2020 has pulled the rug out from under our lives in so many unexpected ways. We’re still reeling from the fallout of social distancing, job insecurity, and massive shifts in the way we work, travel, and spend our leisure time.

The impact is undeniable.

Goals have been pushed off because they’re no longer practical. Priorities have shifted, and there’s a reluctance to make long-term plans because we’re unsure of the new lay of the land. So much feels out of our control and we still don’t know fully what’s on the horizon.

Coronavirus has challenged our mental health and emotional wellness to the extent that experts predict a mental health crisis. According to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll, “45% of adults say the pandemic has affected their mental health, and 19% say it has had a “major impact.”

The American Psychological Association reports how the economy has become a source of stress for 70% of Americans; up from 46% in 2019. And the Pew Research Center, found “Nearly one-in-five Americans say they have had a physical reaction when thinking about the outbreak.”

These worrying statistics help to explain the rise in stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges during these times.

During difficult times, one of the most empowering things you can do is nurture yourself with self-care.

If you’re able to support your self-esteem, preserve your energy, bolster emotional resilience, and cultivate positivity, it’s a lot easier to avoid burnout. It’s easier to feel optimistic too; helping you spot the opportunities when they show up. Plus, when you’re boosted by self-care, you’re more likely to keep moving forwards, even when you don’t feel like it.

So if you’re ready to craft a lifestyle that supports your mental and emotional well-being, keep reading! This article is going to show you how to do it.

In a nutshell, self-care is the conscious, deliberate actions you practice to take care of yourself. Self-care is time that you dedicate to you; with the intention of boosting and nourishing your mental, emotional, and physical health.

Self-care is essential. Taking time for you to do the things that nourish and support you has so many benefits. Self-care practices help you feel rejuvenated, refreshed, and recharged. In turn, you can more easily stay on top of things without feeling so drained, anxious, or burnt out.

Self-care stops you feeling depleted. In turn, you can give more to others. As the saying goes, you can’t fill someone else’s cup if yours is empty.

Self-care is also a permission slip that makes it ‘OK’ to take a breather. We live in a world that values hard work and measures success on the hustle and grind. It’s why we can feel guilty for taking our foot off the gas or selfish for prioritizing our own needs over those of others.

The reality is very different…

Quality time out can actually make you even more productive because self-care gives you that rush of energy. Self-care can also help you solve bigger problems or unlock innovative solutions because your brain has a chance to wander.

Have you ever taken a long walk in nature only to experience a rush of inspiration and wild ideas? That’s because your brain has been given the freedom to play because it’s no longer under its normal levels of pressure.

Self-care can also help you make better decisions. Thanks to self-care, you can reduce mental fogginess and confusion. This frees up bandwidth for decisiveness and cuts the number of ‘mistakes’ made by a tired brain.

1. Explore your motivations for investing in your self-care. Make the case to yourself about the difference a boost in self-care will make to your life. If you want something enough, you’ll figure out how to make it work.  

2. Decide which practices you want to explore. The key is to pick practices that nourish you and make you feel good. You can choose some ideas from the list of 40 - above or pick your own.

3. Decide how often you want to practice self-care [we’d recommend daily].

4. Decide when you’ll practice each of your chosen self-care rituals. For example:

a. Take a walk after you drop the kids to school
b. Have an undisturbed cup of joe at 11 am.
c. Tech-free time daily after 9pm
d. Read before you go to bed

5. Schedule your self-care practices into your day using the Self Journal’s daily pages. In the same way that you’d block out time for an appointment or a meeting, block out time for your practices. Remember, what gets scheduled gets done.

6. Prioritize your self-care by scheduling these practices first - then fit everything else around it.

7. Track your habits to build a winning streak using the monthly habit trackers included in your Self Journal. Don’t break the chain and before you know it your self-care habits will run on autopilot.

8. Track your mood using the tracker on the bottom of the daily freedom pages.

9. Consider using your daily freedom pages to journal about or reflect on the impact your self-care practices are making to your life.