What Is Self-Care and Why Is It Important?
- Jan 7, 2021
- 7 min read
Updated: Oct 17
Struggling to find balance in your life? Between the pressures of work, finances, and relationships, it’s easy to neglect your own well-being. Discovering the power of self-care is the first step toward a healthier, more fulfilling life.
What is self-care and why is it important?
Self-care is any intentional activity that helps you tend to your physical and mental needs to detach from daily stresses. It's important because it rejuvenates your mind and body, helping you avoid burnout, anxiety, and depression.
Ready to learn how to create your own effective self-care plan? We'll dive into what self-care looks like, why it's so vital, and how you can implement it in your daily life to start feeling better today.
Struggling to manage stress and find balance in your life?
The topic of self-care is becoming more and more important as the number of stressors facing each person continues to build in life. Financial struggles, workplace stresses, and difficulty maintaining relationships can all add to this stress, especially when paired with the continued effects of COVID-19.
Amidst these stresses, it can be easy for a person to forget to tend to their own needs and take care of their mental and physical health. Self-care is this ability to acknowledge and healthily address one’s own needs, and involves a person tending to themselves in a way that allows them to detach from these stresses and engage in activities that are relaxing, fun, and rejuvenating instead.
Knowing what self-care is and why self-care is important can set the foundation for each person to begin creating their self-care plan, setting the groundwork for learning how to do self-care effectively.
Why Is Self-Care Important?
Self-care is a way for a person to take care of their mental health, but a lack of self-care can affect many different parts of a person’s life, leading to detriments to one’s mental health, emotional resilience, physical health, and even social life.
Without an effective self-care plan, stress can build and a person can begin to feel perpetually emotionally or physically exhausted. Anxiety, depression, or insomnia can all result from a person not taking care of themselves in the way that both their mind and body need, and can even cause a person to begin skipping meals or feeling isolated.
Ignoring one’s personal needs can also lead to the development of unhealthy coping strategies, such as turning to drugs or alcohol. When a person focuses on their health and well-being it allows them to detach from daily stressors, it can also rejuvenate the body and mind to be more capable of processing these stresses in the future.
What Is Self-Care?
Asking “what does self-care mean?” is a very open-ended question, and there are a lot of different ways for a person to discover their versions of self-care. Self-care is partaking in any kind of activity with the intention of focusing on yourself and something that makes you happy.
It is a way for a person to put aside daily stresses to avoid becoming overwhelmed. It is done with intention so people can keep their health at the front of their minds. However, in practice, self-care will look very different from person to person. While some people may benefit from having a yoga session each day, others may instead find their mental break in the pages of a book.
While one person may enjoy a good wilderness hike, another may simply need to schedule in time for themselves to just rest their bodies on the couch and turn off their work phones. Self-care is very flexible, and everyone should create their self-care plan based on their unique needs and interests. However, these plans need to be created with the intention of actively caring for oneself.
How To Practice Self-Care
Effective self-care practices will typically encapsulate several different elements. First, and most importantly, is that a person acknowledges they have needs and deserves to be able to take care of those needs. Self-care is a practice that revolves around treating oneself fairly, and therefore it is important to reaffirm that each individual is both worthy of self-care and is able to take care of themselves without feeling guilty about taking that time for themselves.
Physical Health
Self-care involves both physical and mental health, and effective self-care practices incorporate taking care of one’s body to help their mind feel better in the process. Things like eating healthy meals, hygiene routines, and physical activity are all important components to consider and should make up a portion of each person’s approach to their understanding of self-care.
Mental Wellbeing
This part of defining self-care is typically what most people consider when they hear the term “self-care.” This is one’s ability to take care of their mental health, process stresses, and detach from the responsibilities or expectations of others, in an effort to wholly focus on oneself.
This can take many forms, from video games, starting an arts and crafts project, or even just sitting in the car and listening to music for a few minutes. These kinds of practices are highly varied from person to person, and are an opportunity for each individual to engage in something they enjoy without concerning themselves with others.
Not only can these practices help a person continue to reinforce their own identity in a stressful world, but it also ensures that their practices can be restful and effective in however they approach their self-care.
