Several organizations and researchers take a health-oriented approach when defining self-care. The World Health Organization defines self-care as “the ability of individuals, families, and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and to cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a healthcare provider.”
Self-care includes ways a person needs to stay physically and emotional healthy this can include hygiene, nutrition, nurturing and taking action to receive the medical care needed. The steps an individual takes to manage its stress in life and take care of their own health and well-being.
The International Self Care Foundation includes health literacy as an area to support self-care, understanding that any steps a person takes toward better understanding their health and the appropriate decisions made about your health and well-being is considered self-care, as well.
As a peak performance strategist many times people come to me for the right strategy that will work for them outlining their routine self-care for success. It's obvious to me self-care is about the individual person as each of us has different beliefs on what self-care entails for our wellbeing.
Focusing on what is needed in our own self care is essential to our success.
For others focusing on self-care means anything that you do for you that is nourishing. Marni Amsellem, PhD, a psychologist based in Connecticut says it is something that’s relaxing or calming, or it can be something that is intellectual or spiritual or physical or practical or something you need to get done,” she explains.
Self-care is not synonymous with self-indulgence or being selfish. Self-care means taking care of yourself so that you are healthy, you are well, you do your job even better, you will help and care for others, and you can and will do all the actions you seek to accomplish in a day. We know by placing self-care at the beginning of our routine we are allowing ourselves to be at our best throughout the day. Just consider how you feel when you take care of yourself. How better your performance is when you feel really good about you.
We all were challenged the last year through the pandemic. How we took care of ourselves through the pandemic is essential to the outcome we achieved. For some of us our self-care may have declined.
If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that by taking care of ourselves, focusing on our needs for what we want to contribute and be in this life is our choice. When we take care of ourselves, we take better care of the situations that surround us even better. If we are not well, mentally or physically we cannot help our family, friends or co-workers be better. We set the example in our care to others. Self-care is an essential component to our success.
This year is coming to a close, reflect on where you have come the last year and where you want to be in the next year. Year end is a good time to pause and review your achievements outlining new ones you see.
As we take down time this week as many of us take time with family and friends and give ourselves grace for all the hard work and dedication, we placed into 2021.
Now more than ever we should be focusing in on our self-care assuring, we come back into 2022 stronger and more resilient than before the pandemic. The best version of us.
Self-care is taking steps to tend to your physical and emotional health needs to the best of your abilities.
What does self-care mean to you and what will you do in 2022 to focus on your success?
As we move into the new year, prioritize you. Move into the next year being the best version of you.
Raising your standards.
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