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What Is Self-Care and Why Is It Important?

4 Ways to Practice Self-Care

What Is Self-Care?

• Building a Self-Care Plan

Self-care is the practice of taking care of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of your life to promote health and wellness.

While many people may view self-care as a form of selfish indulgence, the act of caring for oneself is an important part of a person's overall well-being.

Many people do not fully understand what self-care means. Read on to find out more about what self-care is, examples of practicing self-care, and why it’s important for your mental and physical health.

Maskot / Getty Images

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), self-care is being able to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a healthcare provider.

The WHO also mentions that self-care is a broad term and many facets of a person’s life come into play, including:

• Hygiene (general and personal)
• Lifestyle factors such as exercise level and leisure activities
• Environmental factors such as a person’s living conditions or social habits
• Socioeconomic factors such as a person’s income level or cultural beliefs
• Self-medication and following treatment plans for current illnesses

The main goal of self-care is to prevent or control disease and preserve overall well-being through consistently taking care of various aspects of your health.

For a person to practice true self-care, they must use personal responsibility and self-reliance in a way that positively impacts their health in the current moment and the future.

Overindulgence in spending

Binge-eating your favorite but unhealthy foods

Participating in activities that provide instant gratification

Going on expensive and lavish vacations

Perfecting oneself by any means necessary

Numbing bad feelings using alcohol or illicit substances

Binge-watching television

Prioritizing one's physical and mental health

Adopting healthy lifestyle habits that can be maintained long-term

Eating a healthy diet

Finding exercise activities that you enjoy and participating in them regularly

Getting an adequate amount of good-quality sleep

Following treatment plans for existing conditions accordingly

Taking time out for yourself to participate in healthy activities you enjoy

What Types of Self-Care Are There?

Various forms of self-care involve different activities or actions. Each form is as important as the other and drives optimal health and well-being.

Physical Health

Taking care of your physical health is a form of self-care that helps improve quality of life and prevent or manage chronic conditions.

Physical self-care will be different for each person, but ways you can practice physical self-care include:

• Getting the proper amount of exercise
• Eating regular, well-balanced meals that are mostly whole foods and staying hydrated
• Engaging in relaxing activities that can help manage stress
• Getting enough sleep
• Getting regular medical and dental care

Mental Health

Mental self-care is designed to drive a healthy mind by practicing brain-stimulating activities and healthy mental behaviors. Mental self-care can help you manage stress, lower your risk of illness, and increase your energy.

While no two people are the same, these strategies can help you manage stress and stimulate your mind:

• Use relaxation programs or apps regularly to incorporate meditation, yoga, muscle relaxation, or breathing exercises. 
• Practice gratitude by reminding yourself daily of things you are grateful for. Write them down at night or replay them in your mind.
• Participate in creative activities you enjoy.
• Read a book or do a puzzle.
• Play games such as Scrabble, crossword puzzles, or other brain teasers.
• Try a new hobby.
• Engage in exercise.
• Take adult education classes.
• Seek help from a professional as needed.

Relationships

Having healthy relationships is a form of social self-care all its own. Research has shown that different forms of relationships, whether they be romantic, platonic, or familial, can all benefit overall health and well-being.

On the flip side, not having healthy relationships can be detrimental to health. When people lack platonic relationships, they are more likely to be subject to psychological distress and engage in unhealthy behaviors.  

Ways to foster relationships include:

• Regularly scheduling get-togethers (coffee, a walk, a meal, going to the movies, or just hanging out) with friends or family members
• Connecting with community or faith-based groups
• Volunteering for a local organization
• Joining a local group, such as a hiking club, knitting group, or other interest group

Not everyone has a spiritual or religious need. However, for some people nurturing their spirit allows them to connect on a deeper level with themselves and to think beyond themselves.

Spiritual self-care practices might include:

• Hiking or spending time in nature
• Listening to inspirational music
• Going to church or attending virtual spiritual activities or groups
• Talking with a spiritual advisor

Why Is Self-Care Important?

Practicing self-care regularly can bring about both short- and long-term benefits that lead to improved well-being and an improved health status.

In the short term, people who practice self-care can see positive changes such as:

• Reduced stress levels : Putting your health and needs first along with giving yourself a bit of rest can significantly reduce stress levels.
• Increasing self-worth : The more you take care of yourself, the better you will feel about who you are as a person. This is because more of your core needs will be met on a regular basis.
• Feelings of belonging : A short-term benefit of spending time with others will provide feelings of belonging and love, which is good for your overall mental health.

