The Importance of Self-Care

Author:
Holly Copeland

Emily is changing lives in her gap year as a Yipiyap Tutor. Think you could be a future Yipiyap?

What is self-care?

Adequate self-care has, in my opinion, a huge impact on your mental and physical well-being. So, what is self-care? It can be as simple as getting enough sleep and allowing time for your body to rest after a busy day, practising mindfulness, having a bath, applying a facemask, etc.

Some people may dedicate twenty minutes a week, or even a whole day, to focus on themselves and their wellbeing. For me, I try to have a ‘self-care Sunday’ to prepare myself for the busy week ahead, and recuperate and reflect on the previous week.

Exercise is another great example of caring for your body and general health; it can be such a huge mood booster, even if it’s the last thing you want to do! Going for a walk and taking in the nature and environment around you is a great opportunity to reflect on your feelings. Being aware of how you feel in a particular moment is a healthy skill to have. This is known as self-reflection.

“Self-care” vs “Selfish”

Remember, self-care is not selfish. There is a quote I love that sums this up perfectly; “you cannot pour from an empty glass; you must fill your glass first”. This means that we cannot give our all to others (whether it be within your job, or relationships and friendships) if we are not caring for ourselves first. Sure, we can pretend to ‘have it all’ 100% of the time to outsiders but this will catch up on us eventually.

Lack of sleep, water, nutrition, and general self-care can cause our physical well-being to deteriorate and our mental well-being to suffer. Life is busy and things get in the way of having some ‘me-time’ but even five minutes to recuperate can be so worthwhile to aid us in the ability to carry out the everyday tasks. The charity Mind has some great resources for ways in which you can help yourself if you are struggling.

A good way to view self-care is by imagining your body, mind, and spirit as a plant. Plants need water to survive just as humans need care. Rather than watering the whole garden (your peers/family/partner) 24/7, take a moment to sit in the sun and water yourself. Do not depend on others to provide your happiness and health; this should come from you. After all, who knows you better than you?

Self-care ideas

Listen to your favourite music, sing, dance, meditate, sleep, exercise, relax, and most importantly, take care of yourself. If anyone is struggling, please reach out, so many people care about you, it’s time to start caring about you!