How I learned to make self-care my superpower 💪

Life takes a lot out of us!

When I first started my job as a residential care worker for youth in custody, I came home most days feeling like this:

I always gave 100% every shift, but ended up constantly feeling tired, stressed, and depleted for life outside of work.

My biggest problem? I never prioritized self-care.

But over time, I learned that self-care was actually the key to my personal and professional success.

At its core, self-care is about keeping yourself as healthy as you can, in whatever ways work best for you.

That means meeting your core physical needs! Including...

• Sleeping enough

• Exercising regularly

• Eating a balanced diet

Making time for meaningful and/or spiritual activities, such as...

• Hobbies

• TV/movies, music, video games

• Meditation and mindfulness practice

Or even completing small, everyday tasks like...

• Chores

• Paying bills

• Going through a "to-do" list

As a residential care worker, I was working 24, 48 and 72 hour shifts, often staying up way past midnight to complete my paperwork.

I didn't pay attention to how much sleep I was actually getting until a colleague of mine said:

"Hey — did you know not getting enough sleep shortens your life?"

And it's (unfortunately) true! While everyone has different ways of caring for themselves, not meeting core physical needs regularly has been scientifically shown to reduce life expectancy.

Always try to make sure you get enough:

• sleep: 7+ hours per night

• exercise: 2.5 hours per week

• nutrition: a balanced diet with lots of fluids

The best self-care starts with these three!

One of my biggest struggles before practicing proper self-care was feeling like I could never get enough done in a day.

What I wasn't paying attention to was just how much my lack of self care was limiting my executive functioning — the brain's ability to get things done!

By practicing self-awareness, I learned to recognize when I was getting too stressed — before I actually did! Then, I would prioritizemeeting my physical needs and make time for things I loved to do.

Slowly but surely, I felt like I had more energy, a clearer mind, and was able to better organize my time.

As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands: one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.

— Audrey Hepburn, famous Hollywood actress

When we neglect our self-care, we also risk negatively affecting those closest to us without meaning to.

I found I was giving so much of myself to my job that there was little left over for my friends and loved ones.

Sustainable? Definitely not!

Check out this helpful short from counseling psychologist Michelle Farris:

How can you care for yourself a little more in your daily life?