The Benefits of a Self-Care Plan
As I write this, I am struggling through fatigue and am very much in need of some self-care. After working 32 out of the past 48 hours at a psychiatric hospital and being kept up all night by my wife who was violently coughing throughout the night, I am exhausted and temperamental. As luck would have it, this week is also the most labor intensive of the semester, as the first round of larger projects randomly converged with the same due date. However, I am also feeling encouraged and motivated by the fact that I have kept up with many of my self-care items. I can recognize that many of these items significantly helped in avoiding feelings of overwhelm and burnout. I’ve written about the importance of self-care in the past, but admittedly, I did not always think self-care was important. In fact, I used to see self-care as a self-indulgent excuse for people to pamper themselves. Looking back, I could not be more wrong. In fact, I now see that self-care has the power to improve quality of life, and generally enhance productivity and effectiveness - values that I hold near and dear. So this week, I decided to share my latest self-care plan, along with a general check-in for how it’s been working for me lately.
My Self-Care Plan:
Workplace or professional
○ Map out my tasks at the beginning of each week
○ Maintain a to-do list as tasks present themselves
○ Spread out my work to avoid overwhelm
Physical
○ Go to the gym 3-4 times per week
○ Eat healthy, well-balanced meals whenever possible
○ Sleep a minimum 7 hours/night
Psychological
○ Continue to attend therapy on a weekly basis
○ Be disciplined with my tasks to avoid procrastination induced stress
○ Meditate 10 minutes daily
Emotional
○ Exercise
○ Communicate regularly with those I care about
○ Do my best at work and in school
Spiritual
○ Listen to motivational podcasts/speeches
○ Meditate on topics that are bothersome to me
○ Educate myself more on religion (a topic of interest that brings me peace)
Relationships
○ Spend quality time with my wife
○ Work on maintaining my friendships (i.e., setting time aside for my friends)
○ Keep in regular touch with my family
What’s been working?
Firstly, no matter how much I have on my plate, I often find that getting enough sleep is the most crucial self-care element for me. Getting enough sleep allows me to attack my to-do list, rather than reluctantly obligating myself to the tasks of the day. Apart from last night, I am happy to report that I have been prioritizing my rest which has had a huge, positive impact on my mindset. Secondly, I have been successful in sticking to my schedule and staying organized with my work. This is a close second to sleep, as it reduces the amount of effort needed to jump into the next task of the day. With a properly organized schedule, I can move seamlessly between tasks without breaking my concentration. This has the added benefit of saving me from unscheduled downtime that makes it easy to slip into an avoidance, or procrastination mindset, that can fuel my anxiety. Thirdly, I have done well with exercising regularly and eating well-balanced meals, which have helped me to feel healthy and energized throughout the day. These things also help protect me from getting sick, even when sharing a bed with my wife.
What’s not been working?
Although I am generally pleased with my self-care of late, there are a couple of areas that could use improvement. Firstly, I have not done well with keeping in touch with friends and family. Aside from a few phone calls, I have not spent any quality time with them in months. This has left me missing them and feeling isolated. Secondly, I have not been doing things simply for enjoyment. Watching movies, going out to eat, and exploring new places are some of my favorite activities, bringing joy and energy to my life. Neglecting these things has made me feel detached from my emotions and overly focused on being productive.
How I Plan to Adjust?
To increase self-care in the near term, I plan to schedule time for friends, family, and fun into my week. Next, I will avoid distractions as much as possible when it is time to work. Falling into a social media rabbit hole or avoiding meaningful work by prioritizing trivial tasks like organizing my desk, is a trap I fall into often. This prolongs my work at the expense of my free time later in the day, ultimately eating time that could be better spent with friends, family, or having fun. Separately, after completing my self-care plan, I did not print it out. As a result, it was left by the wayside, and I was unable to actively consult my list. Although I was successful in keeping up most of my self-care items, reflecting on it has helped me realize that at this point in my life, self-care needs to be something that I actively pursue day-to-day. It seems obvious in retrospect, but making the list was the easy part. The harder part comes in striving to implement the list into daily life, but of course, that is also where the benefits are found.
I hope this reflection can serve you as an example of how a self-care plan can benefit you in your daily life. Although it might feel like “extra work” at first, this is work that you will directly benefit from, and has the power to improve your life in pragmatic fashion. Feel free to share your self-care plans with those you’re close to, in order to keep you motivated and on track. And lastly, remember, that you are the only person responsible for your own wellness. If you don’t do it, who will?
