The who, what, where, when, and why of wellness

Self-care in the modern lexicon has become somewhat of a buzzword, but it’s much more than just cucumber eye masks and fuzzy socks (although both are great). Beyond the branding, practicing self-care is actually a crucial strategy for managing our overall wellness. In this post, we’ll examine the who, what, where, when, and why we should exercise self-care.

What is self-care?

Researchers Martínez et al define self-care as “the ability to care for oneself through awareness, self-control, and self-reliance in order to achieve, maintain, or promote optimal health and well-being (National Library of Medicine). The idea itself is not necessarily new, but gained traction through various women’s and wellness movements. Overall, as quality of life improved and people live longer, the incidence of chronic diseases has also increased proportionately – and self-care and wellness have been embraced as preventative measures or even treatment for behavioral conditions. 

While the practice of self-care may vary from person-to-person, it often involves somatic (physical) actions to achieve a mental or emotional result. Examples may include healthy eating, physical activity, good hygiene, health knowledge or literacy, responsible use of medicines, and mental wellbeing. In fact, the International Self-care Foundation shares that between 70 and 95% of all illnesses are managed without doctoral intervention, and that self-care is often the first treatment used against common sicknesses.

Who should practice self-care?

Ideally anyone – no matter what life stage – ought to take steps to look after their psychological and physical wellbeing. Easier said than done, obviously, but the more self-care becomes normalized, the less unusual it will seem. “Making mental health mainstream” is, after all, one of Savor Lining’s driving mottos! What if in place of hustle culture, more people chose to use all of their vacation days by the end of the year? Or instead of cracking open those emails one last time before bed, we opt instead for a pen and journal? 

Of course it’s a delicate balance, but what’s key is having the awareness take a step back from the “normal” and purposefully implement our self-care routines.

Examples of self-care include healthy eating, physical activity, and health literacy among other thingsWhen do I exercise self-care?

The answer to this doesn’t have to be complex, but probably will depend on your schedule. Maybe it’s upon waking, so that you can enter your commute, meetings, or kids’ soccer practice feeling grounded and alert. Or perhaps before you go to sleep: picking up a good novel or therapeutic activity such as watercolor painting. Alternatively, you may find that a walk midday helps you clear your mind of anxious thoughts – and the endorphins from movement relax you before your next task. Truthfully, there isn’t a bad time to be mindful!

What if you feel as if you’ve already hit a barrier though? There is grace for that – it’s never too late to start implementing self-care into your routine. Start with small steps, and try different things to see what you take most to or find a local interest group to hold yourself accountable. Having a schedule, such as salsa class on Wednesdays at 7, may give you the answer for when you should do self-care.

Where does self-care happen?

Similar to scheduling, location does not necessarily matter, but you may find that having a dedicated space is more conducive to processing or relaxing. For instance, if your goal is to meditate more and you spend most hours working at a desk, you may find your thoughts unintentionally wandering back to an assignment. Instead, try a quiet space outside or even a phone room in the office. 

Sometimes the place will come with the activity – like our earlier example of salsa dancing, but wherever you go, make it your unique space. Be flexible if you work with a large team or have children or pets seeking your attention; ultimately, your intention to practice self-care is more important than the specific time or place.

Image of a woman with hands placed over her heart. Text reads “practicing self-care tends to your whole body before you reach a breaking point.”Why is self-care important?

Practicing self-care can very much be a preventative measure before reaching burnout (more on how to recognize and address that here). Mental fitness is taking steps to care for your whole body versus tending to your needs after things hit their boiling point. Recovery can be a long, difficult process. Self-care doesn’t mean you must have everything together 100% of the time – it’s rather the opposite. A healthy mental wellness routine involves assessing things as they are, considering what could be done differently, and acting to achieve better outcomes.

If you’re interested in hearing more from a professional standpoint, Savor Lining offers a free therapist-led pilot on the “Art of Self-care.” Reach out to pilot@savorlining.com or connect with us on our website, www.savorlining.com.