The art of self-care—beyond bubble baths and yoga

Me-time

The festive season is over and the new year is not quite here yet—the perfect time to take a deep breath and do something nice for yourself. In a world of constant rushing and stress, the art of self-care is becoming an important lifeline. In this article, we explore how we can do something good for ourselves amidst the hustle and bustle.

Self-care doesn’t just mean doing positive things that feel good, like a bubble bath or yoga. Self-care is much more about your inner attitude towards yourself and how you treat yourself. Do you recognise your needs and act accordingly? Are you compassionate towards yourself?

Self-care means taking responsibility of your own well-being.

Why is self-care good?

The best way to illustrate the power of self-care is with the image of a barrel of water. The water barrel fills up with things that trigger stress in everyday life. You’ve overslept and have to run for the bus, you’re overwhelmed at work, and then you have an argument with your partner. On days like these, a nasty look or spiteful remark is enough to make the water barrel spill over. With the help of self-care, you have the chance to drain some of that stress from the barrel. For example, by creating an oasis of calm during your lunch break to recharge your batteries, you will be ready for any new challenges that lie ahead.

This image might suggest that self-care is only necessary during stressful times, but that is certainly not the case. If you make a habit of taking good care of yourself even in quieter times, you can build up a good stress buffer. Self-care also helps you to stay mentally balanced and be more physically resistant to illness.

Make a list of resources

Do you ever feel like you need a break, but you’re so stressed you don’t know what would help? Then this is your sign to create a list of resources.

A list of resources is made up of activities that make you feel better in stressful times and help you relax. These can be simple things like having a cup of tea. Ideally, you should always have the list on you. You can keep it on a post-it note in your wallet, for example, or write it down in the notes app on your smartphone.

Here are some suggestions for activities that could go on your list of resources:

• Forest bathing
• Breathing exercises
• Keeping a diary
• Gardening
• Cuddling your pet
• Cooking your favourite meal
• Solving Sudoku or crossword puzzles
• Reading a book
• Swimming
• Playing an instrument
• Calling a loved one

Making space for conscious breaks

This is all well and good, but you might be wondering how you’re supposed to find time for self-care in your already busy schedule. If this applies to you, then maybe it’s time to set aside some time for yourself in your diary. At first glance, it may seem like your diary is even busier than it was before. However, over the long term, me-time is essential because if you don’t take the time to step back and breathe today, your physical and mental health will pay for it tomorrow. Here are some suggestions for how you can incorporate small moments of self-care into your everyday life:

• Get up 15 minutes earlier in the morning and enjoy a hot cup of coffee or tea before taking on the day.
• Sit in the car for a few minutes before you go into the office and do a breathing exercise.
• Book a gym class you enjoy one evening a week. Maybe you can do it with a friend. Some fitness centres also offer childcare to look after your children while you sweat out the day.
• Use the time when commuting or doing housework to listen to an exciting podcast or a new audiobook.
• Can you walk part of the way to work? Make the most of this opportunity and consciously breathe in the fresh air.

Is self-care selfish?

It is sometimes necessary to say no to make enough time for yourself. When you say no to even more volunteer work and say no to what feels like your 27th Christmas dinner this month, you’re also saying no to your friends and family, and that can feel very selfish. But is it really?

“A ‘No’ uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a ‘Yes’ merely uttered to please...”
- Mahatma Gandhi -

Every time you say no to an opportunity, you are saying yes to your own needs. You could have baked a cake for the next football match, but you would have had to pay for it bitterly by falling sick the following week because you didn’t have time to rest. However, by carefully weighing up your commitments and aligning them with your energy levels, you will be 100% committed to the activities you do take on. In the long term, self-care also helps you be more present for others.

“Nothing gets us on our way better than a break”
- Elizabeth Browning -

It is also particularly important for parents to be aware of their responsibility to their children. Kids notice when their exhausted mum or sick dad takes a break or works flat out and neglects their needs. And that’s exactly how they will go on to treat themselves later in life. So be as kind to yourself as you would like your child to be to themselves. You can find more information on self-care as a parent in this article.

Ask for help

Self-care does not mean that you are the only person who can look after yourself. Some challenges in life are better met with the help of an expert. If you find yourself in a situation like this and would like to seek help, you can find the telephone numbers of specialist centres and counselling services in the Canton of Zug on our help and advice page.

References
Ambauen, F. A. & Meyer, S. M. (September 2020). Selbstfürsorge - Oder wieso wir damit allen etwas Gutes tun (Series 1, Episode 12). Accessed on 11 December 2023 via https://open.spotify.com/episode/2D8XJaSy0O33VsT8QAxcbH?si=60cf835bf03e42b3
Rigotti, T. (2019). Das Prinzip Selbstfürsorge: Wie wir Verantwortung für uns übernehmen und gelassen und frei leben. Roadmap für den Alltag. Kösel-Verlag.
Bindrum, V. B. (16 October 2023). Selbstfürsorge: Tipps und Übungen für deinen Alltag. HelloBetter. Accessed on 11 December 2023 at https://hellobetter.de/blog/selbstfuersorge/#:~:text=Beispiele%20f%C3%BCr%20Selbstf%C3%BCrsorge,-Aber%20wie%20k%C3%B6nnen&text=Deswegen%20haben%20wir%20hier%20eine,(Journaling%2C%20Dankbarkeitstagebuch%2C%20etc)
Vulnerabilitäts-Stress-Modell - MEDICLIN. (n.d.). MEDICLIN. https://www.mediclin.de/ratgeber-gesundheit/psyche-koerper/vulnerabilitaets-stress-modell/
Selbstfürsorge - Zepf. (9 August 2021). Zepf. https://www.zepf.eu/selbstfuersorge/