Develop Your Own Self-Care Plan

Self-care isn’t a one-size-fits-all type of deal. Just as each person is unique, self-care plans should be individualized as well. When pursuing a plan for self-care, it’s necessary to analyze your current lifestyle, answer a few questions and make a few decisions.

Below you’ll find a four-step process for identifying which area or areas of self-care are needed, some suggestions on self-care techniques to help get you started and how to implement the plan and stick with it.

1 – Know Your “Why”; Self-awareness is key

What’s calling out to you which needs care and just as importantly, what beliefs, stories, or limits are you imposing on yourself which stop you from moving forward with your own self-care?

The first step in developing your own self-care plan is to know why you want to do this in the first place. What are you looking to fix or restore? Self-care isn’t a self-indulgent activity; it’s about self-preservation and restoration.

If you continually to (like most of us) put self-care off to the side, ask yourself some deep questions

• Do I put others before myself?
• Do I feel I am unworthy of caring for myself?
• Do I have a belief it is someone else’s job to care for me?
• Do I have a strong “Type A” personality and am addicted to getting things done?

Those with vehicles perform routine maintenance, such as oil changes and rotating tires, for safety and to ensure it continues to run properly. The human body is no different.

Consider the amount of work we put our bodies through on a daily basis. Self-care is you taking care of you, inside and out, and deliberately taking an adequate amount of time to do so.

If you aren’t clear on your why, your self-care routine won’t remain important in the long-run. Get up close and personal with yourself and decide your main reason for implementing a self-care regimen and undo what’s holding you back. Write a new story around self-care. 

2 – Choose Self-Care Strategies that Fit

There are five basic areas where self-care applies: Psychological, Emotional, Spiritual, Physical and Social. In step 2, you’ll decide which areas of your life need an overhaul or rejuvenation and then choose a self-care technique to employ.

Below you’ll find a few ideas in each category to help you get some ideas.

Psychological

• Music

• Aromatherapy; candles, essential oils

• Counseling

• Hiring a coach

Emotional

• Talk to a trusted friend

• Journaling

• Read self-help books

• Joint groups online where there are like-minded people

Spiritual

• Meditation

• Positive affirmations

• Religious services or activities

• Spend time in nature

Physical

• Group fitness classes

• Yoga, Pilates, stretching

• Walk, run, jog

• Hike

• Swim

Social

• Book club

• Support group

• A meal with friends

• Volunteer at a school or non-profit

Certainly not an exhaustive list, there are at least a few ideas in each aspect where self-care might be needed. Chances are there is more than one area of life that could use some self-care assistance; start with one area and one new positive habit and watch the results unfold. 

3 – Schedule It!

Here’s the tricky part, and many of us are quick to come up with the “no time” excuse when attempting to implement a self-care plan. The fact of the matter is, if you don’t start small, you most likely won’t start at all. Your capacity to help, serve, and simply be with others will see the effect. 

There will simply be less and less of yourself to offer if you aren’t refilling your self-care tank on a regular basis. Many self-care techniques take only a few minutes, while others might involve several hours. It’s entirely up to you and your schedule, but don’t make the grave mistake of denying yourself altogether. Simply pick one category of your life and begin to implement one new positive habit. It really is that simple.

Meditation can take as few as 5 or 10 minutes when you get the hang of it. A 10-minute walk? How often do you pick up your smartphone to check social media or email? If you don’t know how much time you spend on your phone with mindless activities, there are apps to track it. You might be surprised at the results. Sometimes, it is wonderful to plug into a good movie or book and get lost from the world for a little while. Being mindful of how much time, though is important. How much time do you spend watching TV or doing a mindless social media scroll?

Tip: You can listen to uplifting positive podcasts while on your morning train commute or even steal away a few minutes for a snooze. During your lunch break, a brisk walk truly does wonders. Walking down the hall to drop off files, attend a meeting, or make copies is the perfect time for a few cleansing, relaxing breaths. 

Important: Check in with your thoughts on the daily. I cannot stress how important this one is. Challenge your thoughts – are those negative thoughts true? Are those negative thoughts trying to tell you something? Take some time to question, challenge and most of all, listen to your thoughts. They are guideposts to what makes you tick. 

4 – Follow Up and Reassess

And the final step? After you’ve started your self-care plan, go 7 days straight and then re-evaluate. Many recommend a month, but that’s a lot of days to carry on with something that might not be working, or forgotten altogether.

What are you looking for on your follow up? Pay special attention to how you feel after you engage in something for self-care. Does the scheduling need to be adjusted? Or does the activity itself need to be switched out for something else?

If you aren’t really getting the vibe you expected from weekly pedicures, switch it out for a 30-minute audiobook session at your favorite park. You won’t know what works and what doesn’t until you try it.

The key here is to keep an open mind and be aware of whether your self-care plan is providing the benefits you expected. It’s okay to switch things up. If you aren’t a creature of habit and want the exact same routine, you don’t have to do that. Do what works for you and your lifestyle!

Self-care isn’t meant to be difficult. It’s supposed to be satisfying and a means to refuel and recharge. The important thing is that it benefits you, that you are taking care of you inside and out!