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All too common, we get caught up with life and neglect selfcare. With uncertainty, disruptions, and other challenges, it is even more important to remind ourselves the importance of selfcare and the need to take action. To identify selfcare strategies, think about how you would take care of your loved ones. Selfcare is not just another term for “coping”. As you engage in selfcare activities, rather than focusing on what you are coping with or what you are trying to avoid, take the time to appreciate the value and meaning behind these actions. This will help you sustain selfcare practices during this difficult time and beyond.
8 Self-care Tips Now
- A nutritious and balanced diet [link to eat in eat, move, sleep] is important to nourish our body and mind. Do you eat to live or live to eat? Have a healthy snack – yum!
- Adequate rest and sleep [link to sleep in eat, move, sleep] is important to replenish and restore our body and mind. How about a 5 min break after reading this?
- Physical activity [link to move in eat, move, sleep], even while confined at home, is important to keep our body and mind active, in shape, and healthy. Are you reading this while standing up or moving your body?
- Personal hygiene, grooming, and attention to appearance is not simply vanity. It is part of taking care of ourselves. Even when we are confined at home, you may find these activities bring you more energy, motivation, and focus. Why not look your very best right now?
- Cultivate compassion for ourselves can help us become more compassionate towards others, and vice versa. Give yourself a hug now!
- Having genuine connections and deep conversations with family, friends, and communities help us find love and meaning. Who comes in your mind just now? Reach out and connect.
- Meditation [link to mindfulness], prayers, and reflection can help us experience gratitude, appreciation, tranquility, and meaning. Let’s contemplate on this phrase – “inner peace” – what does it mean to you?
- Arts and entertainment, from painting to knitting to reading a book, can further our creativity and imagination, which enrich and enhance our mental wellbeing, problem-solving skills, and psychological flexibility. Try humming a tune or doodling something right now. Ignore any “inner art critic” and have fun!
Links and Resources
This document by Mental Health Commission of Canada can help you track small proactive changes in your life and provide tips on how to incorporate selfcare into your daily routine. You can develop your own selfcare and resilience plan (also check out our resilience tool).
