I often see advertisements for products that promise “self-care,” but experience has taught me that true self-care does not result from anything we can purchase.
The best self-care, in fact, often results from simply doing a bit less, slowing down, and resting or sleeping more, every day.
Apart from cutting back superfluous activities, self-care is a constant practice of choosing behaviors that provide healthy coping mechanisms as we face daily emotional and physical stress.
While everyone has her own activities and techniques that provide healthful and constructive self-care, we have to make sure to identify and prioritize what we most need time for, so that we can stay calm, cool, and collected, all day long.
PHYSICAL SELF-CARE
Schedule set times each day.
Go to sleep, wake up, sit down for a proper meal, have a little “me” time, at the same time every day (e.g., take a few minutes for yourself just before your children get home, or right after they go to sleep).
Schedule time for crucial needs that are skipped when you are busy.
Activities such as reading for fun, exercising, organizing your desk/papers/shelves, knitting, or saying Tehillim add to your well-being.
In addition to scheduling
Listen to your body: Eat when you are hungry, drink when you are thirsty, rest when you are tired, and take breaks when you feel overwhelmed.
Stay aware of your personal comfort.
If you tend to sit in uncomfortable positions, try to get a comfortable chair; if you feel cold, grab a sweater; if your skin feels dry, use moisturizer—treat yourself just as you would treat an honored guest or a child whose comfort concerns you.
Simplify your daily and Shabbos cooking.
Unless gourmet, complicated dishes are fun for you to prepare, disqualify any recipe that requires too many steps, hard-to-get ingredients, or a babysitter.
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