‘Self-care’ has become somewhat of a buzzword recently, with the continued pandemic forcing us to experiment with new ways to look after our mental well-being like never before. Whether your version of taking some time for yourself is zoning out with a paintbrush, or going for a walk while listening to a podcast is your new morning ritual, our self-care practices are as personal as our coffee orders.
With this week being Mental Health Awareness Week, there’s no better time to remember the importance of those self-care practices. From our physical needs right down to our spiritual ones, here are the six different self-care forms to take some time out for.
EMOTIONAL SELF-CARE
Here’s the type of self-care that lets you reconnect, process and reflect on your emotions. Whether that be speaking to a therapist, writing down your thoughts in a journal at the end of each day, or expressing your feelings through art-forms, making room in your schedule for emotional self-care is super important. Sometimes all it takes is a few moments of venting to relieve that weight on your shoulders.
PRACTICAL SELF-CARE
We all take a bit of time out for ‘life admin’, but you probably didn’t know it was actually a self-care technique. As an activity that results in a feeling of fulfilment, this kind of practical self-care involves re-organising that wardrobe of yours, starting a new course to develop your skill-set, or budgeting your monthly finances.
PHYSICAL SELF-CARE
This one’s where you take care of your physical health – like blocking time in your diary for a lunchtime walk, sleeping eight hours a night and exercising. There’s no need for you to be an athlete. Something as simple as breathing exercises is an easy way to get in touch with your body. And the best part is you can do this anywhere.
MENTAL SELF-CARE
We spend a LOT of time looking at a screen, so indulging in mental self-care is key. This is any kind of activity that really stimulates the mind – reading a book, visiting a museum or an exhibition. The latest exhibit we’ve got tickets for is ‘Sneakers Unboxed: From Studio to Street’ at London’s Design Museum, on now until the end of October 2021.
SOCIAL SELF-CARE
Uplift yourself socially by checking in with your loved ones – friends, family or bae. Whether it’s brunch IRL or a scheduled FaceTime, it’s vital to take the time to nurture and deepen the relationships in your life, and on the flipside, it’s equally important to remove people who bring bad vibes and toxicity – bad energy needs to stay far away!
SPIRITUAL SELF-CARE
Remember to connect with your soul from time-to-time. For some, this involves religion, but it doesn’t have to. Yoga and meditation are probably the two most popular forms of spiritual self-care, but you could also try dabbling with crystal healing – amethyst stones are said to be hugely healing and purifying.
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