Self-Care: Nurturing Your Well-Being

Bola works as a nurse at a busy PHC. She was appointed a Matron at the Primary Health Centre, which involved much more work and hours than she was initially used to. Alongside being a wife, she also has 4 agile kids, who she had to ensure were well taken care of. With the new role, she tried juggling work and family but found it stressful as it greatly affected her health. She knew she had to start paying attention to herself to avoid unnecessarily breaking down.

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Self-care is a commitment to one's own well-being as a priority (Butler et al., 2019). It is about taking proactive steps to enhance resilience and overall well-being. Self-care is the ability to promote healthy habits, maintain good health, and continually cope with challenges, ill health and disability with or without the support of a health worker. Self-care involves recognising your needs, setting boundaries, and making choices that prioritise and promote your physical and emotional well-being, making it crucial today. It is not selfish because it is essential to maintaining a healthy and balanced life.

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The benefits of self-care on our well-being are numerous. One of which is Improved Physical Health. Riegel et al. (2019) believe that the effects of self-care include improved well-being and lower morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. This is because engaging in regular exercise, eating nutritious meals, and getting sufficient rest and sleep are all integral to self-care. These practices enhance energy levels, boost immunity, and reduce the risk of physical health issues (Scott, 2023).

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Bible et al. (2017) showed that self-care is essential to improving and maintaining mental health. Self-care activities like mindfulness, meditation, and journaling promote mental clarity, reduce anxiety and depression, and improve overall emotional health. Taking out time for ourselves allows us to recharge and maintain a positive mindset (Scott, 2023).?

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Incorporating Self-Care Into Your Life would require developing a personalised self-care routine to help cater for your overall well-being. One of which is to Identify Your Needs. Self-care is creating time for activities that improve your physical and mental wellness. It helps you maintain your mental health, manage stress and lower the risk of illness while you remain energised. (National Institute of Mental Health, 2022). Self-care can also help you identify areas that require more attention and care. You can also create a self-care Plan and ensure that your self-care plan suits your lifestyle and preferences. Consider exercise, meditation, hobbies, reading, spending time with loved ones and engaging in relaxing activities.

Furthermore, set boundaries. Learn to say no to excessive commitments and make space for yourself. Establish healthy personal and professional relationship boundaries to prevent burnout and prioritise self-care (Tawwab, 2021).

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Remember to personalise your self-care routines to suit your needs and preferences. Listen to your body and mind and adjust your practices to ensure they are sustainable and beneficial.

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References:

Bible, L. J., Casper, K. A., Seifert, J. L., & Porter, K. A. (2017).?Assessment of self-care and medication adherence in individuals with mental health conditions. Journal of the American Pharmacists Association, 57(3), S203–S210.e3.?doi:10.1016/j.japh.2017.02.023?

Butler, L. D., Mercer, K. A., McClain-Meeder, K., Horne, D. M., & Dudley, M. (2019).?Six domains of self-care: Attending to the whole person. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 29(1), 107–124.?doi:10.1080/10911359.2018.1482483

National Institute of Mental Health. (2022). Caring for Your Mental Health. National Institute of Mental Health.

Riegel, B., Dunbar, S. B., Fitzsimons, D., Freedland, K. E., Lee, S. E., Middleton, S., Stromberg, A., Vellone, E., Webber, E.D., Jaarsma, T.(2019).?Self-care research: Where are we now? Where are we going? International Journal of Nursing Studies, 103402.?doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2019.103402??

Scott, E. (2023). 5 Self-Care Practices for Every Area of Your Life. VeryWell Mind.?

Tawwab, N. G. (2021). Set Boundaries. Find Peace. A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself.?

ABOUT COACH ADETUTU

Coach Adetutu?is a Pharmacist, Co-founder Hazon Holdings, MD/CEO Wellness Healthcare group, health tech enthusiast, Emotional & Mental Wellness Coach and Doctoral Student, her earnest desire is to influence individuals to make healthy lifestyle choices.

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