Before I get into the eight pillars of self-care, let’s go over what self-care is and why you should prioritize it.
Self-care is any activity that you engage in to help you take better care of yourself.
It can range from journaling, gratitude practice, or meditation to pampering, socializing, or watching Netflix.
It’s a simple concept that is frequently overlooked.
Self-care Routine is an absolute must.
Self-care is critical and for me it’s non-negotiable.
The more you rest and take care of yourself, the more nourished you will feel, allowing you to continue to present yourself as the healthiest version of yourself. Self-care also enables you to maintain a positive relationship with yourself, allowing you to properly care for your mental health and well-being.
It’s also important to remember that everyone’s definition of self-care is different. It’s all about what works for you and what makes you happy.
Self-care does not have to feel like a chore or be prohibitively expensive. Choose activities that you enjoy and rotate them on a regular basis. Enjoy your routine by experimenting with new and exciting self-care ideas throughout the year.
Also, become acquainted with the 8 different pillars of self-care so that you can be more intentional with your self-care routine. Knowing what your body and mind require in terms of nourishment allows you to go straight to the right pillar and select a self-care activity that meets your needs rather than engaging in a random activity that will not benefit you.
1 | Physical well-being
Let’s start with one of my favorite self-care pillars: physical.
Physical self-care entails activities that help you take care of your body and increase your energy levels.
Eating a well-balanced diet, exercising regularly, and getting a sufficient amount of sleep each night all contribute to the overall quality of your life.
Among the physical self-care activities are:
- Eating a nutritious and healthy meal
- Moving your body on a daily basis, whether by walking, running, or working out,
- Taking probiotics or multivitamins on a daily basis
- As soon as you wake up, drink a glass of water.
- Getting 7-9 hours of quality sleep
- Sitting in the sun to absorb vitamin D
- Spending time outside in nature
- Taking a relaxing bath or shower
2 | Self-care for the mind
Mental self-care practices not only stimulate the mind and improve brain functionality, but they also aid in the development of a growth mindset.
A growth mindset is essential for increasing overall happiness and fulfillment because you are not afraid to learn or try new things.
Instead, your curiosity makes you feel more excited and fulfilled because you know there is a world of opportunity and new skills to learn out there.
Activities for mental self-care include:
- Gaining knowledge of a new skill or language
- Setting large, deliberate goals or small, personal ones
- Reading self-help or personal development books
- Journaling
- Exercising gratitude
- Taking a break from social media
- Playing a game of chess
- Positive thinking should be practiced.
3 | Emotional well-being
Emotional self-care allows you to truly love and accept yourself by improving your understanding of yourself and your emotions.
When faced with a challenge, emotional self-care can help you cope and manage your feelings better, as well as improve self-awareness and self-acceptance.
Activities for emotional self-care include:
- Setting healthy and distinct boundaries to safeguard your energy
- Spending time alone with no interruptions
- Journaling your emotions
- Having a good cry.
- Practicing self-acceptance
- Making a list of positive affirmations
- Consulting with a therapist
- Requesting assistance
4 | Self-care for the environment
I’ve discovered that in order to truly thrive, I must be in the right environment. Whether in a crowded coffee shop or a tidy home office.
So make sure you create the right environment for you to work in.
Remember that your surroundings should always inspire you rather than distract you and if you work from home, keep your workspace separate from your living space. Decorate it with plants or pictures to make it more visually appealing.
Take care of and maintain your environment just as much as you do of yourself. Maintain an organized and clutter-free personal space because a clear space equals a clear mind.
Activities for environmental self-care include:
- Every morning, make your bed.
- Looking for a change of scenery?
- Organizing and cleaning your workspace
- Regularly decluttering your wardrobe
- Work in a coffee shop for a day.
- Visiting a new location (Coworking Spaces)
- Music listening
- Creating a relaxing atmosphere in the evenings
5 | Personal Financial Self Care
Developing a healthy relationship with money is critical for our mental health because it reduces stress and anxiety in our lives.
Financial self-care can also improve our positive mindset toward money, making us more open to discussing it and less judgmental of people who have a lot of it!
Among the financial self-care activities are:
- Listening to podcasts about finance or money
- Putting money aside for the future
- Reading Jen Sincero’s You Are A Badass At Making Money
- Setting financial objectives for the year
- Using a money app to keep track of your finances
- Every month, you save money.
- Confronting debt by writing down positive money affirmations
6 | Self-care in social situations
Self-care does not always have to entail spending time alone. It can take the form of reconnecting with old friends or simply developing and maintaining healthy relationships with family and friends.
Social connections not only make us feel loved and less alone, but they are also necessary for developing and improving our communication skills.
Activities for social self-care include:
- Spending time with a friend with no distractions (yes, put the phone away)
- Send a message to a friend explaining why you appreciate them.
- Spending less time with negative people
- Putting an end to relationships with toxic people
- Establishing limits and learning to say no
- Communicating with a loved one
- Creating an active online community
- Letter writing to a friend
7 | Leisure-time self-care
I’ve finally arrived at my favorite type of self-care. Recreational.
Making time for fun is another term for it!
Recreational self-care encourages you to connect with your inner child by engaging in non-brain-intensive hobbies.
It’s all about taking a break from your to-do list and filling your day, month, or year with happy moments.
Activities for recreational self-care include:
- Going on a trip by yourself or with others
- Having a spa day
- Netflix or classic 1990s chick flicks
- Painting, coloring, or doing a puzzle to express yourself
- Spending time outside in nature
- Fiction, magazines, and comic books
- Playing board games or putting together puzzles
- Participating in an in-person exercise class
8 | Spiritual well-being
Whereas the other pillars of self-care are concerned with the mind and body, spiritual self-care is concerned with the soul.
Spiritual self-care practices assist you in connecting with your inner being in order to find a deeper purpose and more meaning in your life.
This type of self-care can also help you silence the outside noise and find internal calm and peace.
Activities for spiritual self-care include:
- Breathwork or meditation
- Spending time outside in nature
- Yoga at a place of worship
- Creating a map of your core values
- Making time for self-reflection
- More information on astrology manifestation
Last thoughts
I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to devote time to self-care for your mental health and well-being. Self-care may appear to be a difficult and inconvenient habit to develop, especially when you’re busy, but once you start, you’ll never look back.
Keep it simple and prioritize your needs. Don’t try to strike the perfect balance between each pillar of self-care; instead, concentrate on the area that requires the most attention. Begin by identifying a gap in your schedule and devoting 5-15 minutes per day until you are ready to increase it.
Also, choose self-care activities that you enjoy.
I believe that the key is to do more of what makes you happy.
So take the time to develop a self-care routine that works for you.
