When we think of the phrase ‘self care’ we usually think about physical self-care, but that’s just half the story.
However, all aspects of our health are interconnected so that our physical health can impact our emotional health and vice versa. Most of us are fairly aware of the importance of maintaining physical health through healthy diets, exercise and regular health screenings as a preventative measure. We typically recognise the importance of taking our medication when we become physically ill and follow the physicians’ orders.
How about our emotional health? How aware are we on what steps we need to take in order to maintain a healthy emotional well-being? Self-care has been defined as “the right and responsibility to take care of your physical and emotional well-being” (Salvucci, 2001). Emotional self care can be summarised as taking care of your emotional needs, preventing burnout and regulating our stress levels in order to live healthy, fulfilling and productive lives.
Dedicated time
Just as we brush our teeth everyday to maintain our physical (dental) health, we need to dedicate some moments each day to our emotional health. Some of you may have already started on maintenance of your emotional health through taking care of your physical health since they are interconnected. For example, stress is an everyday part of our lives, helping us to be motivated to complete a task or to just keep us moving in the right direction! However, when stress is negative and worrisome, our bodies can go ‘haywire’, especially if neglected.
Constant impact of everyday deadlines, financial demands, relationship conflicts and unmet personal expectations can be a huge attack on our physical and emotional well being. If you start to notice that your sleep pattern has changed (too much sleep or too little), you feel tired most days, have difficulty focusing on a task, become easily irritable, have lost interest in things you used to enjoy or just feel imbalanced in your life, then you may want to refocus on self care.
Physical-mental connection
In most instances, by taking care of ourselves physically, we can also take care of ourselves emotionally. Some basic self-care focus can be on getting a good night sleep, which helps to renew our mental and physical health each day. Achieve a good night’s rest by following good sleep habits, such as having a set sleep and wake time, avoiding drugs and alcohol before bed, including caffeine, making sure to keep the bedroom a place of rest instead of watching television and doing work.
Physical exercise is proven to boost energy in addition to improving mood, leaving you happier and more relaxed. The added benefit of exercise will be in improving your confidence and enhancing your self-esteem.
Healthy, balanced diets can have a significant impact on both our emotional and physical health. A survey done by the Food and Mood Project and backed by the mental health charity Mind, found that of 200 people, 88 per cent reported that changing their diet resulted in significant improvements to their mental health.
Tips for emotional self care:
Some of the more emotionally focused self-care tips are:
Relax. Throughout the day, take “mini-breaks”. Sit down and get comfortable. Stretch and take a deep breath. Listen to a song you enjoy or take a minute to sit in your car for a quiet/alone time.
Practice letting gp. Most time we create stress though repetitive thoughts of the stressful situations. Use journalling or other means you find useful to help you let go of the stressor.
Find social support. Having positive and trusting friendships is healthy. Friends can be a way to help you through a stressful time through support, laughter and shared activities.
Get organised. Develop a realistic schedule of daily activities that includes time for work, sleep, relationships and recreation.
Quiet time. Balance your family, social, and work demands with special private times. Hobbies are good antidotes for daily pressures.
Thinn Aung is an EAP counsellor. For more information about EAP, please call 949-9559.
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