While the short-term benefits of self-care are good, the long-term benefits are what self-care is more focused on. Some long-term benefits include:

• Managing chronic conditions: By practicing physical and mental self-care strategies, conditions such as depression, diabetes, and heart disease can be more effectively managed.
• Disease prevention: Implementing self-care practices, such as regular exercise, healthy eating, and stress management techniques, reduces the risk of heart attack , stroke , and obesity in the future.
• Stress reduction: Stress affects all systems in the body. Chronic stress can lead to chronic health conditions. Practicing self-care that reduces chronic stress can help lower the risk of developing health conditions, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, gastrointestinal disorders, and more.
• Healthier relationships: When taking better care of our personal needs, we are better able to engage in healthy relationships partially due to increased self-esteem and self-worth.
• Improved job satisfaction: A study of nurses found those who implemented intentional self-care practices had significantly higher job satisfaction. The authors suggest implementing self-care practices could improve job satisfaction and teamwork while reducing burnout.
• Reduced burnout: Authors of a review of multiple studies concluded the solution for burnout is complex, but self-care strategies are one of several components that could be effective.
• Improved quality of life: When self-care practices help to better manage health conditions, reduce stress, or create a greater sense of belonging, overall well-being and quality of life improve.

How to Practice Self-Care

Building your perfect self-care plan will depend on your personal health and lifestyle. To create a plan to encourage better health and well-being:

• Determine your overall level of health: Once you know your starting point health-wise, you can begin adding or subtracting certain activities or stressors in your life to focus on improving your health.
• Identify your stressors: Make a list of things that cause you stress in all aspects of your life. The next step is to do your best to avoid certain stressors. If they are unavoidable, teach yourself coping techniques that can help lessen your stress reaction to certain situations.
• Identify your coping strategies: Everyone develops strategies to cope with health issues, stress, and other life problems. Make a list of your coping strategies and see which ones are healthy and which ones aren’t. The unhealthy ones that don't serve you well can be swapped out for healthier coping mechanisms.

After completing these three steps, you can begin to formulate a plan that you can commit to.

Self-Care Strategies for People With Chronic Disease

If you have a chronic disease, your self-care plan may look a little different than that of someone who does not. This is only because you will have to incorporate certain activities that will benefit you. For example, if you have diabetes , ensure that coping strategies and activities you utilize as self-care help you manage your condition while you follow your treatment plan.

Self-care is the practice of taking care of the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects of your life to promote health and wellness. It is a lifestyle that enables you to set aside time for your health to ensure your overall well-being now and for years to come.

If you do adopt the right techniques to care for yourself, you will be able to reap the benefits, such as better physical and mental health, the prevention or better management of disease, and better personal and workplace relationships.

World Health Organization. What do we mean by self-care?

National Institute of Mental Health. Caring for your mental health .

Holt-Lunstad J. Loneliness and Social Isolation as Risk Factors: The Power of Social Connection in Prevention . Am J Lifestyle Med. 2021 May 6;15(5):567-573. doi: 10.1177/15598276211009454

Kiecolt-Glaser JK, Wilson SJ. Lovesick: How Couples' Relationships Influence Health. Annu Rev Clin Psychol. 2017 May 8;13:421-443. doi:10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-032816-045111

David D, Dalton J, Magny-Normilus C, Brain MM, Linster T, Lee SJ. The Quality of Family Relationships, Diabetes Self-Care, and Health Outcomes in Older Adults. Diabetes Spectr. 2019 May;32(2):132-138. doi:10.2337/ds18-0039

Amati V, Meggiolaro S, Rivellini G, Zaccarin S. Social relations and life satisfaction: the role of friends. Genus. 2018;74(1):7. doi:10.1186/s41118-018-0032-z

Riegel B, Moser DK, Buck HG, et al. American Heart Association Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing; Council on Peripheral Vascular Disease; and Council on Quality of Care and Outcomes Research. Self-Care for the Prevention and Management of Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke: A Scientific Statement for Healthcare Professionals From the American Heart Association. J Am Heart Assoc. 2017 Aug 31;6(9):e006997. doi:10.1161/JAHA.117.006997

American Psychological Association. Stress effects on the body .

Monroe C, Loresto F, Horton-Deutsch S, et al. The value of intentional self-care practices: The effects of mindfulness on improving job satisfaction, teamwork, and workplace environments . Arch Psychiatr Nurs. 2021 Apr;35(2):189-194. doi: 10.1016/j.apnu.2020.10.003

Adnan NBB, Dafny HA, Baldwin C, Jakimowitz S, et al. What are the solutions for well-being and burn-out for healthcare professionals? An umbrella realist review of learnings of individual-focused interventions for critical care . BMJ Open. 2022 Sep 8;12(9):e060973. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-060973

California State University Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling. How to Create an Individualized Self-Care Plan.

By Angelica Bottaro Angelica Bottaro is a professional freelance writer with over 5 years of experience. She has been educated in both psychology and journalism, and her dual education has given her the research and writing skills needed to deliver sound and engaging content in the health space.

What Is Self-Care, and Why Is It So Important for Your Health?

Let’s clear up one common misconception from the get-go: Self-care is not synonymous with self-indulgence or being selfish. Self-care means taking care of yourself so that you can be healthy, you can be well, you can do your job, you can help and care for others, and you can do all the things you need to and want to accomplish in a day.

Paula Gill Lopez, PhD , an associate professor in the department of psychological and educational consultation at Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut, says the need for self-care is obvious. “We have an epidemic of anxiety and depression,” she says. “Everybody feels it.”

