What is self-care and why is it important?
We hear this term ALL THE TIME in Social Work! ‘How’s your self-care going?’ ‘what do you do for self-care’. But, for a lot of people, the term ‘self-care’ is an unknown concept. Responses like ‘I take the dog for a walk’ or ‘I socialise with friends on the weekend’ or ‘I make sure I drink enough water’ are usually what people say is their self care routine. This is a very simplified way of viewing self-care. Yes, drinking enough water is important, but adding a couple of ‘tasks’ in your daily life does not resonate with what Holistic self-care actually looks like.
Self-care encapsulates a profound practice of nurturing and prioritising our holistic well-being. While some might dismiss it as indulgent, the reality is that self-care is a fundamental pillar for leading a balanced and fulfilling life.
In the world of the helping profession, (Social Workers, Psychologists, Therapists, case workers, support workers, etc) where the mission to serve and support others is paramount, the concept of self-care often takes a back seat. I mean, we are honestly too busy looking after everyone else to have enough time to care for ourselves, right? Wrong!
The vital aspect of caring for oneself is frequently overlooked, leading to burnout, compassion fatigue, and diminished effectiveness in our crucial roles.
Self-care in the context of the helping profession transcends mere personal well-being; it is an ethical imperative and a professional necessity. As the demands of the field continue to intensify, understanding what self-care truly embodies and acknowledging its significance is more critical than ever.
In this article, I will discuss the concept of holistic self-care within the realm of the helping profession.
Adopting a ‘holistic’ approach to self care
So, what do I mean by ‘holistic’ self-care? When I think of the word ‘Holistic’, I think of a persons physical, emotional, mental, social and spiritual wellbeing. You can see why I believe just having enough water each day does not cut it when it comes to effective self-care!
Listed below are the 5 dimensions of what I believe make up Holistic Self-Care. Highlighted in green are links to other blog posts of mine where I have provided examples for each.
PHYSICAL WELL-BEING
This dimension emphasises the significance of regular exercise, proper nutrition, and adequate rest for maintaining physical health. Prioritising physical well-being helps you sustain your energy levels, enhance your immunity, and reduce the risk of physical ailments, ultimately fostering your overall resilience.
EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING
This focuses on an understanding of one’s emotions. Emotional well-being encourages you to develop self-awareness, regulate your emotions effectively, and cultivate healthy coping mechanisms. Prioritising emotional well-being empowers you to navigate challenging situations with empathy and compassion while minimising the risk of emotional exhaustion and burnout.
mental well-being
Centered on nurturing a positive and resilient mindset, mental well-being encourages you to engage in activities that promote cognitive stimulation, mindfulness, and stress reduction. Prioritising mental well-being helps in enhancing focus, decision-making abilities, and the capacity to manage work-related pressures efficiently. This helps to promote a balanced and healthy mental state.
social well-being
This dimension underscores the importance of fostering meaningful connections, building a support network, and maintaining healthy relationships both within and outside the workplace. Prioritising social well-being enables you to feel supported, understood, and valued. It helps to foster a sense of belonging and reduces feelings of isolation and emotional distress.
spiritual well-being
Acknowledging the significance of personal beliefs and values, spiritual well-being encourages you to explore your inner self, find purpose, and engage in activities that promote inner peace and connection. Prioritising spiritual well-being enables you to find meaning in your work, develop a sense of purpose, and establish a strong sense of identity and fulfilment.
The interconnectedness of these 5 dimensions is very important when it comes to ‘Holistic’ wellbeing. They form a dynamic system that influences your overall health and well-being. Neglecting any one dimension can lead to an imbalance that affects other aspects of your life.
Now that you have a bit of an idea about what ‘holistic’ self-care is, I can imagine you may be thinking how difficult it is to achieve. You don’t have time, or you’re not spiritual or you don’t really care about that aspect of life. There are many challenges that Social Workers face when it comes to prioritising holistic self-care.
Challenges faced by workers in the helping profession
- High or complex workloads: It is not uncommon for us to grapple with heavy caseloads and extensive administrative responsibilities, leading to time constraints and emotional strain.
- Emotional energy and Compassion Fatigue: The continuous exposure to clients’ traumatic experiences and challenging circumstances can lead to emotional exhaustion, resulting in compassion fatigue and decreased empathy.
- Organisational challenges: Inadequate resources, bureaucratic constraints, and limited funding within agencies can impede our efficacy, leading to frustration and burnout. This also refers to the stigma surrounding the notion of ‘self-care’ in the helping profession, yes – sometimes our managers are not supportive of the idea!
THE IMPACT OF PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO TRAUMA AND HIGH STRESS SITUATIONS
- Vicarious trauma: Continuously witnessing and empathising with the traumatic experiences of clients can lead to vicarious trauma, causing workers in the helping profession to experience symptoms similar to those of their clients.
- Secondary traumatic stress: Prolonged exposure to traumatic events can lead to the development of secondary traumatic stress, manifesting as intrusive thoughts, heightened anxiety, and a diminished sense of safety.
- Physical and emotional exhaustion: The cumulative effect of dealing with intense client situations and traumatic stories can result in physical exhaustion, emotional strain, and a decline in overall well-being.
These are just a few of the challenges we face in our work, but the impact can be profound!
