Self-care is a HUGE buzz word and honestly I kind of start to cringe when I talk about it. Like if anyone else tells me to take a bath or get a pedicure I kind of want to punch them. Seriously, I get a manicure because I’m literally incapable of doing my own nails and I am always waiting until the last minute to try to get them done. And that… doesn’t reduce the overwhelm but rather feels like one more thing I am trying to squeeze into my schedule. This isn’t working so now, redefining Self Care is a must!

And that’s the thing, when people talk about self care it is almost always physical self care – taking a bath, getting your nails done, or getting a massage.  But today we are going to redefine self care because I learned there are actually 7 different types.  

So let’s start with the basics – What is Self-Care? 

Well the dictionary defines self care as “the practice of taking an active role in protecting one’s own well-being and happiness.”  

So when we talk about self-care, it is important that you are getting the specific type of self-care that YOU need. 

7 types of self care

• Emotional Self Care – These are practices that help you connect with your emotions and process them in a healthy way
• Practical Self Care – These are tasks or actions that fulfill core aspects of your life in order to prevent future stressful situations. 
• Physical Self Care – This is the most commonly talked about type of self care and include activities you deliberately engage in to enhance your physical well-being
• Mental Self Care – These are activities that stimulate your mind. 
• Social Self Care – These are activities that nurture and deepen the relationships with people in your life.
• Spiritual Self Care – This includes activities that nurture your spirit and allow you to think bigger than yourself.  This does not have to be religious. 
• Professional Self Care – This includes actions that support feeling balanced and fulfilled in your career. 

As a career momma, you must stop treating self care as a task on your to-do list.  If that is how you feel when someone talks about self-care, I encourage you to work on a mindset shift.  Let’s start thinking of it as a tool that is naturally woven into your life so you can show up as your best self. And I believe this becomes more realistic when you actually find the self care type that lights YOU up.  

Let’s take an analogy – Think of yourself as having a gas tank.  Like your car, your gas tank needs to be refilled.  Self care is the gas.  You can’t run on empty for too long. So if your fuel light is on and you are starting to sputter, it’s time to make self care a priority and I’m going to show you how to do it realistically and in ways that will actually serve you.   

Self care is going to look different for everyone based on their season of life and their personality.  What self care looked like for me before I became a mom is so incredibly different than what it looks like today.  

My personal favorite is practical self care and that is what works for me. No matter what it is for you, don’t overthink it. It doesn’t need to be extravagant, it simply needs to bring you joy.

Let’s look at examples as a bit of a self-care menu! 

Emotional Self Care 

• Journaling practice
• Practice gratitude
• Virtual therapy appointment

Practical Self Care

• Choosing your outfits for the week ahead of time. 
• Creating a budget
• Purging the toys
• Meal Prepping 

Physical Self Care

• Going for a walk
• Taking a bath
• Drinking enough water everyday
• Taking a nap

Mental Self Care  

• Listening to a podcast
• Doing a puzzle
• Reading a book

Social Self Care

• Hosting a game night with your friends
• Going on a date night with your partner
• Cuddling with your doggy

Spiritual Self Care  

• Go on a walk in nature
• Say a prayer or put on some worship music

Professional Self Care  

• Set an alarm or reminder to leave your desk for your lunch break. 
• Turning your email notifications off after hours
• Using your PTO days.  

Put it into practice: 

I’m always about tangible, actionable steps so let’s put this into practice!

1. Identify what type of self care you need most in your current season of life. 
2. Brainstorm ideas for each type of self care that you need and would enjoy. 
3. Schedule your self care on your calendar. 

These self care items fall into my weekly priorities which are the first thing to go on my calendar each week and I believe they should be a priority on yours as well.  

Self care practices are vital to your well-being and how you show up to your life.  They are not a cute and fluffy #selfcare thing that you do if you have time. When your tank is full, the road is open. You approach your life with patience, self control, joy, love, peace, generosity… all of the things to show up as the best version of you. 

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