Self-Care During a Global Pandemic
Self-care is a term that has been thrown around for quite some time now. Many people associate self-care with bubble baths, face masks, and online shopping. These are all wonderful things, however it’s important to note that self-care can fall into a variety of categories. The definition of self-care is ‘the practice of taking action to preserve or improve one’s own health.’ Where a person is at physically and mentally in their lives can shift the way they think about and practice self-care. I have been hearing from a lot of clients that they’re struggling to take care of themselves since the pandemic started, which is to be expected given the incredible amount of stress it has put us all under.
It can be incredibly challenging to know how to care for yourself during these unprecedented times. Practicing self-compassion is a good place to start. Something I always tell my clients is to talk to yourself the way you’d speak to a friend. I think that this can be incredibly powerful and help to shift our mindset to a healthier way of communicating with ourselves. Self-compassion can also be practiced by implementing mindfulness into our daily lives. Mindfulness is a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while simultaneously practicing acceptance of your thoughts and feelings. Striving to keep our feelings in balance when we experience something upsetting is a good way to start practicing mindfulness. An easy way to start implementing mindfulness into your daily life is incorporating a breath meditation into your weekly routine. Pick a time of day, whether it be morning or evening, and sit in an upright position with your legs uncrossed and feet planted on the ground. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths in. Notice the way the breath feels flowing through your nose and out your mouth. Do this for a couple of minutes several times a week.
Another important component of self-care is boundary setting. Many of us work long hours, overextend ourselves in relationships, and have difficulty saying no. Boundary setting is essential to emotional well-being. So how are some ways we can work on setting boundaries? With majority of people working from home now it is common to struggle with knowing when to put work down and stop checking emails. Setting an end time for each day (and sticking to it!) when the work can be put aside and time is dedicated to uninterrupted relaxation can help us to feel more centered throughout our week. Reviewing progress you made that day, writing a to-do list for the following day, and cleaning up your digital and physical work space are some simple things you can implement to help you end the day with some structure. Boundary setting within our interpersonal relationships is another important component of self-care. Learning how to say “no” is a good place to start. I often hear from clients that they feel guilty saying no to their friend or partner with a fear that they will let them down. When you always say yes, even when you don’t want to go somewhere or do something, you start to build resentment towards the other person. Maintaining healthy boundaries within our relationships allows us to take care of ourselves so that we can be better friends, family members, and romantic partners.
