The Importance of Self-Care

Kelli Harris

You may have heard of self-care but not know what it is or how to do it “correctly.” Truth is there is no one “correct” way because everyone’s self-care needs are different. Simply put, self-care is taking care of yourself before taking care of others. If you don’t take care of yourself, besides the obvious effects of getting sick, you can become emotionally worn down, depleted, depressed, and unmotivated. Your family, job, or mental health may suffer. Working in childcare now is often incredibly stressful without staff to hire and you may find yourself working more and more hours. Self-care doesn’t need to be time consuming or expensive. Here are some easy self-care tips to get started:

Set boundaries with social media. It’s so easy to start looking at cute dog videos and before you realize it, an hour scrolling on your phone has flown by. By setting a time limit on your phone for 10-15 minutes, three times a day to look at social media.

Take advantage of that extra time away from social media and get active. Going for a walk or a hike, pumping some weights, or engaging in any form of exercise boosts endorphin levels and helps us feel better. We are lucky to have more sunlight hours now, so take advantage!

Strengthen your connections with other people. Spending time with people you truly care about helps your mood and relieves stress. There are also studies that have shown that having strong personal connections can lead to a longer life.

Create something. What do you like to do? Maybe it’s baking cookies, cooking a gourmet meal, making greeting cards, writing poetry, or knitting socks. Whatever it is, take some time to yourself for enjoy a favorite activity.

Be mindful of the things around you and express gratitude. Keep mental notes or jot down in a journal all the things you feel lucky to have- no matter if it’s your favorite music, a wonderful sibling, or a soft bed to sleep on at night. Expressing gratitude can bring a calm sense of well-being.