Self-Care Implementation
Each self-care plan will look different. While it is important to have a day-to-day self-care routine where a person can take time for themselves outside of work or familial responsibilities, it is also possible that a person may want to take an entire vacation for their self-care. However, when creating each individual’s self-care plan, it is important to note that these two versions of self-care aren’t mutually exclusive.
A person practicing daily self-care may still need to take a vacation now and then, and just because someone has regular holiday vacations doesn’t mean they won’t also need to focus on themselves on a daily basis. Self-care is a continuous balancing act between one’s own needs and responsibilities, and it is both fair and encouraged to continuously reevaluate one’s needs.
This constant reevaluation of one’s needs and wants ties directly into the very first part of understanding and creating a self-care plan, and it is encouraged for a person to change their approach to self-care if stressors continue to build over time. However, it is important that a person schedule in their time for self-care, and treat this time with as much importance as they treat their other responsibilities.
With self-care, it really is all in the title. It is taking care of oneself. However, it is also more than that — it is finding a way to take care of oneself with intention and mindfulness, and without the concern of others. It is a wholly personal experience, and while self-care practices can absolutely involve company and companionship,
It is still a practice that has a personal value that should never be forgotten. Self-care is realizing one’s needs, acting on those needs, and empowering oneself to continue to explore identity and enjoy life, all while processing stress and preventing depression, anxiety, or isolation from manifesting.
Frequently Asked Questions:
• How can a lack of self-care affect my life?
A lack of self-care can lead to various issues, including anxiety, depression, insomnia, and the development of unhealthy coping strategies like turning to drugs or alcohol.
• What are some examples of self-care activities?
Self-care is highly personal. Examples include practicing yoga, reading a book, hiking, listening to music, playing video games, or engaging in a creative project.
• Should my self-care plan only focus on mental health?
No, an effective self-care plan should include both physical and mental well-being. This means considering things like healthy eating, hygiene, and physical activity, in addition to mental breaks.
• How often should I practice self-care?
Self-care is a continuous balancing act. It's important to have a day-to-day routine but also to reevaluate your needs and take longer breaks, like a vacation, when necessary.
• How do I know if my self-care plan is effective?
An effective self-care plan helps you detach from stressors, rejuvenates your body and mind, and prevents the buildup of emotional or physical exhaustion. If you continue to feel stressed, it may be time to change your approach.
If you or a loved one are struggling to create an effective self-care plan and need support on your journey to better mental health, we're here to help. Our team at Chateau Health and Wellness Treatment Center understands the challenges you're facing and is committed to providing the guidance and care you need. We'll work with you to develop a personalized approach that addresses your unique needs and helps you build a healthier, more resilient life. Please don't hesitate to reach out to us at (435) 222-5225 to start your path toward lasting wellness.
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About The Author
Ben Pearson, LCSW - Clinical Director
With 19 years of experience, Ben Pearson specializes in adolescent and family therapy, de-escalation, and high-risk interventions. As a former Clinical Director of an intensive outpatient program, he played a key role in clinical interventions and group therapy. With 15+ years in wilderness treatment and over a decade as a clinician, Ben has helped countless individuals and families navigate mental health and recovery challenges.
Danny Warner, CEO of Chateau Health and Wellness
Brings a wealth of experience in business operations, strategic alliances, and turnaround management, with prior leadership roles at Mediconnect Global, Klever Marketing, and WO Investing, Inc. A graduate of Brigham Young University in Economics and History, Danny has a proven track record of delivering results across diverse industries. His most transformative role, however, was as a trail walker and counselor for troubled teens at the Anasazi Foundation, where he directly impacted young lives, a personal commitment to transformation that now drives his leadership at Chateau.
Austin Pederson, Executive Director of Chateau Health and Wellness
Brings over eight years of experience revolutionizing mental health and substance abuse treatment through compassionate care and innovative business strategies. Inspired by his own recovery journey, Austin has developed impactful programs tailored to individuals facing trauma and stress while fostering comprehensive support systems that prioritize holistic wellness. His empathetic leadership extends to educating and assisting families, ensuring lasting recovery for clients and their loved ones.