Self-care is part of the answer to how we can all better cope with daily stressors , explains Kelsey Patel , a Los Angeles-based wellness expert . It’s work stress. It’s the stress of trying to keep up with the pace of daily life, which technology has hastened more than ever (just think how many emails come flooding into your inbox each day). “People are feeling lonelier and less able to unwind and slow down, which makes them feel more anxious and overwhelmed by even the simplest tasks,” Patel says.

RELATED: A Guide to Understanding Stress — Including How to Manage It

At Everyday Health, self-care is taking steps to tend to your physical and emotional health needs to the best of your ability.

Here, we explore the trend, where the definition of self-care comes from, and what it can do for your long-term health.

What Is Self-Care, and Why Is It Critical for Your Well-Being?

According to this definition, self-care includes everything related to staying physically healthy — including hygiene, nutrition, and seeking medical care when needed. It’s all the steps an individual can take to manage stressors in his or her life and take care of his or her own health and well-being.

RELATED: Wellness and Self-Care During Radical Movements

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Common questions & answers.

Self-care is anything you do to take care of yourself so you can stay physically, mentally, and emotionally well. Its benefits are better physical, mental, and emotional health and well-being. Research suggests self-care promotes positive health outcomes, such as fostering resilience, living longer, and becoming better equipped to manage stress.

Common examples of self-care include: maintaining a regular sleeping routine, eating healthy, spending time in nature, doing a hobby you enjoy, and expressing gratitude. Self-care can look different for everyone, but to count as self-care, the behavior should promote health and happiness for you.

To get into a routine of regularly practicing self-care, experts recommend starting small rather than tackling the most challenging thing first. Choose one practice each week to weave into your daily routine. Note any positive changes, and add in more practices when you feel ready.

As self-care has become more mainstream, the definitions have started to become more about general wellbeing and tend to focus on tuning in to one’s needs and meeting those needs. “Self-care is anything that you do for yourself that feels nourishing,” says Marni Amsellem, PhD , a licensed psychologist based in the greater New York metropolitan area.

“That can be something that’s relaxing or calming, or it can be something that is intellectual or spiritual or physical or practical or something you need to get done,” she says.

Self-care requires checking in with yourself and asking yourself how you’re doing physically, mentally, and emotionally. Some people use it to deal with difficult news stories, while others practice self-care just to maintain their happiness day to day . Self-care does not mean the same thing for everyone. Different people will adopt different self-care practices, and even your own definition might change over time. “What is self-care for one person will likely differ from someone else, and what’s self-care for you one day might not feel like self-care another day,” Dr. Amsellem says.

Engaging in self-care regularly could help you put your best foot forward. “When we are regularly taking care of ourselves, we are better able to react to the things that go on in our lives,” Amsellem says. “It’s something we do to maintain positive well-being.”

RELATED:  9 Essential Skills That Will Make You More Resilient

Types of Self-Care

“It could be anything that floats your boat — anything that puts a smile on your face,” Dr. Gill Lopez says. “Anything that makes you feel cared for, even if it’s you caring for yourself.”

There are a few different categories of self-care:

• Emotional self-care , such as self-talk , weekly bubble baths, saying “no” to things that cause unnecessary stress, giving yourself permission to take a pause, or setting up a weekly coffee date with a friend
• Physical self-care , such as prioritizing sleep, adopting an exercise routine you can stick with, or choosing healthy and nourishing foods over highly processed ones
• Spiritual self-care , such as attending a religious service, spending time in nature, meditating , incorporating regular acts of kindness into your day, or keeping a gratitude journal

Additionally, Gill Lopez puts self-care into two further categories: temporary and enduring.

What Counts as Self-Care, and What Doesn’t

There’s no way to say exactly what counts as self-care because everyone’s definition is their own and unique.

The underlying rule is that it’s something that brings you sustained joy in the long run, Courtney says. And though there are plenty of examples of self-care that seem to tread a fine line between a health-enhancing behavior and self-indulgence, self-care doesn’t have to be about padding your calendar with luxurious experiences or activities that cost money (though it certainly can).

RELATED: Is Social Media Busting or Boosting Your Stress?

Consider a manicure or a massage or any other pampering activity. It might seem indulgent, but if the activity helps you de-stress and carve out time for yourself, it counts as self-care, Amsellem says. If weekly manicures or monthly spa days are beyond your means, they will likely add stress to your life in the long run, so there are plenty of other self-care practices you can adopt.

“Self-care does not have to cost anything — it’s just doing things you enjoy. And a lot of the things we enjoy or feel fulfilled from cost nothing,” Amsellem says. “Stepping outside and taking a deep breath, for example, might be the greatest act of self-care.”

Even if you can’t spend lots of time and money, Gill Lopez says you can still practice self-care several times a week by turning things you do every day into self-care practices.

Maybe you try being more mindful of your thoughts on your commute, or maybe you find ways to make daily tasks, like showering, more enjoyable. Pick a soap with a scent that you love, and focus on the physical sensations of the shower. Gill Lopez says: What does your shower smell like? What does it sound like? How does the warm water feel on your skin? “For about 10 minutes in the shower, which I have to do anyway, instead of letting my monkey brain run wild, I’m right there,” she says.

