"A farmer was using a well-used, dull, rusted axe to cut a huge oak tree on his property. His neighbour was passing by and saw that the farmer was making no progress at all. “At this rate,” the neighbour thought to himself, “it will take him years to chop that gigantic tree down.” So he said to his friend, "Why don't you sharpen your axe?" The farmer replied, breathless: "I can't (chop)…take the time (chop)…Must cut down (chop)…this tree (chop)…by tomorrow." - Based on a Sufi teaching tale
Like the farmer chopping down the tree, many times we can get caught up in trying to reach our goals. We do not think about how we are doing our work or how we can do it better, because we are so busy.
Self-care includes all the things we do to take care of our well-being in four key dimensions – emotional, physical, psychological, and spiritual health.
Everyone deserves to be cared for. Adults have the power to be their own caregivers and the responsibility to care for children and teach them how to also care for themselves .
Like the farmer chopping down the tree, many times we can get caught up in trying to reach our goals. We do not think about how we are doing our work or how we can do it better, because we are so busy.
Self-care includes all the things we do to take care of our well-being in four key dimensions – emotional, physical, psychological, and spiritual health.
Everyone deserves to be cared for. Adults have the power to be their own caregivers and the responsibility to care for children and teach them how to also care for themselves .
Four categories of self-care
Physical self-care
Involves activities that help you to stay fit and healthy, and with enough energy to get through your work and personal commitments. That includes eating healthy, drinking lots of water, getting daily exercise and enjoying moments to rest and replenish. |
Emotional self-care
Activities that allow yourself to safely experience your full range of emotions. They might include setting clear boundaries on your time and energy, surrounding yourself with positive people and spending time with people you care about and who care about you. |
Psychological self-care
Activities that might include personal and professional development to intellectually engage with the professional challenges that are found in your work and personal life. Give attention to things that are in your control (your sphere of influence). |
Spiritual self-care
This involves having a sense of perspective beyond the day-to-day of life. Identify what is meaningful to you in your work and life. Practice mindfulness and being present in the moment. |
Why is it important to teach self-care to kids?When we teach children about self-care at a young age, it will teach them to prioritize their mental and physical health; it can help them learn how to deal with stressors in the future and reduces their risk of developing mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression.
Self-care helps to identify physical or emotional needs, to develop healthy habits, to be independent and to develop skills to keep oneself healthy. |
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During Covid-19 times
For the past months, the entire world faced Covid-19 and we had to change the way we interact with each other, an many times we had to spend extra time with family members. Our new norms include social distancing, working remotely, home schooling, trying to find a few moments of solitude in a crowded apartment — and that’s only if we have the privilege of a job that supports remote work.
Self-care is important, especially during a pandemic, because we may experience many ups and downs due to the fluid situation.
For the past months, the entire world faced Covid-19 and we had to change the way we interact with each other, an many times we had to spend extra time with family members. Our new norms include social distancing, working remotely, home schooling, trying to find a few moments of solitude in a crowded apartment — and that’s only if we have the privilege of a job that supports remote work.
Self-care is important, especially during a pandemic, because we may experience many ups and downs due to the fluid situation.
Self-care is a time and space in which we allow ourselves to heal and help ourselves become healthier and happier.
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Here we share some articles that can help you to take better care of yourself while you stay at home:
The importance of self-care |
22 ways to take care of yourself during Covid-19 |
Self-care during isolation |