The pillars of self-care

The 7 pillars of self-care include; mental, emotional, physical, environmental, spiritual, recreational and social.

Mental – a healthy mindset through mindfulness and creativity

To take care of your mental wellbeing it is key to have a break from social media often and focus on what is happening in your own life in the present. To take this a step further you can document your life through journal writing or a sketchbook for your own personal reflection. Documenting personal things in your life to keep to yourself are key so your future self can look back on this and see how far you have come and what you need to work on yourself.

Emotional – taking care of your heart with healthy coping strategies

Emotional self-care includes dealing with daily stresses and life in general in a healthy manner. Examples of this include; affirmations, speaking to your friends, partner or relatives about how you feel and ensuring you do what is best for you without harming others.

Physical – exercise and nutrition

Everybody needs sufficient sleep and food to survive, without it, we end up not feeling our best and this can lead to a negative mindset. To avoid this, make sure to get an average 7-9 hours of sleep a night and try to eat 3 meals a day and whenever your body tells you it needs food. Try meal prepping or food delivery services if you struggle to find the time to do this during your average work week.

Environmental – taking care of the spaces around you

Decluttering your space is like decluttering your head, it may not be necessarily therapeutic in the moment but afterwards, you will feel a whole lot better for it. This can include your workspace or living area, if you spend a lot of your time in one space try giving it a deep clean and buying décor you find comforting and makes you feel positive when you look at it.

Spiritual – activities that give a sense of meaning to your life

Life gets a bit hectic sometimes but you need to take time out for yourself. Spiritually we crave new experiences whether that’s trying a new café you’ve heard about or booking that weekend getaway you’ve pinned a hundred times on your Pinterest. Make sure you make time for it.

Recreational – making time for hobbies and new activities/experiencers

Spend your free time doing activities that you enjoy, whether that’s a candlelit bubble-bath, spending your night in with a book and a blanket or going out for drinks with your friends.

Social – building relations with regular connection and healthy boundaries???????

Spend time with your favourite people, whether that’s family, friends or partners. Healthy relationships where you can express your thoughts, and feelings and can also have a laugh with are ideal for with dealing life’s little stresses.