Daily chores like making your bed in the morning are also examples of self-care — or can be. “This is where that individuality comes into play, because for some people there is no way making a bed feels like self-care — it may just feel like a chore,” Amsellem says. But if it helps you claim your day and gives you a sense of accomplishment early on, you’ll have that with you even if the rest of the day gets derailed, Amsellem says.

The simple act of making your bed in the morning likely isn’t sufficient to account for all your self-care, she says. You may need to routinely devote time and energy to other self-care practices, she adds. “But if there are some days when you feel out of control, on those days, starting the day off doing what you wanted to do for yourself might be one of the biggest forms of self-care you engage in that day.”

And sometimes when all of our other self-care plans get thrown out of whack (you worked through your yoga class, your friend canceled your coffee date — we’ve all been there), it’s those small practices of self-care that provide just enough calm to help us get through the day and wake up in a better mood tomorrow.

RELATED: 20 Tips to Help You Build Resilience and Better Cope

The Effects: How Self-Care Benefits Your Health and Well-Being

Many common self-care practices have been linked to longevity and other positive health outcomes, says  Ellen K. Baker, PhD , a psychologist based in Washington, DC. There’s a lot of research, for example, showing that things like exercise, yoga, and mindfulness are supportive of mental and physical health, she says.

The following self-care practices have been well-researched and linked to a longer life:

The clinical evidence documenting the long-term health benefits of specifically taking a self-care approach to health (over other approaches) is less robust, but it is building.

How to Start a Self-Care Routine

To get started with a self-care routine:

• Determine which activities bring you joy, replenish your energy, and restore your balance.
• Start small by choosing one behavior you’d like to incorporate into your routine in the next week.
• Build up to practicing that behavior every day for one week.
• Reflect on how you feel.
• Add more practices when ready.
• Get support through sharing practices from loved ones, a coach, a licensed professional (like a therapist or dietitian), or through your healthcare plan, community, or workplace.

Practicing self-care doesn’t need to be a heavy lift right out of the gate. Here are a few ideas to ease you into your self-care journey:

• Start each day by paying attention to your breath for five minutes and setting intentions for the day.
• Eat breakfast.
• Reflect on what you’re grateful for each night.
• Put your phone on airplane mode for a half hour before bed each night to release yourself from the flurry of notifications.
• Call a friend just to say hello.
• Take up a relaxing hobby.
• Pick a bedtime, and stick to it.

Note: If you read this and feel a sense of demoralization or sadness from the challenges of mounting or establishing a self-care practice, it’s best to get help and support. There may be barriers to caring for yourself from past trauma, mental health issues, or family situations that may be making it more challenging to get started. Seek support from trusted counselors and behavioral health providers (like a therapist), a trusted primary care doctor, or a close friend.

The bottom line: Self-care can have a positive effect on your health and outlook, but it requires a commitment or intention to invest in your well-being.

Learn More About How to Start a Self-Care Routine

Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking

Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy . We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.

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• Association Between Life Purpose and Mortality Among US Adults Older Than 50 Years. JAMA Network Open.
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What It Really Means to Take Care of Yourself

It's not all about massages and green juices..

Posted April 23, 2021 | Reviewed by Lybi Ma

• Real self-care is choosing to create a life that you don’t feel the need to regularly check out of.
• Self-care means doing things you initially don’t want to do, and making the choice to do what’s uncomfortable.
• Self-care is allowing yourself to be normal and average, instead of always pushing yourself to be perfect or exceptional.

Real self-care probably isn’t what you think it is. It isn’t all about escaping and relaxing. Although it pays off for your well-being in the long run, in the present, self-care can be a hard thing to do.

Taking care of yourself might look like making a plan to pay off your debt, sticking to a hard morning routine, or cooking healthy meals. It’s facing your problems and unresolved issues head-on, instead of avoiding them and then trying to distract or soothe yourself later.

Self-care means doing what makes you anxious now, like setting boundaries with tough people, saying no when you don’t want to do something, getting through a tough workout, or telling someone something they don’t want to hear. Taking care of yourself means compassionately accepting yourself for who you are instead of burning yourself out trying to be everything to everyone all the time. It’s living your life in a way that doesn’t leave you needing to check out or take a break just so you can have a bath, read a book, or sip tea.

Currently, consumer-based self-care is a very popular topic; however, a world we need to escape from in the name of self-care is a world that needs a perspective change. Self-care isn’t something we should be doing just because we’re so burnt out that we need time away from our internal and external pressures.

Real self-care isn’t massages and green juices; it’s choosing to create a life that you don’t feel the need to regularly check out of.

