Why Self-Care Is Important

We look after other people and our things so well. We take our cars for service and change the oil, have gardeners to help us maintain our beautiful gardens, housekeepers for our homes… So why do we neglect to take care of ourselves? Let’s discuss why self-care is important.

Life can get a bit hectic and sometimes we need a little time to recharge. This is where self-care comes in…

When I speak of self-care, I am referring to every aspect that goes into loving yourself from your physical needs all the way to your emotional needs.

Your body is a sacred temple, therefore you should treat it as such. Always listen to it because it will tell you what it needs, whether it be more water or more sleep.

We are so busy with school and work that we don’t take proper care of ourselves sometimes.

We’re up working late, sometimes until the wee hours of the morning, only to get up and start the day again at 6 am. We hardly get any sleep which is actually not all that healthy. The body needs time to rest and rejuvenate.

Having at least one physical activity that you enjoy and engage in a minimum of 3 times a week is important; even if it’s just for 20 to 30 minutes. Whether it be walking, yoga or hiking, find something that gets you off your butt and off the sofa and burn a few calories while you’re at it.

I found this phone app that I use called HIIT Workout (HIIT stands for high-intensity interval training). It can be found on the Playstore App and it’s free to download. I am enjoying it and it doesn’t require a lot of time but believe me, it’ll make you sweat!

It’s so sad how many young people are obese and unhealthy because they live unhealthy lifestyles. I read somewhere that our fat cells are developed during infancy and that the reason why so many people are obese in adulthood is that they were overfed as babies (I don’t actually know how true that is but if that’s when fat cells are determined, makes sense).

Of course, when you’re older and looking after yourself you can keep healthy by eating the right foods and exercising.

Looking after yourself also includes prioritizing your mental health.

There are so many people struggling with mental health issues and depression and some are afraid or don’t want to seek help because they think there’s a stigma attached. Your health starts with your state of mind; a healthy mind equals a healthy body.

Eat your Omega 3 (I am not saying nutrients solve mental health issues, I’m not a professional) and give your brain the nutrients it needs to perform optimally.

If you feel that you need to see a mental health professional, do it because it will help you on your road to recovery and help you to deal with whatever hardships that life throws at you.

When it comes to our professions, we put in long hours and sometimes barely get any sleep and even work on the weekends; which leads to increased stress and burnout.

Use your vacation days and take a time-out to recharge and do the things that you love. Life isn’t about chasing money all the damn time; which is what many professionals are doing, sometimes at the expense of their health.

Yes, money’s good but at what cost? Also, remember, should you die, there’s likely someone who will replace you before you have even completely decomposed. The key is to find a healthy work-life balance.

After slaving away at your job, don’t forget to work on your own personal goals and make time to relax.

There are way too many of us resorting to unhealthy coping mechanisms to deal with the everyday pressures of life. I’m sure you even know a few people who resort to drugs or alcohol to destress when life gets rough which is actually detrimental to your health and well-being. It’s also quite dangerous because it may lead to dependency and addiction.

Use healthy coping mechanisms like gym and meditation instead.

Self-care and self-love go hand in hand. You won’t really care for yourself and your individual needs if you do not love yourself.

Look at it this way, the better you care for yourself, the fewer doctor’s visits and medical bills you will have. I’ve experienced this first-hand. I was suffering from scalp eczema and was constantly ill. Thanks to a positive attitude, healthy eating and exercise my health did a 180.

I haven’t had a breakout this year and I’m full of energy.

There are different types of self-care and for better overall self-care we should address all 6 of them but that’s a post for another day.

Take good care of your body and mind now while you’re still young. Find a hobby that makes you happy and if it also gets you moving, that’s great! Develop healthy habits now and they are likely to stick with you for life because eventually, they’ll become second nature.

Your relationship with yourself is the most important relationship you will ever have. It’s the basis of all other relationships. The way you talk to yourself and feel about yourself is very important so make sure that it’s positive!

If you don’t love yourself, then who will?

If you don’t know how to go about practising self-care, here’s a post I read recently – 101 Self Care Ideas by Louise Grace Blogs.

Listen to this podcast episode about why self are is important for us content creators.

P.S this is actually my hundredth blog post, I can’t believe it!