I have observed that many college students and working professionals thus far struggle with self-care. We push ourselves to the breaking point, then further, to try and keep up with the constant competition between our family, friends, co-workers, and the rest of society. In this race, however, we fail to recognize the importance of self-care. Since starting college, I realized this is an impending issue that must be addressed, because nobody is able to be fully successful without taking care of themselves first.
I understand life will get the best of you sometimes. Maybe you’re going through a terrible break-up, just lost your job, or experienced the death of a friend or family member. Society, as I have noticed, may allow you a short time to grieve, but then you’re back to the everyday hectic life of working, household chores, or classes. All of the stress that builds up in your body from these instances where you are not given enough time to heal will eventually cause a great drawback in your physical and mental wellbeing.
Self-care can present itself in many forms— exercising, eating healthy, personal hygiene and more. To you, these might seem like very ordinary tasks. However, myself and many of my other college friends during finals week would have to plan our day ahead of time to give ourselves time to eat and shower. I’m extremely happy I didn’t neglect these activities in my time of greatest stress. However, I realized how ridiculous it was that I was overscheduling my days to the point of losing time I had previously allotted for self-care.
A great deal of you may disagree with this article, arguing we are making this upcoming generation “too soft” by promoting such ideas as the importance of self-care. But speaking from personal experience, taking the time to do these simple tasks really does make a huge difference, not only for your physical well-being, but also your mental well-being.
Recently, I went through a bit of a rough patch in my life. Since I recognized this small “bump in the road” I began reflecting on the way I was treating myself and made a few brief changes. Personally, in addition to the few examples of self-care mentioned previously in this article, I have also found meditation and mind-engaging activities to be extremely useful in my self-care process.
Exercising, eating healthy, and personal hygiene are necessary for a healthy living style. Always. I began doing yoga every morning and running every night. Even that small bit of exercise the past week has made a world of a difference in my sleep quality and my general mood. Meditation is something I recently researched and began practicing. I have encountered many success stories across the internet regarding meditation.
A large reason for the growing popularity of meditation, I believe, is due to its effectiveness in a short time period. A vast majority of people, including myself, will recognize a change in their stress and anxiety levels, even after only five short minutes of meditation. Lastly, mind-engaging activities are necessary. I know it must seem appealing to lie in bed all day watching Netflix. And sometimes, that is a completely acceptable way to unwind and relax, but it is also important to have activities to keep your mind engaged. Whether that includes reading, writing, museums, or art, it is up to you. Take a little time to think and reflect.
This week, when you’re focused on all of the stressors weighing you down, practice some of these self-care tips. Knowing your body is nourished and energized will help you face life’s challenges much more effectively. Taking care of yourself is a necessity and priority. Do not attempt to downplay its importance. Take a deep breath and conquer today.