Self-care means doing things you initially don’t want to do and making the choice to do what’s uncomfortable. It means accepting your personal failures and disappointing relationships, then deciding to re-strategize them. It’s not about giving in to your immediate urges when that means giving up on a long-term goal. It’s about forgiving , letting go, and accepting what you can’t change. It’s about being willing to let people down and even saying goodbye to some of them. Self-care can sometimes be about putting your life aside to care for someone in need, and other times about putting yourself first above those who drain you. Ultimately, it’s about living a life you choose, not one that you sleepwalk through.

Self-care is allowing yourself to be normal and average, instead of always pushing yourself to be perfect or exceptional. It means letting your house stay messy when you’re tired of cleaning up or deciding you don’t need the perfect body after all. It’s knowing yourself and understanding how you operate, so you can decide what changes are the right ones to make in your life.

If you constantly feel like you need a break, it may be because you’re disconnected from living a life that includes you in it. Real self-care isn’t so much about treating yourself as it is about taking actions for your personal growth and development, aiming to choose what’s better for your wellness in the long run.

Self-care is not about believing that being super busy is a badge of honor and making yourself so exhausted that you self-sabotage in ways that aren’t actually good for you. It’s about taking time to take care of yourself because you truly know that you aren’t broken and don’t need fixing. Once you start doing the real self-care, you start realizing that loving yourself and compassionately being there for you might just solve many of your problems.

When you take care of yourself, you become the author, not the victim, of your life. You create a life you truly enjoy, instead of one you might need recovery, or even therapy , from. It’s not creating a life that looks good on paper, but one that fits well with who you are. It’s letting go of some of your goals so that you can truly live a more balanced life. It’s choosing to no longer make decisions based on what will ease your anxiety , but instead based on what will be good for you tomorrow or the next day. It’s not looking to others to meet your needs; it’s meeting your own needs.

Self-care is living a life that’s meaningful and being true to yourself. It’s knowing that massages and green juices are great ways to enjoy life, not escape from it.

LinkedIn/ Facebook image: Olena Yakobchuk/Shutterstock

Ilene S. Cohen, Ph.D. , is a psychotherapist and blogger, who teaches in the Department of Counseling at Barry University.

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What is Self-Care and Why is it Important For You?

While there is no unit of measurement for self-care, I personally like to compare it to calories, which are literally units of energy. That is, one calorie equals one unit of energy. Here, I see one unit of self-care as a unit of personal fulfillment. The more units of fulfillment one has, the higher their life satisfaction. Subsequently, individuals may find themselves more motivated, energized and purposed in their endeavors.

Though calories do give you energy, those alone are not enough to provide the type of fulfillment you're seeking. You must take time to not only appreciate your life but the positive impact you have on others. Regardless of intention, you cannot possibly keep going without having a strong foundation, which is built upon self-care. And, yes, healthy eating — which includes nutritious caloric consumption — is also part of this.

First, What Does Self-Care Mean?

Although prioritizing self-care may sound like common sense, especially if you’re considering longevity, it’s often the first thing to go when you find yourself in challenging situations, whether because of bad health, a financial crisis, job loss, divorce or another significant life event. This is why it is important to keep it top of mind and not an after-thought, especially in challenging times.

Why is Self-Care Important?

Burning the candle at both ends, so-to-speak, comes with significant consequences, which may include but are not limited to burnout, depression, anxiety, resentment and a whole host of other negative implications.

Engaging in a self-care routine has been clinically proven to reduce or eliminate anxiety and depression, reduce stress, improve concentration, minimize frustration and anger, increase happiness, improve energy and more. From a physical health perspective, it has also been clinically proven to reduce heart disease, stroke and cancer. Spiritually, it may help keep us in tune with our higher power as well as realize our meaning in life.

▸ What are the Benefits of Self-Care?

Self-care offers numerous benefits for your overall well-being. Here are some key benefits:

• Improved physical health: Engaging in activities like regular exercise, getting enough sleep and eating nutritious meals can enhance your physical health, boost your energy levels and strengthen your immune system.
• Enhanced mental and emotional well-being : There are many reasons why mental health is important , and practicing self-care can help reduce stress, anxiety and symptoms of depression. It promotes better mental health by providing an opportunity to relax, recharge and engage in activities that bring joy and fulfillment.
• Increased productivity and focus: Taking care of yourself allows you to recharge and rejuvenate, leading to increased productivity, improved concentration and better problem-solving abilities. When you prioritize your well-being, you have more energy and mental clarity to tackle daily tasks.
• Better relationships: When you prioritize caring for yourself, you have more emotional resources to invest in your relationships. Taking time for yourself helps prevent burnout and enables you to show up as your best self in your interactions with others.
• Increased self-esteem and self-worth: Personal care practices can boost your self-esteem and self-worth. By prioritizing your needs and engaging in activities that make you feel good, you send a message to yourself that you deserve care and attention.
• Prevention of burnout: Regular self-care can help prevent burnout, which is a state of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion caused by prolonged stress. By taking proactive steps to care for yourself, you can replenish your energy and prevent the negative consequences of burnout. This can be especially important for those working in the helping professions .

Self-care is vitally important. Without appropriate nutrition, physical activity, sleep and otherwise, you may be able to get by for a while but will ultimately burnout. This is not a matter of if but when.

