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(Part 2- read part one here)
In our previous blog post we talked about what self-care is, why it is important for you and your family's wellbeing, and gave some tips on where to start with creating a plan and doing self-care.
Here we will answer more questions.
I don’t have the time or money for self-care what can I do?
I have some great news for you, self-care does not need to take up hours of your day or cost you a pretty penny.
Start small. Self-care only needs to take 5-10 minutes a day consistently for an individual to notice the effects. Like mentioned previously you won’t notice the effects of self-care overnight majority of the time so the sooner you start and longer you are able to consistently practice self-care the more you should notice the effects if the activities you’re engaging in are the right ones for you! Check out our “10 Minute Self-Care Activities” handout for more ideas!
As for the cost of self-care there are tons of things, we can do to meet our needs in these 5 areas that don’t cost anything. Check out our “Parenting & Self-Care” handout for more information and talk to any member of the Norwood team next time you join us for a group or event if you have more questions!
Boring Self-Care
Boring self-care is exactly what it sounds like, its nothing new or exciting but rather small things we can do every day to take care of ourselves. Here are some great examples:
Doing the dishes
Cleaning something in the home
Doing a load of laundry
Going for a walk
Journalling
Taking medication as prescribed
Setting boundaries
Breathing exercises
Brushing your hair
Learning to identify self-sabotaging behaviours/patterns
Staying in after a busy week
Grocery shopping
Spending time with animals
Being kind to yourself
Engaging in a hobby you enjoy
Listening to music
Watching the sunset
Cooking a nutritious meal
Meal prepping for the next day or week if you can and want to
Completing a task on your to do list
Couples Care
The next thing that’s important to discuss when practicing self-care is couples care.
Parents, more often than not, will put their own needs and the needs of their relationships on hold and spend that time with their children. Dedicating time to your relationship is extremely important when it comes to raising children. You are your partners main support and vis versa so it’s important to make sure you work together to keep your relationship strong.
When couples don’t dedicate time towards their relationship the relationship starts to deteriorate which usually results in more disagreements, fighting and potentially the end of the relationship.
Dedicating time to have uncomfortable conversations about what you need, how you're feeling and how you would like to address situations that arise can work to prevent issues before they arise and help you feel connected to your partner. That being said, you also want to spend time enjoying things with your partner, wither that’s going on a walk together, having dinner alone, or dancing in the kitchen after the children go to bed, it all works to build your connection with one another.
Engaging in couple care will help prepare you navigate difficult situations together, work on your communication, and ensure that you are spending at least some time having fun together and connecting on a deeper level.
Worksheets in this post: 10 Minute Self-Care Activities.
At Norwood Centre our team of qualified At Norwood Centre our team of qualified Family Support Workers work to provide tools that caregivers can use to support themselves and their families, as their children develop. We hear you! If you have a question or concern, please ask us. Call 780-471-3737.