It’s no secret that self-care, beneficial for physical and mental well-being, has become a fashionable concept.
Her original idea is useful and important, but it is not always well understood.
Self-care isn’t just about taking a bath and finishing difficult tasks, but rather an ongoing process tailored to your stressors and preferences.
While self-care practices can vary greatly from person to person, there are popular strategies that simply don’t work. Rather, they are bad habits disguised as beneficial activities.
Overvoltage
Trying to have too many plans so as not to disappoint anyone, or working out too hard at the gym to lose weight are habits that lead to overexertion and are harmful in the long run.
Working on yourself can be a form of self-care only if it is combined with rest and does not create additional stress.
Instead of trying to get everything done and benefit yourself as much as possible, focus on the most important things on your long list.
Remember that bigger doesn’t always mean better. Try to distribute tasks in such a way as to avoid burnout on the path of self-improvement.
Passive rest, bordering on laziness
Enjoying relaxation after a busy day is good for the soul. However, not all ways to relax and have a good time are beneficial.
Excessive laziness and lack of exercise can do a lot of harm to your well-being. Instead of switching between working on your laptop and watching TV, try adding yoga or a walk to your schedule.
Perhaps you really need to step away from the couch to truly relax and reset. Even a little physical activity is an ideal way to overcome passivity and laziness, which greatly hinder your growth as an individual.
The habit of putting the most interesting things first
Prioritizing what you love can be an act of self-care. However, falling dangerously behind your adult responsibilities is not.
The habit of doing what you like first, postponing perhaps more important things for later, can give a temporary boost of spirit.
However, after it passes, you will most likely feel anxious. After all, problems that you don’t like will not be solved by themselves.
The truth is that self-care can include some not-so-fun things that can make your life better. Sometimes you need to force yourself to complete a task you don’t like in order to feel satisfied in the long run.
Taking “treat yourself” to unhealthy levels
Self-respect is an element of caring. And there is no need to feel guilty for treating yourself to something nice from time to time.
However, it is important to see in moderation when it comes to pleasure. Often, overindulgence leads to unhealthy eating or impulsive spending on a regular basis.
Don’t blindly follow advice about pampering yourself. Instead, try to find a middle ground that will allow you not to impose significant restrictions on your life, but also not to bring it to the point where small joys interfere with your normal existence.
Leaving the network without explanation
Staying in touch all the time can be tiring, especially if you have a couple dozen good friends. And it’s completely normal to feel like you need a break from socializing from time to time.
But leaving the network without explanation is not a good idea. This is discouraging to others, especially if repeated with enviable frequency, and can negatively affect your relationships.
So if you want to leave the group chat for a while, explain why you are doing so. You can honestly say that you want to take some time for yourself and will definitely come back later. This way, other people will understand you rather than making unflattering assumptions about why you act this way.
Frequent isolation
Contrary to popular belief, self-care doesn’t always have to be a solo act. Connecting with others can make your practice even more effective.
While alone time is often a way to re-evaluate life and relax, it’s important to recognize when it becomes social isolation.
It may do more harm than good. Especially if you try to overcome difficulties on your own, suppressing your feelings and not telling anyone about them.
Remember that true self-care includes understanding when you need help from other people and knowing how to ask for it.
Trying to impress others by emphasizing that you care about yourself
Taking care of yourself is a far cry from pleasing others. But often it becomes the meaning of activities that are supposedly aimed at improving your life.
We are talking about demonstrative events that can improve your image in the eyes of others, emphasizing that you care about yourself. For example, publications on social networks about going to a cosmetologist or yoga, although you hate doing it.
This is a fairly common phenomenon, although not every person can admit that their self-care is nothing more than following popular trends. To avoid disappointment, you need to choose not what society imposes on you, but what suits you.
Remember that self-care means different things for each person. If for you it’s reading a book while putting a mask on your face, rather than going to the spa, then everything is fine.
Do what you think is right and choose activities that will make you feel better and relax, rather than show the world that you are taking care of yourself.
