It’s ok to have a general idea of looking after yourself, but it can also be very beneficial to plan how to practice self-care.  Whether you need to support your own well-being in the workplace, or coping mechanisms for the every day, some things will help you maintain your overall inner health. 

The first thing to know is that you are unique, and your approach may be different to another’s way of doing things.  Your area of biggest struggle may also be different - it might be one or some of the following (or indeed, one that’s not listed):

Professional

Mental

Emotional

Physical health

Spiritual/religious

Relationships

Some of these activities below may help you take care of yourself in a holistic way.  They are only examples and you may have other ideas - pick what you find most beneficial and plan to fit it into your everyday schedule. 

Create your own plan and fill it with the activities that support your well-being and make you feel happier.  Stick it on your fridge, your door, anywhere you will see it every day. Take it beyond “thinking about doing it” and actually DO IT. After a month or 6 weeks, re-assess how you are doing. Habits can take this long to become engrained. 

Check again every 3 months - see if the activities are still working, or if you need to adjust your plan. 

As you decide what is going into your self-care plan, be aware that things WILL get in the way!  Think about what you need to do to get rid of these hurdles, and if they can’t be disposed of, adjust your plan to work around them or minimise any negative impacts caused by these hurdles, if you truly cannot remove them. 

Not everyone will support your self-care plan, but you can still do actions that support your well-being.  Make it meaningful to you, and make it something you can start today.