Do we devote enough time to self-care?

Have you ever taken a moment to consider if you are looking after yourself as much as you should be?

For many, self-care is an alien concept – one that comes secondary to everything else. While self-care is about all of the activities we do to support our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing, we often find ourselves neglecting these and, as a result, this negatively affects our mood.

There are a number of reasons why someone may neglect self-care. Maybe you are frequently putting the needs of others ahead of your own? Or you feel that your needs aren’t worthy of the same attention you’d give to others? 

Perhaps the recent lockdown has prevented you from doing some of your favourite pastimes.  or your other day-to-day responsibilities keep you from focusing on your own wellbeing?

If any of these scenarios ring true for you, we are here to remind you that you are deserving of self-care and the valuable benefits it offers in supporting your wellbeing.

Even the smallest things that we do to look after ourselves can go a long way in reducing feelings of low mood, improving our sense of self-worth and helping us feel better about ourselves and life in general.

If you are interested in introducing more aspects of self-care into your routine, here are a few ideas to help you get started. As we mentioned before, even small steps can make a huge difference to your mood and help you recognise the importance of looking after yourself as much as you would look after a friend or family member.

#1 Support your social life 

Dedicate a bit of time to talk to a friend or loved one over the phone or a video chat. Spending quality time with people who help you feel valued and confident is a simple but effective way to improve your mood. 

#2 Cook a healthy meal

Diet can affect our mood in a big way, so pick one evening a week to prepare and cook a healthy meal. This will give you a welcome sense of accomplishment, as well as boost your physical wellbeing.

#3 Go for a long walk

Exercise offers big benefits for mental health, but that doesn’t mean you need to sign up for an exercise class right away. Just going for a walk outdoors or looking up indoor activities like yoga for beginners on Youtube releases positive endorphins to help your mood.

#4 Run yourself a bath

Take some time to look after your personal hygiene. A soothing bath or long shower can help relieve stress and encourages relaxation, while also addressing any physical aches and pains you may be experiencing.

#5 Enjoy a lie-in

A good night’s sleep offers so many benefits to our mood. If you have a free day coming up on your calendar, why not treat yourself?

These are just five examples of the small, manageable steps you can take to make self-care the priority it should be in your day-to-day routine. We hope you find these useful and that this has given you the push required to think more about your own wellbeing.

And, if you do find yourself regularly neglecting self-care activities, our team at Therapy For You are here to help you discover the root of your low mood and introduce you to techniques designed to support you on the path to feeling better.

Get in touch with us today to discuss our various therapy options, or sign up for one of our flexible online courses.