What does self care mean to you? It's not all bubble baths and manicures but about building small habits into your day that allow you to function and feel better. When you are juggling family commitments, work, hospital appointments or physical health challenges it can be easy for self-care to slip off the bottom of your to do list. But actually, it should be the foundation of it.

There are a few different areas of self care to consider.

Prioritising the basics: Good sleep and nutrition

If you are not sleeping or eating well then your body does not have the right fuel for your physical and mental health. So before you work on adding any other self-care habits to your day, make sure you prioritise these. Try to go to bed and get up at the same time, limit screens before bed and try some of our mindfulness tracks or EFT if you are struggling to switch off. Your nutrition needs will vary depending on your health condition so talk to your doctor or dietician about what is right for you but we encourage a balanced diet with lots of plants and time for treats.

Exercise

Research shows that exercise is as effective as medication for treating mild to moderate depression. Your health condition may affect your choices but scheduling any kind of movement into your week can lift your mood.

Rest

As well as sleep, it is important to incorporate other elements of physical, mental and emotional rest into your day. How can you switch off and refuel?

Social connection

Making time for social connection is sceintifically proven to increase happiness. Can you schedule in a call with a family member or friend this week? Or perhaps you could find a local or online support group to talk about your health condition with.

Boundaries

Self care is not always about doing things but also saying 'no' to situations that don't serve you. It is not selfish to prioritise your time and energy by realising you cannot do and be everything for everyone. What could you delegate or delete from your day?

Fun

Doing things you enjoy is really important. Sometimes these things might need to be approached differently due to your health condition but try to incorporate a least one thing a week into your life that you simply do because you want to.

Today, write down in your smile file what self care looks like for you and commit to one small step you can take to schedule more of it into your life.

Self Compassion & Self Care