How to Practice Self-Care

Perhaps the single most common reason people give for not participating in self-care is due to a lack of time. While many of us have a lot going on, it’s imperative that we take time out every day for ourselves, even if minimally. And it doesn't have to cost a thing. You can even accomplish it in the convenience of your own home. 

Even if you only have 5-minute increments spread throughout the day to engage in self-care, that is certainly better than nothing. Over time, you may significantly enhance your overall health and well-being. Even if you are just beginning, there are results that may be realized almost immediately.

▸ What are Examples of Self-Care?

Examples of self-care do differ, even if minimally from person-to-person, but generally satisfy one or multiple of the national Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) eight dimensions of wellness ( SAMHSA pdf source ).

Though developed by substance use professionals, these dimensions conceptualize the domains of wellness that make all of us whole. 

Here are some suggestions to consider among each of the eight domains. Feel free to modify, replace, or consider your own as you go along. Remember, this is about you.

• Emotional: Talk to someone, reflect, journal, read, do something artistic, listen to music, work out, take a walk, watch something that suits the mood (or does the opposite and changes it), cry it out, hug someone, cuddle, laugh, take a nap.
• Environmental: Take a walk somewhere nice, breathe in fresh air, enjoy the sun, enjoy the night sky, avoid littering, pick up litter, reduce waste, use reusable products, recycle, clean your house, redesign a room.
• Financial: Develop a practical financial plan, open a savings account, start saving (even if $1 per day), try saving even more if you are already saving, invest, cut back on unnecessary purchases, consider where you can cut corners, avoid credit cards, ask for a raise.
• Intellectual: Read, listen to audiobooks, watch documentaries, complete puzzles, be mindful of the world around you, become curious, try something new, tap into your creative/artistic side, take a class, complete a program, graduate.
• Occupational: Learn a trade, get your degree, train for a promotion, accept the promotion, put together your resume, polish your resume, apply for your dream job, take on a task you enjoy, open your own business.
• Physical: Work out daily, take a walk, eat healthy, get your annual checkup, see the dentist, take medications as prescribed, avoid drugs and alcohol, get 7-9 hours of sleep , see the physician when you do not feel well.
• Social: Meet up with friends and family, keep in contact with old friends, volunteer, go out, have fun, engage in healthy social media use, stay positive , utilize technology when distance is a factor, have a big laugh.
• Spiritual: Meditate, pray, reflect, engage in yoga, visit a meaningful site, do right by others, practice mindfulness , consider your higher purpose and meaning, look to your higher power for support, love one another, help those in need.

Self-care is an important activity to do every day. Doing so will lead toward a better balance among your dimensions of wellness and lead toward improved overall health and wellness. Life is precious, and it is meant to be enjoyed.

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Self-care strategies.

Self-Care Strategies Self-care is a widely acknowledged aspect of Counseling. Through research, studies and hard-earned self-knowledge, experts have defined personal attributes, strategies such as mentoring, and qualities that can lead to development of the therapeutic self. Due to differing experiences and results, experts may differently name those attributes, strategies and qualities but all are focused on taking care of the self as the counselor takes care of his/her clients and other people in his/her personal and professional life. hich attributes of the self-care do you think are most important to success in the counseling relationship? The most effective approach to self-care involves understanding the "Five Areas of ellness" discussed by Dr. Eugenia Curet in Mental Health and Self-Care for Counselors, and ensuring that each of those areas is satisfied with one or more specific activities. The "Five Areas" are: Cognitive; Emotional; Physical; Spiritual and Social (Curet, 2010). The Cognitive area can be satisfied….

Works Cited

Bohorquez, E. (2007, July 15). Working with the therapeutic self. Retrieved on April 10, 2012 from Thoughwareprograms Web site:  http://thoughtwareprograms.blogspot.com/2007/07/working-with-therapeutic-self.html 

Chamberlin, J. (2005). Sticky situations in mentorshis. Retrieved on April 10, 2012 from American Psychological Association Web site: http://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2005/01/mentor-sticky.aspx

Curet, E. (2010, February). Mental health and self-care for counselors. Retrieved on April 10, 2012 from UTB.edu Web site:  http://www.utb.edu/sa/ci/Documents/CI%20-%20MENTAL%20HEALTH%20AND%20SELF%20CARE%20FOR%20COUNSELORS.pdf 

Dittmann, M. (2005). Building mentorships for success. Retrieved on April 10, 2012 from American Psychological Association Web site: http://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2005/01/mentor-success.aspx

Self-Care on Stress This Case

Third stated by Scott is: "People who neglect their own needs and forget to nurture themselves are at danger of deeper levels of unhappiness, low self-esteem and feelings of resentment." (Scott, 2008) the risk of taking care of others and forgetting about ones' own needs is the risk of burnout "which makes it more difficult to care for others or themselves." (Scott, 2008) the work of Elaine Martin (2005) entitled: "Dorothea E. Orem's Theory" that the conceptual framework of self-care was presented by Dorothea Orem in 1959." Martin states that the theory of self-care "is the practice activities that individuals initiate and perform on their own behalf in maintaining life, health and well-being." (2008) the explicit assumptions of Orem's theory include: 1) Nursing is a deliberate, purposeful helping service performed by nurses for the sake others over a period of time, 2) Persons (human agency) are capable and willing to….

