Self-care, or how to beat stress and be happy – tips from experts on where to start
Treating yourself well should be a daily priority and not something you only do occasionally, or when you’re feeling run down. We ask some experts for advice on how to look after yourself every day. You can start with meditation
Many of us equate “self-care” with relaxation and indulgence. For some, self-care might mean sleeping in on a Sunday, getting a spa treatment, chilling out with a good book, or splashing out on something special, like a weekend getaway or dinner at a nice restaurant.
If it makes us feel good or pampered, gives us a break from the pressures of daily life, or replenishes what our jobs and other responsibilities take away from us, then it’s just what stressed and busy folks need.
That’s according to Dr Florence Huang, a wellness and well-being coach, a Fellow of the American Institute of Stress, and a professor at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
“Self-care has become a marketing buzz word, but it’s about more than indulging yourself; it’s also not only for people who can afford to go to the spa every week, and it’s not just something you do when you are going through a rough patch or feeling depleted,” says Huang.
“The way I see it, self-care is more of a mindset and a process. It’s for everyone and it isn’t optional. Many of us practise self-care to de-stress – we might get a massage, take a holiday or practise yoga. But this isn’t truly self-care; they are merely ways to relax and take our minds off our problems. When these activities are over, we go back to our regular lives and it’s only a matter of time before we feel stressed again. So, self-care is not about fire fighting, it’s not an emergency cure, it’s not about fixing something that isn’t right and it’s not one single activity. It’s taking control of our physical, emotional and spiritual well-being in the long run.”