How Self-Care Isn’t a Trend, But a Necessity
Wellness and self-care aren’t just cool and trendy social media posts but a necessity to our overall mental and physical health (especially during a global pandemic.)
Navigating the world during the age of COVID-19 is odd, to say the least. All days feel exactly the same; we have inevitably lost track of time as we forget the feeling between a cheerful Friday or a dreaded Monday. Before the pandemic started, most of our lives had structure, a routine we would follow automatically every single day. We felt productive as we completed tasks in our jobs or personal lives, running errands, completing reports, finishing homework, or even making a phone call. But our reality now is far different from the one we had two months ago.
Whether we like it or not, our lives now lack structure. If we are lucky enough to be able to do our jobs remotely, we either work way too hard for unsustainably long periods of time or not work at all as we succumb to the forces of Netflix while we binge-watch an entire show in a day. Whatever your daily schedule looks like, there is likely something big missing, self-care.
The term has gained popularity over the past couple of years, and while some embrace it’s meaning and importance in our day to day lives, others still quite don’t get it. The reality is, however, that self-care is not a fashionable trend inspired by the new wave of health awareness, but a necessity. We need to take care of ourselves and find a balance in our personal and professional lives to be more efficient, productive, and, most importantly, happy.
But what is it anyway?
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines the term 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 provider¹.” The WHO also states that self-care involves “hygiene, nutrition, lifestyle, and even socioeconomic factors².” While the term is still too broadly defined, we can try to sum up self-care as the things we do to keep our bodies and our minds happy and healthy.
With all the traction the term has gained over the past couple of years, it is easy to label the act of taking care of yourself as nothing but a trend that will eventually go away. But, self-care has been linked to effects such as lower anxiety and stress levels, increased productivity, and better cognitive functions³.
Self-Care in the Era of COVID
Unfortunately, during the COVID-19 pandemic, self-care has become one of those things we need to practice but eventually forget doing.
The key to achieving excellent self-care practices is balance; between our work and our personal lives, between healthy meals and unhealthy indulgences, or even between our chores and leisure activities. However, during a pandemic where all we have to do is stay inside our homes all the time, balance is the first thing we throw out the window. There is no schedule or daily routine we have to follow anymore, so we just “wing it” all day, every day.
So what do we do to achieve balance? How do we take care of ourselves in the middle of a health crisis?
Easy, by prioritizing and putting ourselves first.
The reason why we functioned so well before the era of social distancing is because we created a schedule that worked around the activities we had to do and the activities we wanted to do. We designed personalized time tables to be productive at certain hours of the day and to do leisure activities that gave us joy in others.
Getting Used to the “New Normal”
The Mayo Clinic suggests doing activities such as going for a walk, exercising regularly, eating healthy, and focusing on things you can control⁴ to better our self-care practices. While these are great tips, focusing on creating a “new normal” is what I believe will be most beneficial to our everyday lives.
Let’s face it; things are far from normal. We have to wear masks when going outside, stay six feet apart from others, and disinfect everything we touch. I get it, our lives were easier two months ago, and we all wish we could go back to the way things were. But unfortunately, there is no going back.
That’s why creating our “new normal” is essential to achieve overall wellness in our day to day lives. Try creating a new schedule that fits your new daily routine. Understand that your days and activities will look different from what they used to look like, and that’s okay.
Self-care is something we all have to include in our everyday lives. Practicing ways where we prioritize how we feel and what we do to benefit our health make us more productive and happy human beings.
Things may seem sad and helpless during this pandemic, but they aren’t. Do activities that make your body and your mind feel happy and optimistic. Find a balance between what you have to do and what you want to do. Create a schedule that fits your lifestyle in the midst of the new normal. But most importantly, understand that taking care of yourself isn’t a cool trend like high wasted pants or tiny sunglasses, but a necessity to achieve a healthy life.
¹ ² “What do we mean by self-care?” World Health Organization, United Nations, www.who.int/reproductivehealth/self-care-interventions/definitions/en/.
³ Hall, John. “Self-Care Isn’t Just Good For You — It’s Also Good For Your Productivity.” Forbes, 5 Jan. 2020, www.forbes.com/sites/johnhall/2020/01/05/self-care-isnt-just-good-for-you-its-also-good-for-your-productivity/#5c4578d619ff.
⁴Reichert, Sarah. Self-care tips during the COVID-19 pandemic, 7 Apr. 2020, www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/self-care-tips-during-the-covid-19-pandemic.
