By: Jennifer McMillen Smith, MSSA, LISW-S, Division of Infectious Disease and medically reviewed by Ann Avery, Infectious Disease Physician at Metrohealth Medical Center
Putting ourselves first is surprisingly tricky. All our lives, we’re told that caring about others is a good thing. And it is! 🤗 Showing compassion for someone else makes the world a more beautiful place.
What’s the catch? We all want the world to be a beautiful place, right? 🤔
Here’s what’s up: it can be so easy to get wrapped up in everyone else’s needs that we forget about ourselves. Work, kids, friends; that list of responsibilities feels like it keeps on growing, and gets overwhelming. What about your needs?
Well, that’s why we believe in the power of self care! 💗 Read on to learn about how paying attention to yourself makes you better at taking care of someone else, and how you can take care of yourself with a self care checklist. 📜
Why does self care matter?
When you don’t take care of yourself, you might end up with:
😴 Fatigue
😠 Irritability
😞 Depression
🔥 Burnout
To put it super simply: When we don’t take care of ourselves, we can’t be our best selves. 👏 Remember, it’s not selfish to treat yourself like you would a friend. You deserve the same kindness you show others.
Why make a self care checklist?
Still, we know how easy it is to get into a rhythm and ignore our own needs. That’s where a self care checklist comes in. Think of it as being your own parent! You’re setting some rules for yourself that you have to follow because… well, it’s good for you, and you said so. ☝️
Making a self care checklist helps you:
- Take charge and be accountable for your own happiness
- Reduce strain and stress on your daily life
- Boost your productivity with built-in breaks
- Improve your fitness and mental wellbeing
When putting your list together, it might help to break it up by what you’re trying to achieve: taking care of your mind, your body, and your spirit.
🧘 Physical happiness
Let’s start with the ‘body’ part of your self care checklist. We’re not just talking about muscles! (To be fair, exercise is great for breaking up the stresses of life 😊) We’re also talking about:
🚿 Staying clean: showering and bathing regularly makes all the difference!
💄 Looking fly: doing your hair, makeup, picking out an outfit, if that’s what you’re into… whatever gives you that little boost!
🌊 Drinking enough water: around 3 to 4 liters a day, depending on your age, activity level, and size.
💆 Getting a massage: we totally get that not everyone is into massages, but for those of you that are, they feel great!
🚶 Going for a walk: just a 20 or 30-minute walk can break up your day and help get you moving, too.
The list honestly goes on forever. Basically, just show your body some love. Eat some nutritious food, put on an outfit that makes you feel great, follow along with a Taylor Swift-themed exercise video (or whatever artist you’re into)—the sky’s the limit. 🪂
🧠 Mind over matter
How do you unplug? 🔌 Do you ever? We’re constantly being distracted by work, friends, phones, or any other number of activities. Just sitting down with silence is a rarity. 🔕
Not that caring for your mind means just sitting there! It’s about making you feel mentally stimulated. Try a few of these ideas:
- Take a screen-time break (that means phones, TVs, computers… you get the idea!)
- Spend time outside
- Play a board game
- Check in with your therapist
- Try guided meditation
- Do a puzzle
- Play with a pet
- Make a to-do-list
- Fold the never-ending laundry pile with a podcast
It’s about doing things in a way that makes the brain focus on something else than those daily responsibilities. Plus, you can be productive at the same time! 🤯
🧘 In touch with your spirit
While your mind might need a break, your soul needs to be nourished. 😋 We’re talking about feeling connected, inspired, and grounded.
For your self care checklist, try to:
- Do something creative, like singing in the shower or journaling for fifteen minutes
- Call a friend or family member while you’re on a walk, just to chat
- Take a second to taste your food (it sounds silly, but when do we ever just take our time with our meals?)
- Listen to your favorite music
- Dance with your dog, or just by yourself
- Spend some time in a place that brings you peace
Some of these sound like they’re also good for your mind, maybe also your body. That’s why we love talking mind, body, and spirit… all together, they take care of your whole, amazing self!
If you’re looking for more tips and tricks on wellness, we’ve got a few blogs on:
Don’t forget to check out the Positive Peers app!
You can also use the Positive Peers app to watch the progress you’re making in real time with its built-in wellness tracker. Use the tracker to set goals and get that rewarding feeling when you ✅ off an item from your self care checklist!
Now go out there and take care of yourself, not just because it’s good for you, but because you deserve it. 🫂