The Concept of Self-Care
According to Alkema, Linton, and Davies (2008), the concept of a self-care plan refers to a wellness curriculum guide that thoughtfully constructed and intentionally engaging in promoting the health and wellbeing of human beings. It assumes the concept of being a lifelong learner. Through a self-care plan, an individual builds a curriculum of attitudes, skills, and knowledge in support of their wellbeing.
As a professional working with young people, there is a need to learn ways of identifying activities and practices that support your wellbeing and assist you in sustaining positive self-care in the long-term.
Developing a Self-care Plan
According to Butler (2017), while developing a self-care plan, there is a need to identify what one values most and requires as part of their day-to-day life -maintenance self-care. Also, there is a need to identify the various strategies one can employ when one faces a crisis along with the way-emergency self-care.
There exists no one-size-fits-all self-care plan. However, there is a common thread to all self-care plans, which involves committing to attend to all the domains of your life, including your physical and psychological health, emotional and spiritual needs, and relationships.
My Self-care Plan
My self-care plan is dictated upon by the following five components that describe my well-being, as defined by Davis (2019); Physical, social, Emotional/Cognitive, Occupational, and Spiritual. My self-care plan is on a day to day basis for a whole month. My self-care plan builds on the healthy things that I already do. Each item is specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound.
- Morning Before WorkAwaken and take a deep breath (4-7-8 breathing) (Physical).
- Do a morning prayer/reflection (Spiritual).
- Set my intentions for the day for how I want to be (Emotional/Cognitive, Spiritual).
- Do 30 minutes of stretches/Yoga (Physical, Emotional/Cognitive).
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- Morning at Work
- Greet at least three people with a smile and ‘good morning’ (Social, Emotional).
- Ask someone how they are doing before talking with them about work (Social).
- Use the stairs, not the elevators throughout the day (Physical).
- Noon at Work
- Eat lunch (Physical).
- Check my fluid consumption (Physical).
- Take a 5-minute walk around the office compound (Physical).
- Do 4-7-8 breathing three times (Physical, Emotional).
- Afternoon at Work
- Greet at least three people with a smile and a ‘good afternoon’ (Social, Emotional).
- Check my fluid consumption (Physical).
- Evening Preparing to Leave Work
- Do a Three Good Things Review of the workday (Emotional/Cognitive).
- Set my intention for how I want to be during the evening (Emotional/Cognitive).
- Do a 30 minute Zumba class (Physical).
- Do a 4-7-8 breathing set (3 times) before leaving (Physical, Emotional).
- Check my fluid consumption (Physical).
- Evening at Home
- Greet the people, pets in my home, and spend at least 5 minutes with them before doing anything else. Do this greeting via phone, video call, or social media if my family/friends live elsewhere. (Social, Emotional).
- Change out of my ‘work uniform’ into home clothes (not pajamas) to help make the mental shift from workday to home time (Emotional/Cognitive).
- Eat dinner mindfully at least 2-3 hours before going to bed (Physical).
- Complete all screen time activities at least 15-30 minutes before going to bed (Physical).
- Check my Step counter to see if I met my walking goal (Physical).
- Go to bed at approximately the same time each night (Physical).
- At bedtime, do a reflection/prayer. Reflect on my day’s intentions for how I wanted to be that day. Do a Three Good Things review of the day, including how I did with my self-care plan. Consider my gratitude (Emotional/Cognitive, Spiritual).
Therefore, with the above-outlined self-care program, I can build a curriculum of attitudes, skills, and knowledge that will enhance my wellbeing. In the long run, as a professional, my self-care plan, as outlined above, will assist me in relating well with my professional colleagues, especially young people.
References.
Alkema, K., Linton, J. M., & Davies, R. (2008).
A study of the relationship between self-care, compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, and burnout among hospice professionals. Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life & Palliative Care, 4(2), 101-119.
Butler, L. (2017). Developing Your Self-Care Plan. Buffalo: University at Buffalo
Developing a self-care plan. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://schools.au.reachout.com/articles/developing-a-self-care-plan
Davis, T. (2019). What is well-being? Definition, types, and well-being skills.
Psychology today. Retrieved from: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/click-herehappiness/201901/what-is-well-being-definition-types-and-well-being-skills