Prioritizing Self-Care

I remember taking tests in school and coming across the various test formats. Some were multiple choice while others were true / false or essay. Still others were fill-in-the-blank. 

When I finished school, I thought I wouldn’t have to deal with any more fill-in-the-blanks. But faced with everyday pressures and responsibilities in my adult life, I find that I’m faced with them frequently, especially when it comes to self-care. Have you ever found yourself filling in the blank with phrases like these? 

“I’ll take care of myself when I…”

– finish taking care of the kids

– get through school

– complete this project

– get my house in order

– make more money

Unlike school tests, which guide us toward specific answers, the fill-in-the-blank possibilities here are endless. Even though we may value self-care, we can’t simply ignore other demands, so we’re left wondering how to meet both needs.   

Here are some suggestions for incorporating more self-care into our lives:

1. Decide that self-care is non-negotiable.

This suggestion has a basis in health behavior theory – an aspect known as predisposing beliefs. We act according to our foundational beliefs about the world around us. If we believe deep down that self-care is a perk or a luxury, then we’ll treat it as such. It will be easier for other aspects of life to take priority. If we think of it as a requirement, however, then we’ll approach self-care more deliberately. 

2. Decide what self-care looks like for you.

We can base this decision on a combination of what data indicate is healthiest for us, and our personal preferences. For example, we know that exposure to nature has health benefits. For that reason, we would be wise to include nature in our self-care efforts. We have a lot of flexibility, however, to decide how we want to enjoy nature. Some may prefer to garden, while others may enjoy hiking or nature photography. 

3. Schedule daily time for self-care.

This is easier said than done, but the knowledge that we have some kind of “me time” is helpful, even if it’s just 30 minutes a day. Sometimes we have to think creatively about how to schedule this kind of time, and circumstances look different for everybody. Consider how much time you can devote to self-care on a daily basis, and think about how you can structure it. Would morning, afternoon, or evening tend to work best? What arrangements could you make to ensure you have regular time for self-care? Can you identify any “time drains” (e.g., social media scrolling) that you could eliminate to make more room for self-care? 

When we start devoting more time to self-care, the delightful discovery we make is that it doesn’t have to compete with other demands of life. On the contrary, it complements and enhances our ability to meet these other demands. As the saying goes, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” Prioritize self-care as a way to achieve greater health and wellness in your life, and in turn to address your other responsibilities in a healthier and more productive way.