Bibliography

Self-Help: Self-Care (2008) the University of Texas at Dallas. Online available at  http://www.utdallas.edu/counseling/self-help/self-care.html 

Determining Your Ideal Weight (2008) Rush University Medical Center

 http://www.rush.edu/rumc/page-1108048103230.html 

Blood Pressure Chart (2008)

Self-Care Strategies and Sources of

Of the respondents, 74% were taking antiretroviral medications. Although the sampling for the study was not large, it did have a suffciently similar composition to the typical patient a nurse practitioner might service in an outpatient setting. The average age of the respondents was 43 years, 78% were male. The questionnaire listed a total of 776 self-care strategies grouped into eight different categories including other medications, solitary means of comfort, complementary treatments, daily thoughts and activities, changes in diet, seeking help from others, exercise, and spiritual care. 90% of the respondents felt that spiritual care and exercise were at least somewhat helpful in reducing their symptoms, as was seeking help from others and themselves. Such sources of help from others included not only the treatment information from healthcare providers but aid from the support networks of the community, personal aid from friends and family, and self-directed aid and research regarding….

Chou FY, Holzemer WL, Portillo CJ, Slaughter R. (2004) Self-care strategies and sources of information for HIV / AIDS symptom management. Nursing Research. Sept./Oct. 2004. 53(5), 332-339. Retrieved from Mediscape 26 Jan 2005 at  http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/494017_4

Self-Care for a Movie Family

Universal care involves balancing activity and rest to prevent hazards to human life functioning and well being. It involves eating and breathing which are two things that these men can do on their own and are quite capable of doing. Universal health care needs as they relate to the movie family and the Orem theory include maintaining air, water and of course food. In addition the ability to excrete as well as balancing rest and activity. The final step of this part of the theory includes balancing solitude and social interaction. Max and John both participate effectively and successfully in the Universal health care aspect of the Orem theory. They eat, rest, socialize and have alone time in healthy and acceptable amounts. Developmental health care with regards to the Orem theory include the need to meet the changes in conditions that could affect human development and life in a negative manner. One classic….

Dorothea Orem's Self-Care Framework

 http://library.stritch.edu/nursingtheroies/orem.htm 

Central Concepts of the Theory

http://dana.ucc.nau.edu/~jmg8/central_concepts_of_the_theory.htm

Self-Care and Coping

Health Care: Burnout, Self-Care and Unfinished Business Health Care workers must deal with burnout, self-care and unfinished business for their patients, friends and families, and for themselves. My own self-care is physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual, professional and a balancing act. There are specific signs of being unable to cope in my own life. Once I recognize them, I use a combination of resources to regain my coping skills, though sometimes in an undisciplined manner. Describe how you take care of yourself. What signals tell you that you are not coping effectively? What do you do about it? I am quite aware of the importance of self-care and consciously try to take care of myself physically, psychologically, emotionally, spiritually, professionally and by balancing all the important areas of my life. I try to take care of myself physically by regular eating habits, exercise, taking preventive/medical care, taking time off, having fun activities, getting enough….

Curet, Eugenia. "Mental health and self-care for counselors." February 2010. UTB.edu Web site. Web. 21 April 2015. .

Drench, Meredith E., et al. Psychosocial Aspects of Health Care, 3rd Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc., 2012. Print.

Saakvitne, Pearlman & Staff of TSI/CAAP. "Self-care assessment worksheet." 1996. Counseling.org Web site. Web. 21 April 2015. .

Diabetes Self-Care Qualitative Research in the Field

Self-Care Coping Strategies in People With Diabetes: A Qualitative Exploratory Study One of the greatest challenges of managing type 1 and 2 diabetes is that it is a lifestyle-related disease and as such must largely be monitored by the patient. "Diabetes self-care requires the patient to make many dietary and lifestyle changes" (Collins, Bradley, O'Sullivan, & Perry 2009). It can be extremely difficult for the patient to undertake such changes on a daily basis when returned to the environment which has many temptations to eschew eating healthfully and exercising. According to the study "Self-care coping strategies in people with diabetes: a qualitative exploratory study," there is a need to better understand what factors better promote self-care to prescribe more effective treatment regimens for sufferers. Purpose and research questions To better understand the degree to which patients may struggle with self-monitoring, this qualitative, exploratory study was undertaken using a sample of 17 patients from….

