Self-care has been thrown around a lot recently, especially in reference to mental health. However, what exactly does self-care mean? According to the Oxford Dictionary, self care is “the practice of taking an active role in protecting one’s well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress”. For most of us, college can simultaneously be the most fun/stressful point in our lives right now. In addition, I’m sure some of you can relate to being non-stop, meaning you are constantly working, studying, participating in clubs, etc. while being stressed at the same time. It can be hard to find the time to practice self-care when you’re busy, but it is important for your health. Not finding some type of way to cope with stress can be detrimental, trust me, I know.
However, it is up to you to decide what self-care looks like for you! As long as the activity is healthy and is not doing you any harm, then it is a valid form of self-care! I’ll give some examples of some self-care methods I use if you are looking for inspiration.
1.) Audiobooks!
I’ve started to listen to audiobooks in my free time, which is a nice hands free activity that I can do if I’m multitasking. (Tip: Download Audible and get two books for free, just put on a calendar when to cancel if you don’t want to pay for the subscription!)
2.) Watch a show with friends!
My friends and I will find a Netflix show we all want to watch and watch at least a couple episodes per week. It is a great bonding activity and a nice way to relax at the end of the day before bed (I sound old, I know).
3.) Buy an adult coloring book!
You are never too old to color. There is a reason why we liked it so much as kids! Coloring never fails to relax me, and the designs are complex enough that it should take you awhile to color them all in. Here’s the link to the one that I have now but there are plenty of other options out there.
4) Get out there and vote!
One way that I will really show some self-care this year is getting out there to vote on Nov. 6th. Voting is one action that we can take in order to change our lives for the better by exercising our right to have a say in how we are governed. I highly recommend this method: 5 stars, 10 out of 10, worked just like a charm.
Those are some of the self-care activities that I like to do, but I’m always looking for more. It can be hard to find time to enjoy some self-care, but it is important that we try. Burnout can happen very easily if we ignore our mental health and needs. It’s 2018 and we are out here loving ourselves and trying to improve our lives.