Self-Care for Women
By Extension Associate Professor, Cindy Nelson
Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers who do so much for their families. Take time today, and in the future, for some much need self-care. Self-care refers to taking care of yourself by doing anything that contributes to overall wellness: physical, mental, spiritual, intellectual, etc. (Glowiak, 2020). Self-care is important to help women overcome stress, burnout, and fatigue, as well as everyday life challenges. Self-care can help you refresh, rejuvenate, and recharge (Coaston, 2017).
Research indicates that consistent self-care can increase concentration, diminish depression and anxiety, decrease stress and frustration, and increase energy and happiness. Self-care can positively affect our physical health by decreasing stroke, cancer, and heart disease (Glowiak, 2020). Taking time for yourself can help you become a better person and parent.
The biggest barrier to self-care is time. Here are some ways to increase the success of personal self-care:
- Give yourself permission to engage in self-care and plan a specific time for it
- Enlist the help and support of family and friends
- Make self-care intentional and consistent
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Personalize your self-care routine to fit your lifestyle and needs
Create a self-care plan that will benefit you personally. Here are a few suggestions of effective self-care activities (Wei, 2017):
- Breathe-try some deep breathing techniques or guided breathing exercises to help calm the mind and reduce stress
- Exercise-physical activity can boost mood and increase energy
- Sleep-create a healthy bedtime routine to achieve a more restful sleep
- Eat well-adequate nutrition is linked to the prevention of inflammation in the body, which can contribute to chronic stress
- Stay socially connected-prevent feelings of isolation and loneliness by spending time with family and friends
- Read-reading can help you relax as well as provide you with valuable intellectual stimulation
- Express gratitude-make a “thankful” list, write a note of appreciation, or verbally express gratitude to help you focus on the positive things in life
- Spend time outdoors-spending time in nature can add a depth of peace and calm along with increasing Vitamin D that you can get from sunshine
- Unplug-limit technology use and model appropriate behavior (Self-care, n.d.)
While parenting responsibilities and duties can often be exhausting, taking time for self-care can help you regain energy, find happiness, and focus on what matters most (Choate, 2016). Self-care can help enhance healthy family associations, improve parenting relationships, and promote overall well-being (Self-care, n.d.).
Additional Resources
- Here is a link for 50 ideas to caring for yourself as a parent: https://parenthetical.wisc.edu/2018/03/19/what-does-parental-self-care-look-like-50-ideas-for-caring-for-yourself-as-a-parent/
References
- Choate, L. (2016). Why is parent self-care so important? Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/girls-women-and-wellness/201601/why-is-parent-self-care-so-important
- Coaston, S. (2017). Self-care through self-compassion: A balm for burnout. The Professional Counselor Volume 7, Issue 3, Pages 285–297 http://tpcjournal.nbcc.org © 2017 NBCC, Inc. and Affiliates doi:10.15241/scc.7.3.285
- Glowiak, M. (2020). What is self-care and why is it important for you? Southern New Hampshire University. https://www.snhu.edu/about-us/newsroom/2020/04/what-is-self-care
- Self-care and mental health, (n.d.). Active Minds. https://www.activeminds.org/about-mental-health/self-care/
- Wei, M., (2017). Self-care for the care giver. Harvard Health Publishing. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/self-care-for-the-caregiver-2018101715003