Creating a Self-Care Plan

Creating a Self-Care Plan

I’m tired

I don’t feel great

I need some me-time

Do any of those sound familiar? Probably. If they do, perhaps it’s time you start putting your needs as a priority. 

This is where a self-care plan can come into play. It is essential that you create a personalized self-care plan, rather than just follow what the latest Instagram trend is telling you. Because what will nourish you is different from what will nourish somebody else. Only you know what you need to feel good and happy and what your joy triggers are.

There are seven pillars to your well-being, and your self-care might cover numerous areas of this.

Here are the seven pillars of wellness.

• Physical.
• Emotional.
• Intellectual.
• Social.
• Spiritual.
• Environmental.
• Occupational.

With those in mind, here some tips for you to create a self-care plan.

• Small

Start small. This means setting small achievable goals. Small achievable goals give us a tremendous sense of satisfaction and will encourage us to meet more of those goals. So if your goal is to start writing a daily to-do list to help you get more organized, then factor that into your mornings.

You can work up to more in-depth self-care plans as time goes on.

• What are your needs?

Everyone needs different things to feel a sense of balance. Some people need to have 10 hours of sleep, and others need to make sure that they have a nap in the afternoon. Some people like to work four days a week, and others want to work all the hours possible.

Think about what you need to make yourself feel good. And if you haven’t already factored them into your life, why is that?

Take your goals from above, and create a list. Brainstorm about all the actionable steps you can take to achieve your needs.

• Space

Many people find that creating a small space, even something as simple as a dressing table, where they can plan, apply face masks, or simply sit for a moment is essential.

Think about what you need within that space. Do you like to have your feet on the floor, to feel grounded? Or would you prefer to have a soft rug underneath? 

Do you need a pen pot or other storage? Perhaps you need to have your vision board somewhere that you can see it clearly all the time.

Create a space that is simply for you to take care of your practical self-care needs.

• Practice

This might sound strange, but good self-care takes time and practice. Because it is a building in a new routine and ritual into your life, you need to make space for it. For example, if you wish to meditate for 30 minutes, you will need to plan this into your day. If you plan to have a weekly massage, you’ll need to have this planned.

You might not meet all of these things every day or week. But the more that you prioritize your self-care, the more likely it is that you will soon say that your self-care is non-negotiable.

• Vision board

Many of us need to see something to be able to move forward. Creating a vision board is one of the most straightforward ways to put all of your wishes and ideas into one space. You can create your vision board on software like Canva, print it out, and keep it safe. 

Alternatively, you can get a pinboard, head to Pinterest, and spend a few hours creating a vision board that is built of tactile items. You can add in newspaper clippings, photographs, money, colors, and so much more.

This vision board is part of your self-care ritual because it maps out all of the things that you are hoping to achieve and perhaps some of the actionable steps that you can take to reach them.

• Flexibility

As mentioned above, self-care takes practice. But you must be flexible and gentle with yourself. Sticking to a routine as much as possible is the best way to ensure that you get the self-care that you deserve. 

However, there are several life occasions where things are slightly out of your control, and being flexible about how you then move forward with your self-care for that day or week is essential. Being flexible with your self-care also removes all of the stress and pressure that you may have placed on yourself to get something specific done that day.

Self-care is not selfish; in fact, it is a vital part of our wellness. And creating a self-care plan is one of the ways that you can achieve good self-care.

Contributed Article.