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What is Self-Care?
What is Self-Care?
Self-care is simply what it sounds like! Doing things that help you take care of yourself and help you feel restored. As you can see from my visual on the left, there are several different kinds of self-care. It is important that you get self-care in different categories, to mix it up and make each thing you do more effective. Self-care is making safe and healthy choices in your coping skills, and taking care of different areas of your life to find a balance between work and play. Some people might say self-care is selfish, but it is important that we take care of our own needs before we attempt to take care of others. See more below!
Parents & Families
Parents & Families
Parents
Parents
Ever heard the expression, "If mama ain't happy, nobody's happy?" Well there is actually some science behind it! It is important for you to have time to take care of yourself as busy parents. If you do not take care of yourself, it makes it much more difficult to provide patient, consistent, and calm parenting. It is hard to come from a place from caring and understanding if your kids have already gotten on your last nerve, and you are at your breaking point.
Family
Family
I know what you're thinking, self care as a family?! But I need to get away from them! While time alone is helpful, so is building a self-care routine that includes time together as a family. A family is a unit that is built of several different relationships, between mom and dad, parent and child, siblings, and part of building those relationships is spending time together doing activities you all enjoy. A family that plays together, stays together.
Kids & Students
Kids & Students
At Home
At Home
It is so important for kids to get the self-care time they need at home. School is busy and demanding, both intellectually and socially. Kids need time to unwind and relax at the end of the day, just like adults. Make sure kids have a separate space for separate things. For example, a place to do homework or study, a place to play, a place to sleep. This makes it easier to transition to activities and stay focused on one activity. Kids need spaces to feel safe and comfortable, and can have solitude.
At School
At School
How do I take care of myself at school? One of the best things you can do is use your tools! Use your Zones of Regulation, Kelso Peacewheel, mindfulness tools, and other coping things that we have learned at school, and bring it home with you!
Staff & Helping Professions
Staff & Helping Professions
It is no secret that there is a high turnover rate in helping professions, such as counseling and teaching. We often get so busy caring for others, that we forget we need care too! As I mentioned previously, many think it is selfish to take care of yourself, when that is the farthest thing from the truth. When the flight attendent is giving the safety review, whose mask should you put on first? Your own! The expression on the right, "You can't pour from an empty cup" is one that I had to learn for myself the hard way. What happens when you don't put on your own mask first? YOU DIE! Now not taking care of yourself isn't as dramatic, but it can lead to extreme stress, burnout, and can manifest itself phsycially with somatic issues. How do we take care of ourselves, when it's our job to take care of others? You need to make self-care a priority. See more ideas & resources below!
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