It can be easy to get caught up in a busy schedule, so much so that we forget to prioritise self-care and ensure that we’re practising a good work-life balance. In this article, we cover what self-care is, its importance, what it can look like to different people, and some ways you can incorporate self-care into your regular work routine.
What is self-care?
Self-care can take on various forms for different people, but at its core, it involves engaging in activities that promote and sustain an individual’s physical, emotional, and mental well-being. A common misconception about self-care is that it can be synonymous with self-indulgence or selfishness. However, this is not the case. Self-care involves taking actions daily or as needed to ensure you stay healthy, prevent potential burnout, and avoid serious mental or physical health issues.
Why is self-care at work important?
Work can be a leading source of stress for many. Whether it’s long hours, heavy workloads, or tight deadlines, an accumulation of these can lead to burnout and negatively impact your mental health. Consistently practising self-care can play a crucial role in managing this stress and reducing levels of anxiety associated with work.
What does self-care look like?
When you think about what self-care looks like, you might imagine meditation, yoga, or taking a spa day – which might be an accurate depiction for some! However, self-care encompasses a much broader spectrum of activities. It can be as simple as walking your dog every morning, getting enough sleep, spending quality time with friends or family, taking breaks throughout the workday, or watching your favourite movie. It’s important to remember that your version of self-care may look different to someone else’s.
Ways to practice self-care at work
Mindful breathing/breath work
Mindful breathing is an effective way to help reduce your levels of stress at work. Actively focussing on your breath work encourages relaxation responses in the body and is a great technique that can provide you with a moment of calm and clarity in high-stress or intense situations. Mindful breathing can be done anywhere at any time and is a common practice during meditation.
For more information on how to practice mindful breathing, follow this simple guide from Headspace here: Mindful Breathing Exercises
Taking your allocated lunch break
During a busy workday, the last thing you may feel like doing is putting time aside to have a break. Studies have shown that taking breaks can lead to greater productivity, higher job satisfaction, and improved mental, emotional and physical health. Whether you feel too busy, you work part-time, or it’s not a common practice at your workplace, if you are someone who tends to work through your lunch break, it’s time to break this bad habit.
Setting boundaries with colleagues and clients
Of the three ways to practice self-care listed, this final point may feel the most challenging to implement. Setting boundaries helps create a solid foundation for a healthy work-life balance and involves understanding your personal goals and requirements to maintain good mental health practices while working.
Various types of boundaries can be set at work, including:
- Physical boundaries, such as communicating a timeframe for someone to borrow an item from you
- Emotional boundaries, such as talking to your manager about your preferred way of receiving feedback and
- Mental boundaries, such as taking your allotted lunch break
When communicating boundaries with co-workers or clients, it’s important to be respectful of others and ensure that your boundaries do not have a negative impact on others or the business. For example, taking multiple hour-long breaks in a shift or using emotional manipulation to avoid completing a task you do not want to do.
Read about more ways you can look after your mental health, avoid burnout, and the benefits of meditation.