Self care has become a featured word in the health arena in recent years and it appears, says psychologist, author and speaker Margaret Lambert, that we are beginning to become more mindful of the importance of taking care of ourselves, and less reliant on others to “fix” us. There is a growing sense that our health is our responsibility, and surely that’s the way it should be.
So if we are going to take on greater responsibility for our health and wellness, how much time should we be devoting to self care, and what areas of our lives should we be looking at?
Self care involves us attending to our whole selves – body, mind and spirit.
This includes the food and drink we consume, the way we move our bodies, the thoughts and beliefs that we hold, the way we hold onto past experiences, and our pursuits to nurture our spirit.
For some aspects of our lives, there may be very little additional time required in order to be taking greater care of ourselves.
For example, we all have to buy our food and drink. Choosing substances that are healthy rather than harmful to us requires little additional time – although reading the labels on food/drink items may take a little extra time when we are shopping.
Moving our bodies more is healthier for us and does not have to take a lot of time – we can have phone conversations while standing or walking and find other simple ways to move our bodies more.
Self care is not about pushing yourself too hard, but it is beneficial to make time in your day to include a walk or run or some other form of exercise.
Changing our thoughts and beliefs to be more helpful does not have to take a lot of time, although if you struggle with anxiety or depression, you may need to check in with a professional to help you.
Nurturing your spirit requires that you get in touch with what brings you feelings of peace – meditation, a walk in nature, listening to music, engaging in artwork. It is important to nurture our spirits on a daily basis.
The time required to engage in self care varies from person to person.
In times of greater stress, however, it will be necessary to increase your level of self care to avoid harmful stress symptoms taking hold.
Self care does take some extra time, but aren’t you worth it?
The more care you take of yourself, the healthier you become, and the less you will need to call on external medical services.
• Check out the self care conversation on Blab; the next Wellbeing Weekly Blab on Wednesday, February 3 from 8am ACST talks about Computers and Health. Feel free to join in or watch the replay via the Live Streaming page on my website.
Until next time – Margaret Lambert
