Self-care is essential, especially now
Happy summer! This month I thought in honor of summer and part of the staycation mentality I would talk about self-care. Self-care is always important but during this pandemic I think it is crucial to our well-being. If you aren’t familiar with this concept, I will define it for you,
”Self-care is any activity that we do deliberately in order to take care of our mental, emotional and physical health.”[i]
It’s not a difficult concept but somehow it does seem elusive in our busy world. As Agnes Wainman explained, self-care is “something that refuels us, rather than takes from us.”[ii]
Do not view self-care as a luxury but rather as a priority. Just as we try to have goals in different areas of our life we should also have self-care practices for different areas of our life. Six different areas might be: physical, social, mental, spiritual, emotional and financial.[iii]
Physical self-care
For physical care, it’s also important that you’re getting adequate sleep, eating nutrient dense food, getting enough exercise and taking care of yourself with the appropriate medical care and check ups.
Social self-care
Relationships are key to our happiness and social well-being. Depending on your situation, maintaining relationships and building new ones may be difficult during the pandemic but it is key to spend time with family and friends on a regular basis. We should all make it a goal to laugh every day.
Mental self-care
It’s important to keep your mind active and growing. This could be taking time for puzzles, reading books or doing things that excite your mind and imagination. This also includes, “practicing self-compassion and acceptance, for example helps you maintain a healthier inner dialogue.”
Spiritual self-care
Taking time to nurture your spirit is an example of spiritual self-care and leads to a healthier lifestyle. This can be anything that gives you the feeling of being a part of something bigger than yourself.
Emotional self-care
This would be anything that helps you cope better with your feelings and emotions. Do you have a way of processing your emotions like anger, anxiety and sadness? Having activities that replenish you will help with emotional self-care.
Financial self-care
Prioritize which decisions need to be made today. Decide what is necessary to further your financial goals. Get help making those decisions and putting together a plan. It’s amazing how great clients feel once things are decided and they don’t have to worry about them any longer.
Not just another item for your To-Do List
I know this might sound like something else to put on your to do list, but I think you will find the benefits are worth it. It is impossible to be at your best professionally and with your family if you do not take time to refuel in these six areas. You can think of self-care as putting on your oxygen mask before assisting your child in the event of an emergency on a plane. You will not be as effective, or you will simply burn yourself out, if you do not take time to replenish yourself first.
I think that covid has taken a toll on everyone mentally and physically so if you weren’t practicing self-care before the pandemic, you will certainly want to start now.
We’re here to help
At Impact Wealth Advisory we are concerned about all areas of our client’s lives, not just their financial well-being. Let us know what you are doing to take care of yourselves in each of these areas. We love hearing from you.
[i] https://psychcentral.com/blog/what-self-care-is-and-what-it-isnt-2/#:~:text=Self%2Dcare%20is%20any%20activity,improved%20mood%20and%20reduced%20anxiety.
[ii] https://psychcentral.com/blog/what-self-care-is-and-what-it-isnt-2/#:~:text=Self%2Dcare%20is%20any%20activity,improved%20mood%20and%20reduced%20anxiety.
[iii] https://www.verywellmind.com/self-care-strategies-overall-stress-reduction-3144729