INTHEBLACK Mental Health 2021 - Magazine - Page 23
BUILDING
SELF-CARE
INTO A BUSY
ROUTINE
The biggest work-related
stresses relate to work-family
boundaries, uncertainty,
loneliness and isolation,
says Dr Sarah Cotton. She
recommends the following.
uniqueness, everyone’s self-care is going
to be different, she adds.
3. Self-care is not a to-do-list item
Many of us pile self-prescribed health goals (like
exercise and meditation) onto already sizeable
to-do-lists, amplifying stress.
Self-care should be integrated into daily life,
not an ad hoc addition, Cotton says.
4. Self-care is not a solitary pursuit
Self-care is actually a partnership between selfresponsibility and support from family, friends,
professionals and our community.
“Self-care is also about knowing when to get
help,” Cotton says.
5. Self-care isn’t necessarily self-improvement
For many, self-care is equated with viewing yourself
and your body as a self-improvement tool. True
self-care has a different focus. It’s something you do
CLICK HERE
TO DISCOVER
your self-care
score
for yourself, not to fit some culturally prescribed idea
of beauty or success.
6. Self-care is not always enjoyable
What you enjoy doing and what’s good for you aren’t
always the same thing, says Dr Alice Boyes, author of
The Anxiety Toolkit. Self-care includes going to the
dentist, she reminds.
“Sometimes we need to go back to the literal
definition of self-care.”
Feel-good activities with negative outcomes (such
as self-indulgences that lead to debt or weight gain)
and responsibility shirking are not true self-care.
• Be clear on the importance
of self-care.
• Create new behaviours and
micro-habits that work for
you, like having a proper
lunch break or putting a jug
of water and healthy snacks
on your desk. Integrate
them into your day.
• Be clear on work–life
boundaries. Start and
finish work on time.
Turn off tech after hours.
• Prioritise close and
supportive relationships.
• Engage with a regular
non-work hobby.
• Maintain a good sleep
routine.
• Build in recovery time –
put fuel in the tank.
intheblack.com October 2021 23