Self-Care Tips

What is Self-care

The word “self-care” has been floating around since the rise in awareness of mental health. This is especially so after the COVID-19 pandemic forced millions worldwide to work or attend school at home. Self-care is the intentional act of physically, mentally and emotionally caring for yourself. You care for yourself by creating space and time to enjoy activities you like to help ground and reconnect with yourself (Smith et al., 2024).

Self-care tips:

1. Be kind to yourself

Often, we are our worst critics. Treat yourself with compassion like how you would with a friend (Pate, 2020). Also, it is not easy to acknowledge our efforts without the fear of letting success get to our heads and becoming arrogant. As an Asian country, humility is predominantly emphasised in our culture. However, humility does not mean we do not celebrate our successes. We deserve praise for our hard work and encouragement for every small step we take in the face of a challenge (HealthHub, 2023). Celebrating your successes whenever they come and returning to the grind the next day is okay. Moreover, if you feel yourself beginning to tire or feel like you are taking on too much, learn to say “no” (National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH, 2024).

2. Take care of your physical health

Sometimes self-care can be as simple as a daily routine, ensuring we are well-rested, well-fed, and exercising enough (HealthHub, 2023). Try to eat your meals on time and consume a balanced diet for a healthy body. Even a regular stretch or taking half an hour to walk around the nearby park or at your HDB block can help maintain your health. When it comes to having ample sleep, it is crucial to set a regular sleep schedule with enough hours so that you do not upset your body’s internal biological clock and wake up tired (NIMH, 2024).

3. Practice self-reflection

Take time to reflect on your day, how it went, what went through your mind, and how you felt about certain events. You can write them down on paper (for example, keeping a journal), record yourself, or share these feelings with a trusted friend or family member (HealthHub, 2023). Also, our body may want to go through the motions of our feelings rather than intellectualising them. Hence, we can try some activities that are low in stress but enjoyable simultaneously. These activities include listening to music, yoga, breathing exercises and painting (NIMH, 2024). 

References

HealthHub. (2023). Looking After Yourself. HealthHub.  https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/looking-after-yourself

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). (2024). Caring for Your Mental Health. National Institute of Mental Health. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/caring-for-your-mental-health

Pate, C. (2020). Self-Care Strategies for Educators during the Coronavirus Crisis: Supporting Personal Social and Emotional Well-Being. Crisis Response Resource. WestEd. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED605940.pdf

Smith, S., Blatch, C.,& Hussy, T.(2024). Self-care and Savings. The Black Professional Guide to College Students Affairs. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003443278-10/self-care-savings-sierra-smith-cedric-blatch-tim-hussey