Importance of self-care

Rutendo Gwatidzo-Changing Perspectives

Self-care is a word often misunderstood by many who tend to think of selfishness when they hear the word.

It is simply the practice of taking an active role in protecting own well-being.

It does not mean that you should stop caring for others when you exercise self-care.

In addition to caring for others, be sure to take care of yourself too. As such, self-care is not selfish, it is essential.

Imagine your phone battery! You use it constantly again and again for instance, on social media or connecting with loved ones. But, without plugging it to recharge, it eventually dies and becomes useless.

The phone battery scenario is what happens to us when we neglect self-care.

Self-care is not about bubble baths and face masks as many people tend to perceive it.

Yes, those can be great too however, they are not the centre of focus at the moment.

Self-care is about intentionally taking action to nourish your physical, mental and emotional well-being. It is the key to maintaining energy, resilience and a positive outlook on life.

Many organisations are filled up with teams that are not good at self-care and this is probably one of the reasons why they give bad customer service sometimes.

You need to love yourself first before you love others and you need to take care of yourself; to be able to take care of others. The Bible in the book of Mark 12v31 says that we should love our neighbours as we love ourselves, so it must follow that we cannot love others if we do not love ourselves first.

In the organisational set up, you cannot respect your customers if you do not respect yourself and neither can you value them if you do not value yourself. Let us look at some of the importance of self-care.

It reduces stress and burnout – Chronic stress is real and it takes a toll on our bodies and minds. Self-care gives us tools to cope and promote relaxation.

Boost productivity and focus – When we are well rested, you can concentrate better and tackle tasks more effectively.

Improves relationships – Self-care helps you to show up as the best self for others fostering strong connections.

Strengthens your immune system – Stress can weaken our defences. Self-care practice like health eating and exercises can help us to stay healthy.

In as much as many of us may desire to practice self-care, we struggle to find time to do so due to busy schedules that we have on almost daily basis.

Some of us are not sure how to go about it because some of the simplest ways of self-care like bubble baths are hindered by unavailability of either water or electricity to warm up the water.

What then can be done to stay tuned to self-care practices? Some of the tips on how to prioritise self-care are given as follows:

Find your calm

Explore activities that help you to de-stress. For some it can be meditation, for others it can be yoga or spending time in nature. Listening to music or chatting with friends also helps others just to mention a few.

Exercise

Exercises are usually a powerful mood booster and stress reliever. Find an activity that you enjoy for instance walking, jogging, dancing or a sport.

Eat well

Fuel your body with healthy food and stay hydrated. You will feel better and generally have more energy.

Sleep well

In as much as you find yourself busy most of the time, you still need to get enough sleep. According to online medical reports, you must aim to have an average of 7-8 hours of quality sleep every night. Being well rested is essential for both physical and mental health.

Learn to say No

Set boundaries and do not be afraid to say No to commitments that drain your energy especially those that pay you back well. In as much as profit is needed out of what we do, we also need good health. The more money you make should be the more self-care you practice so that you live to enjoy the fruits of your labour otherwise you work for others to enjoy it.

Prioritise activities that leave you feeling refreshed

Do something you love often times – find something that brings you joy and work for it.

Remember, self-care is not an event or a destination, it is a journey.

Be kind to yourself, experiment and find what works best for you. Investing in your well-being is investing in your happier, healthier and more fulfilling life. Be encouraged and inspired to prioritise self-care.

Rutendo Gwatidzo is the managing consultant at The HUB HR Consultancy – as a culture and change management specialist. She is a multi-award winning leader, consultant, speaker and coach. She is also an Author of Born to Fight and Breaking the Silence books. Contact detail – 0714575805/ [email protected] / Rutendo Gwatidzo_Official fb public page