Practicing self-care reduces or eliminates anxiety and depression, improves focus, reduces irritation and aggression, increases happiness, improves energy, and more. So how do you practice self-care? Here are some steps to help you develop your self-care plan.
Step 1: Learn about the importance of self-care
Self care means taking responsibility for yourself to maintain optimal health, including a balanced lifestyle that encompasses many areas of your life including your physical, emotional, spiritual, professional, social, financial, psychological health.
As caregivers it is easy to put the needs of others ahead of your own. It is important to recharge your batteries because over time, the stress of caregiving can lead to burnout complicated by the risk of developing health conditions, anxiety, social isolation, etc. You will not be able to support others effectively if you’re physically and emotionally exhausted.
Be kind to yourself even if it is just a few minutes a day, you deserve it and remember what works for one person may not work for you, no two people will have the same self care needs.
Chances are you’re already taking some effective steps to meet your needs. Think of your self-care plan as a living document, one that grows with you. Revisiting it regularly can help you identify less impactful strategies and add in more beneficial approaches.
Completing steps 2 – 6 will help you to identify your needs and ensure that you are taking responsibility for yourself and maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle throughout your caregiving journey.
Step 2: Determining your stress level
Stress is unavoidable, we have forces in life that pull us in different directions; families, friends, work, pets, hobbies, you name it. As caregivers we often don’t realize the effects stress has on us until it is too late. Recognizing your stress levels is essential to taking steps to prevent burnout. Recognizing the signs of caregiver stress will help you to reflect on how you look and feel?
| Physical | Emotional | Cognitive | Behavioural |
| Nausea, dizziness | Feel depressed | Constant worrying | Eating more or less |
| Headaches/Migraines | Feeling Overwhelmed | Indecision | Addictive Behaviours |
| Intestinal/Bowel Issues | Mood swings | Seeing only negative | Withdrawing from others |
| Aches and Pains | Feelings of Helplessness | Impaired Judgment | Sleep Disturbances |
| Loss of Sex Drive | Anxiety and agitation | Memory Problems | Procrastinating or neglecting responsibilities |
| Frequent Sickness | Loneliness | Inability to concentrate | Procrastinating |
| Procrastinating or neglecting responsibilities | Loss of Confidence | Other | Nervous Habits |
Step 3: Identify your stressors
Strange as it may seem we are not always aware of the stressors in our life. Take a moment to write down some of the top issues you’re facing right now. You will notice that some of the events that happen to you while others seem to originate from within. Below are a few examples to get you started. Learning how to recognize sources of stress in your life is the first step in managing them, not eliminating it, because stress is a normal part of life.
| External Stressors | Internal Stressors | Your Stressors |
| Major Life Changes | Fears | |
| Social Interactions | Lack of Control/Uncertainty | |
| Unpredictable Events | Beliefs | |
| Workplace | Interpersonal Concern about others |
Step 4: Evaluate how you cope with life’s demands
The way you live your life can have a big impact on your health and how well or poorly you handle stress? Doing an honest assessment of how well or poorly you take care of yourself can help you manage stress in the future. If you find yourself engaging in unhealthy coping strategies it may be time to revisit what your end goal is.
| Healthy Coping Skills | Unhealthy Coping Skills |
| Deep Breathing | Yelling |
| Healthy Eating | Isolate Yourself |
| Exercise | Overeating |
| Listening to Music | Yelling |
| Asking for Help | Alcohol and Drug Use |
| Relaxing | Pacing |
| Socializing with Friends | Dangerous Driving |
| Taking a Bath | Skipping Meals |
| Going for a walk | Biting your nails |
| Engage in a Hobby | Overcompensating and doing too much |
| Other | Other |
Step 5: What do you do for self care now?
As caregivers we know that it is important to practice self care but when it comes to implementing it into our daily lives doing so is not always easy. Being the best version of ourselves extends far beyond your basic needs, it involves making a commitment to attend to all domains of your life. Are you more active in some areas of self care than others? Take an inventory, and listen to your inner dialogue and take note of anything you would like to include more in your life?
| Wellness Domain | Currently Doing | Practices to Try |
| Physical Wellness relates to maintaining a healthy body and seeking care when needed
(i.e., exercising, healthy eating, sleep, appropriate health care, stress reduction ) |
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| Emotional Wellness relates to understanding your feelings and coping effectively with stress.
(i.e., Smile, seek and accept help, acknowledge accomplishment, accept mistakes and learn from them, express gratitude) |
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| Spiritual Wellness is being connected to something greater than yourself.
(i.e., Practicing meditation or yoga, Praying or taking part in organized religion, spending quiet time alone pondering the meaning of life, Building awareness through journaling, Serving your community, spending time in nature) |
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| Social Wellness refers to the relationships we have and how we interact with others.
(i.e.. Make an effort to keep in touch with friends and family, practice self-disclosure, participate in group discussions and practice active listening, join a club or organization) |
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| Financial Wellness involves the process of learning how to successfully manage financial expenses.
(i.e., Keep organized records of your finances, take advantage of sales, plan ahead and budget) |
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| Intellectual Wellness encourages us to engage in creative and mentally-stimulating activities.
(i.e., Read for fun, play a game, debate an issue with a friend, improve study skills) |
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| Occupational Wellness involves a good work life balance and involves having a purpose in one’s chosen profession.
(i.e., Pursue meaningful work, engage in volunteer opportunities, create a career plan) |
Step 6: Develop your self-care plan
You are now ready to develop your plan – you have a good idea of your stressors, your coping strategies and areas of wellness you want to work on. Your self care plan can be simple or complex, it’s up to you. It’s a working document that can change at any time. Here’s an example of what a plan may look like:
| Weekly
Self Care Tracker |
Week of: | |||
| I CAN REACH OUT TO IF I NEED HELP | ||||
| Emotional | ||||
| Mental | ||||
| Spiritual | ||||
| Social | ||||
| Intellectual | ||||
| Physical | ||||
| Barriers to maintaining my self care strategies…
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How I will address these barriers and remind myself to practice self care….
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| Negative Coping Strategies I would like to use less or not at all…
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What I will do instead…
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