Why Should I Care about MySELF?
Now that we know COVID-19 has the ability to harm the state of our mental health, it is time to focus on the topic of “Self-Care”. With all of the changes, loads of information about the virus, and sudden restrictions, it is easy for one to become overwhelmed. When this happens, we tend to overlook our personal needs from our lack of self care. Without a way to let our your stress, your body and mind can react negatively to these effects. So it is important to actively assess our self care needs.
What is Self-Care?
Self care is often mistaken as “selfishness” or “narcissistic” however, this is not true. Self-care is taking care of yourself so that you are able to stay healthy. When you care for yourself you are well, able to help and care for others, as well as doing all the things you need to and want to accomplish everyday.
Why Should You Care?
If you are physically and mentally exhausted all of the time, then how will you ever get things done? The idea of self care is encouraging one to create and maintain a healthy relationship with your mind and body. This relationship may help you to become the best version of yourself. When you are well, your mood around others is reflected upon this as well.
A self-care study was conducted in which many individuals were given a questionnaire about their self-care habits and whether or not they found it difficult to fulfill them. At the end of the study, results show that “basic aspects of daily life — sleep, mobility, exercise and pain — were found to be highly challenging”. I found this interesting because even things as simple as sleeping, eating well balanced meals regularly, and moving around were found challenging to keep up for many people in the study.
There is no one way a person must go about when dealing with self-care. All I can hope for is that people start being more aware that self care is an important factor of your health. Whatever motivates you and inspires you is completely different from another person.
With all the hardships we have been going through since COVID-19 has started, our bodies and minds need to be cared for now more than ever.
Look for all the things that make you feel happy. Being healthy about self-care during this pandemic will not only help yourself but, you will feel be better equipped to encourage others through this hard time as well.
Citations:
Richard, A., & Shea, K. (2011). Delineation of Self‐Care and Associated Concepts. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 43(3), 255–264. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1547-5069.2011.01404.x
Taylor, Melanie, and Claire Budge. “Talking About Health : Study Overview and Self-Care Challenges Experienced by People with Long-Term Conditions.” Nursing New Zealand (Wellington, N.Z. : 1995), vol. 26, no. 2, New Zealand Nurses’ Organisation, 2020, pp. 20–23.
