Selfcare is all about what serves as a source or cause of delight. It could be a massage, reading a book, a day at the lake, or whatever brings joy to your life.
By Alison Crane
For the last five months, we have had to deal with the effects of COVID-19. For many, this has created a feeling of perpetual stress. We have faced shortages of needed foods and household items, loss of jobs, rising costs, and even fear of what might happen if we or someone we love becomes ill. For many, this has created an overriding feeling of stress.
Chronic stress can cause health issues, lack of patience or tolerance, sleep deprivation, and depression, all of which create a cycle of constant tension. The stress in our lives comes from a variety of temporary and constant sources.
Because the stress created by world-wide pandemic is not going to go away any time soon, making time for selfcare is critical to our well-being. The saying, “You can’t pour from an empty cup,” has an implied action that we need to be constantly filling our cup.
Burnout is described as the exhaustion of physical or emotional strength or motivation usually as a result of prolonged stress or frustration. When the point of burnout is reached, it is hard to regulate emotions like sadness, anger or guilt. This can lead to panic attacks, anger outbursts or even substance abuse. A state of burnout also lowers our ability to be attuned to others who need our help and attention.
Selfcare helps us to prevent burnout and refill our cup which can then be poured into those around us. Sometimes self-maintenance is mistaken for selfcare. Self-maintenance addresses what our body needs to function properly and is an important factor in our physical and emotional wellbeing. The activities we choose to do as selfcare have one important focus, that can be summed up in a word – Joy. Selfcare is all about what serves as a source or cause of delight.
Take a moment to think about what brings you joy. Write them all down and then ask yourself how you can incorporate more of these activities into your life. Now, write down a plan on how you will incorporate one of these activities into your schedule this week to bring you joy.
Me, I like to bake bread. The bread-making process not only serves as therapy to me, it brings happiness to my family when they come home and smell the bread baking.
If you would like more ways to incorporate selfcare into your daily routine, visit my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/GarlandExtensionHomeLife/. In the Notes section you will find resources for ways to clear the cloud of stress and find out the benefits selfcare brings. Email acrane@uaex.edu for more information.
Alison Crane is a Family and Consumer Science Agent with the Garland County Extension Service. The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs to all eligible persons without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
