Self care...... not just face masks and bubble baths

With everything we have been through over the past couple of years, now more than ever it is particularly important that we prioritise self-care. But what exactly is self-care? Images that come to mind are face masks and bubble baths, but the truth is self-care can be many things.

Overall self-care is simply taking an active role in protecting your own wellbeing. Good self-care practices are linked to positive mental health and physical health, and overall life satisfaction. Good self-care not only improves how you feel but it can improve your relationships with others such as family and friends.

So, its clear that self-care is important but how do we start taking care of ourselves.

Firstly, take steps to take care of your physical and mental health with the following tips:

• Eat a healthy balanced diet with lots of fruit and veggies
• Drink plenty of water
• Get enough sleep to feel refreshed and energised
• Exercise and spend time outdoors
• Learn ways to manage your stress levels
• Spend time with people you care about

Secondly, think about the activities that bring you joy and start doing more of that, everybody is different but here are some examples:

• Gardening
• Cooking
• Reading
• Going for a walk
• Playing sport
• Watching a movie
• Trying something new e.g. painting, Pilates etc.
• Bubble baths and face masks

Thirdly, be kind to yourself:

• Use kind language when you talk about yourself
• Give yourself a break – it’s ok to feel tired, stressed or overwhelmed at times
• Take time to relax and wind down and give yourself permission to do nothing when needed
• Reach out if you are struggling – talk to friends and family or contact support services to talk to a professional

For everyone who is reading this think about what you have done to practice self-care in the past week, and think about how you can make it a priority moving forward.