can have a big impact on your health and how well or poorly you handle stress. Doing an honest assessment of how well or poorly you take care of yourself can help you manage stress in the future. If you find yourself engaging in unhealthy coping strategies, it may be time to revisit what your end goal is.
Step 5: What do you do for self care now?
As caregivers, we know that it is important to practice self-care, but when it comes to implementing it into our daily lives, doing so is not always easy. Being the best version of ourselves extends far beyond your basic needs; it involves making a commitment to attend to all domains of your life. Are you more active in some areas of self-care than others? Take an inventory, and listen to your inner dialogue and take note of anything you would like to include more in your life.
Step 6: Develop your self-care plan
You are now ready to develop your plan–you have a good idea of your stressors, your coping strategies, and areas of wellness you want to work on. Your self-care plan can be simple or complex, it’s up to you. It’s a working document that can change at any time. Here’s an example of what a plan may look like:
