A Beginner’s Guide to Self-Care: What It Really Is & How to Start

Posted December 17, 2020

Author: Dr. Reena Benson

Ah self-care, the term we may have come to love or loathe, and a phrase many of us may be hearing more and more as the pandemic lingers on. In fact, a quick Google search on self-care in a pandemic yields roughly 716,000,000 returns ranging from articles about rethinking how we care for ourselves, to the importance of self-care, and ideas for activities, tips, and tricks. Even if we don’t necessarily like the idea of self-care or think it’s that important, perhaps even Google is suggesting we turn our attention to it. Research suggests that engaging in self-care is good for our emotional, physical, and spiritual health.

The idea of self-care has a tendency to conjure up fancy definitions, ideas, and fantasies that I believe interfere with one’s ability to actually pursue and participate in self-care acts. So let’s toss out all those preconceived notions! What is self-care? Simply put, self-care is participating in activities or experiences that make you feel good. That’s it! Sounds easy enough, right? But what we know is that this can be really, really hard for us.

The pandemic has, in many ways, forced us to slow down (for better or worse) and to reflect on the ways we used to live and the ways we live now. This time has somewhat been like a forced reset and perhaps a welcomed opportunity to reconfigure our priorities and decide how we want to live when life again resembles what we used to know. This time also offers an opportunity to know ourselves better and discover what makes us feel good, which helps us weather the “now” as well as the hustle and bustle of life post-COVID-19.

Below are some strategies that I have found useful to help incorporate a dose of self-care in your life. Because let’s face it, we all could use it and deserve it.

Start slow.

Think of self-care like a muscle. You wouldn’t run a marathon without doing some other runs/training first. The same applies to caring for ourselves. Ultimately, we want the act of taking care of ourselves to stick and we know that when we jump in too quickly this goal can feel overwhelming which might lead to abandoning the whole idea.

Make a list.

Sit down and take some time to think about the things that make you feel good. Does making your bed in the morning make you feel good? Listening to music? Getting creative? Reading a book? Watching the latest series on Netflix? Whatever it may be it actually doesn’t have to be grand– it can be simply getting outside and standing in the sun, making sure you eat breakfast before you start the workday, or coming home from work and doing nothing and not judging yourself for doing so.

And with all things, this doesn’t have to be perfect.

In fact, it doesn’t have to be anywhere near that and arguably is so much better when it isn’t. If you begin and then forget to do your self-care activity for a bit that’s okay. Just continue on the journey as some simple additions to your life are sure-fire ways to enjoy the benefits that result from caring for yourself.