Self-care or preventative maintenance has a long list of benefits: optimizing your immune system, relieving stress, improving resilience, having a more positive mindset, greater well-being, improved sleep, better able to manage chronic pain, reducing your risk of heart disease, and enjoying a better quality of life. It is enjoyable, makes us feel better, and is easy to access.
So why don’t we do more of it?
People have misconceptions about self-care, thinking it takes too much time, is costly, or is selfish. People often question where the line falls between self-care and self-indulgence. Why do we provide better preventative maintenance for our cars or homes than for ourselves? Do we consider that preventative maintenance an indulgence?
Self-care is not an indulgence.
It is preventative maintenance for YOU, the whole you: body, mind, and spirit. It takes many forms but is basically any action that replenishes you and enhances your well-being. If it causes you to slow down, be present in the moment, contributes to better self-awareness, and leaves you feeling good about yourself, it is probably self-care.
If you are a car, you aren’t particularly useful with no oil, no gas, and deflated tires. To be of service, you need to have reserves, be tuned up, and ready to go.
When you are depleted you are no longer as effective or resilient. It is hard to give when you don’t have anything to give. The negative effects of stress, physical, mental, and emotional illness run higher in those who neglect their own care.
Methods of replenishment
Because self-care nourishes us physically, emotionally, mentally, intellectually, spiritually, it will be different for each of us. While some aspects of self-care are universal (caring for our bodies with sleep, nutrition, hygiene, and exercise), others are unique. We each need our own methods of replenishment. What restores your soul and lights you up?
Some behaviors have immediate benefits, and others are cumulative. Notice there are tiers of self-care: some things you do monthly, weekly, and others daily. Some of the suggestions below won’t appeal, and that is OK. But before you write off an idea as “I can’t do THAT!” pause and determine what you are reacting to, what it represents to you, and whether your reaction is how you really choose to respond.
Ideas for self-care (preventative maintenance):
- getting a massage or facial
- meditating
- cooking from scratch
- starting each day with an intention to find beauty in the world
- getting sauna treatments
- setting a bedtime and creating a bedtime ritual
- practicing mindfulness several times a day (when you wash your hair, sip coffee/tea, brush your teeth)
- practicing gratitude daily
- devoting a weekend to reading a book
- journaling
- creating art
- trying photography
- having time with friends or family
- enjoying your pet
- having time to daydream
- having time alone
- spending time in nature
- learning
- getting enough non-work mental stimulation
- exploring a city
- practicing self-compassion
- traveling
- enjoying hobbies
- soaking in a tub with Epsom salts
- volunteering
- taking stock of all, you have accomplished
- watching a sunset
- performing random acts of kindness
- floating in a pool or ocean
- maintaining work-life balance
- creating healthy boundaries
- dancing
- having a source of meaning outside of work
- playing sports on a team
- taking breaks and vacations
- breaking up work with play
- making regular time for decompression and reflection
- streamlining/simplifying life
- shopping for something that isn’t a necessity
- making a bucket list and tentative plans to accomplish it
What brings you joy or connects you to your purpose?
Self-care (preventative maintenance) is not about getting more done. Culturally we are encouraged to push through, do more, be more…do it all. After a while, this approach backfires, and we are less productive, less efficient, and less happy. Therefore, practicing self-care is an ongoing lifestyle, not occasional spurts of doing something nice for yourself. Like gas for your car, it is best to keep some fuel in your tank and not run down to empty.
As nurses, we excel at caring for others, and we must also care for ourselves…proactively and regularly.
