Self Care Is Not Selfish

International Self Care Day is celebrated on July 24th and is all about the importance of taking care of yourself and making self care part of everyday routines, promoting individual and collective wellbeing.

To list just a few benefits:

• Self care can improve physical health

• Self care may reduce stress and anxiety and protect mental health

• Self care can promote better relationships with family, friends, co-workers and more

• Self care may increase confidence, productivity and happiness

People are realising that self care is extremely important and that they should be putting themselves before others. By taking care of yourself first can actually be one of the best ways of ensuring that we can take care of those around us as well. Self-care is not just about physical health, but also about emotional and mental wellbeing.

Examples of self-care include:

• Meeting with friends for a coffee

• Having a regular sleep routine

• Eating well and maintaining a healthy weight

• Keeping a reflective journal

• Going for a walk, or visiting the gym

• Practicing gratitude

• Getting a massage

• Listening to relaxing music

• Reading a good book

• Learning to say no

• Asking for help when necessary

Through self-care people can be healthier and remain so into old age, managing minor ailments themselves. We can also better manage, delay or even prevent the appearance of lifestyle diseases such as heart attacks, strokes, diabetes and many cancers.