As you read this, thinking about all the time you don’t have to implement self-care into your life, let’s discuss some of the benefits of incorporating Holistic self-care into your life.
Benefits of Holistic self-care for workers in the helping profession
If you are someone that puts your own needs last, I will start with the benefits that self-care can have on your effectiveness as a professional.
improved job performance and productivity
Holistic self-care practices contribute to increased focus, enhanced cognitive abilities, and improved decision-making skills. It can boost overall job performance and productivity.
enhanced emotional resilience and coping mechanisms
Engaging in holistic self-care fosters emotional resilience, equipping professionals with effective coping mechanisms. This helps with stress management and overall emotional demands of your profession.
better ability to establish an empathic connection with clients
Holistic self-care nurtures self-awareness and emotional balance, enabling you to establish genuine empathetic connections with your clients. This helps you to foster trust and facilitate more meaningful and effective interventions with those you serve.
increased job satisfaction and reduced burnout rates
Prioritising holistic self-care leads to increased job satisfaction, as it helps you to feel more fulfilled and empowered in your role. It also serves as a powerful preventative measure against burnout, enabling you to sustain your passion and dedication to the profession.
prevention of compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma
Holistic self-care acts as a shield against compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma, whilst it doesn’t prevent it entirely, it certainly helps! It allows you to maintain healthy emotional boundaries and process challenging experiences effectively, without compromising your own well-being.
Practical strategies to incorporate holistic self care
Here are some ways you can start to include self-care strategies into each of the ‘holistic’ pillars.
PHYSICAL
Good news, this is where your walking the dog comes handy 😂 But seriously, doing things like standing up at your desk, stretching, moving your body as a form of exercise and enjoyment – every day, is vital.
Adequate nutrition is also key and is something that we tend to neglect when we are too busy at work. We survive off chocolate, coffee and noodles (or was that just me?). I mean, who wants a salad after they’ve been working for 10 hours in a high stress environment? No-one I know at least. BUT – there are ways!
Here I have outlined some simple ways to improve your nutrition when you have no time.
For me, part of my holistic self-care routine is doing yin yoga every morning when I wake up. For others, it is going to the gym, going for a run or a walk along the beach. Whatever works for you, including some form of physical activity and adequate nutrition into your life is a vital component of holistic self-care.
emotional
Cultivating self-awareness and emotional intelligence and engaging in activities that promote relaxation and stress reduction are all part of emotional well-being. A person with good emotional well-being can typically identify and understand their feelings, express them appropriately, and manage them in a way that doesn’t significantly interfere with their daily life.
Ways of working on improving emotional well-being include seeing a therapist, journaling, acknowledging your feelings, not supressing your emotions. It also includes having boundaries and knowing when to say no to things that are too overwhelming for you.
For me, part of my holistic self-care routine has been seeing a somatic therapist, allowing myself the permission to feel overwhelming feelings and processing these rather than suppressing them or ‘pushing through’. It is also about having time alone, to build up my energy (I’m an introvert, and a sponge so I usually feel others emotions quite strongly).
mental
Mental well-being is a broader concept that encompasses emotional well-being but also includes cognitive aspects. It refers to a person’s overall psychological state, including their ability to think, learn, and understand things, as well as their overall cognitive functioning.
Maintaining a healthy and active mind, which includes aspects such as having a sense of purpose, feeling engaged with life, and being able to cope with the normal stresses of life is an example of mental well-being. Practicing mindfulness, meditation, journaling, seeking out professional development that opens your mind to new ideas are all ways to include mental well-being into your life.
For me, part of my holistic self-care routine is doing meditation in the morning (before yin) just for the purpose of helping my brain to focus on the present. Writing thoughts or ideas down on paper is also helpful. I really enjoy professional development opportunities too and thinking about the state of my mindset when it comes to certain areas in life.
Thought challenging is another way we can maintain mental well-being. Here are some ways you can try this.
social
Nurturing supportive relationships and building a strong support network, participating in social activities and fostering a sense of community can all help with our social well-being. Think about your social network, family, partner, friends, colleagues, community – what makes you feel like you’re doing well in these relationships?
For me, part of my holistic self-care routine is spending quality 1:1 time with my closest friends and my husband. I also like spending time with family as much as I can.
How do you foster social relationships? Is it by hosting ‘pot luck’ dinners at home, or throwing a party? Or is it sitting in the park with your bestie having a coffee? Ensuring you include a social component into your daily life will help you ensure holistic self-care.
spiritual
This one can be tricky for some! I know it was for me. I used to think that Spirituality was purely about religious beliefs, but it isn’t. For me, honouring my spiritual needs means prioritising my values, beliefs and incorporating things into my life that promote inner peace and self reflection.
The way you include spiritual well-being into your life really depends on what your sense of purpose is and what you value. For some, this could be being a nurturing mother, for others this could be giving to others, volunteering at dog shelters, or spending time in nature and gardening.
It could mean attending church or other community gatherings where you come together with like minded people to pay respect or demonstrate your commitment to intrinsic human values.
If you don’t know what your sense of purpose is, or are confused about the feeling of connection with something greater than yourself – start with developing an understanding of your values.
If you’re still wondering how you can include holistic self-care into your life and want some help, I would love to hear from you. I offer 1:1 Holistic Wellness coaching online, click here to book a session.
