Self-care refers to any activity that we engage in to maintain and nourish our health, including mental, physical and emotional wellbeing. While it may seem like an obvious concept, self-care often gets cast aside for more pressing priorities such as work, family and the everyday pressures of life. There are many reasons why you should prioritize self-care and we’ve listed six of the most important below:
1. Improves mood- Investing time in your own care can have a major impact on your mood, leading to greater optimism and positivity. It will help you to feel happier, more satisfied and better able to cope with the challenges that life throws you way. Even taking a small amount of time per week to nurture your physical, emotional and mental health can be hugely beneficial on your mood.
2. Helps relationships- Self-care helps you to be the best person you can be, which in turn as a positive impact on your relationships. Taking regular time to invest in your personal health allows you to be happier and more stable as an individual. This has a flow on effect as it allows you to be more patient and accommodating with others and therefore have better relationships.
3. Decreases risk of burnout- We all lead busy lives and regular investment in self-care is necessary to avoid burnout. Find a form of self-care that works for you, whether that be taking a walk, spending time with family or getting a massage, and commit to engaging in it regularly. It will help to manage your stress and prevent burnout.
4. Makes you become more present- Spending time managing yourself allows you to become more present and engaged with your surroundings. You are likely to have a better understanding of what it takes to maintain your mental, physical and emotional health, thus resulting in you having a greater focus on your current mood and trigger that have the potential to impact your health.
5. Better performance- Self-care is often seen as indulgent, when in actual fact it can have a much broader impact. Looking after yourself helps to maintain your health, which in turn allows you to perform better in all aspects of your life.
6. Increases quality of life- The overall benefit of self-care is that it increases the quality of your life. By helping you to be healthier, have better relationships and be more present, self-care allows you to live a more fulfilling life.