Collins, M., Bradley, C., O'Sullivan, T. & Perry, I. (2009). Self-care coping strategies in people

with diabetes: a qualitative exploratory study. BMC Endocrine Disorders 9:6 Retrieved from:  http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6823/9/6

Personal Self Care Assessment

Self-Care Assessment Stress is an inevitable part of everyday life that affects everyone regardless of their socio-economic status. The inevitability of stress emerges from the fact that some days are harder than others and tensions tend to run high on those difficult days. Stress occurs on a day-to-day basis for most people to an extent that many don't even recognize that it is happening. It is important to know how to deal with that stress before it becomes too much to handle. For those who let stress to build on, it eventually turns into a state of burnout. According to the Merriam Webster, burnout is defined as, "exhaustion of physical or emotional strength or motivation usually as a result of prolonged stress or frustration" (Merriam Webster, n.d.). Burnout occurs in most people, but no one usually knows it is happening. I personally did not realize that I was at risk for….

Merriam Webster. (n.d.). Burnout. Retrieved October 6, 2016, from  http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/burnout 

Mind Tools Editorial Team. (n.d.). Avoiding Burnout: Maintaining a Healthy, Successful Career. Retrieved October 6, 2016, from  https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/avoiding-burnout.htm

Orem's Self-Care Deficit Theory Topic

Self-analysis: Application Even from a personal perspective, I have found the Orem model useful to use, when evaluating the stressors in my own life. When a nurse is under stress, she or he must ask: what can I feasibly accomplish physically, by myself, without compromising patient care? Nurses often put their own needs aside, in deference to the needs of others, but to reduce nursing 'burnout' it is essential that nurses are realistic about understanding when they should ask for help, and when they can function autonomously. Both autonomous functioning and self-care can be beneficial: a patient can gain a sense of competence even simply walking to the bathroom unaided, if he or she is capable of doing so; a new nurse gains a sense of capability performing skills without supervision. However, there must also be awareness of when self-care is not possible. Sometimes this is physically obvious, but on other….

Hohdorf, Monika. (2010). Self-care deficit nursing theory in Ingolstadt -- an approach to practice development nursing care. Self-Care, Dependent-Care & Nursing. 18(1) 19-25.

Retrieved November 29, 2010 at  http://www.orem-society.com/images/stories/download/Journal/2010/Vol18_No01_Oct2010.pdf

Improving Diabetes Self-Care Among African-American

Many of the same issues that arise in regards to diabetes, also apply to control of obesity as well (Tilghman, 2003). Conceptual Model The symptom-focused intervention model was developed by the University of California -- San Francisco Nursing Symptom Management Faculty Group (1994). It has been adapted for use in older African-American women that have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in rural areas of the Southeastern United States. These findings were derived from a series of pilot studies that indicated key symptoms and their affects on the lives of women with diabetes (Skelly, A., Leeman, J., & Carlson, J.(2008). The study by Skelly and associates included three primary strategies of self-care for diabetes. These included physiologic (Medical), behavioral (Self-care practices), and sociopsychological (coping, stress reduction, etc.). Outcomes were measured by monitoring metabolic control, symptom distress, and the patient's self-reported quality of life as related to diabetes. It was found that symptom….

American Diabetes Association (2005). Diabetes 4-1-1 Facts, figures & statistics at a glance:

Who's getting diagnosed, why and what it means for society. Canada.

Brown, A., Ettner, S., & Piette, J. et al. (2004). Socioeconomic Position and Health among

Persons with Diabetes Mellitus: A Conceptual Framework and Review of the Literature.

Dorothea Orem's Self-Care Model of Nursing Care Theory

Dorothea Orem and her Self-Care Model of Nursing Theory Born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1914, Dorothea Orem went on to become a much-revered nursing leader in the United States, innovating, developing and teaching her self-care model up until her death in 2007. Her self-care model is in great use today and is the subject of this paper. Orem received her nursing diploma in 1939 (from Providence Hospital) and in 1945 she received her M.S. In nursing education from Catholic University of America (Sitzman, et al., 2010, p. 93). During her career, Orem worked as a staff nurse, a private duty nurse, a faculty member in a nursing college, a consultant and an administrator, Sitzman explains on page 93. Orem's Self-Care Model "Communication is the key to positive health results, particularly for patients with low literacy skills, yet few studies have examined patients' ability to converse about healthy information taught to them by providers…"(ilson,….

Callaghan, Donna. (2006). Basic Conditioning Factors' Influences on Adolescents' Healthy

Behaviors, Self-Efficacy, and Self-Care. Issues in Comprehensive Pediatric Nursing,

29(4), 191-204.

Current Nursing. (2011). Dorothea Orem's Self-Care Theory. Retrieved June 25, 2011, from  http://currentnursing.com /nursing_theory/self_care_deficit_theory.html.

Self Care for Nurses to Reduce Burnout

Future of NursingSignificance of the National Academy of Medicines ecommendations egarding Health EquityThe National Academy of Medicines (NAM, 2021) Future of Nursing 2020-2030 report makes a number of recommendations regarding the role of nurses and other stakeholders in achieving health equity. In particular, the report recommends that nurses should be leaders in addressing social determinants of health, improving access to care, and reducing health disparities. The report also calls for greater diversity among the nursing workforce, and for more investment in nursing education and research. These recommendations are significant because they highlight the vital role that nurses can play in promoting health equity. By addressing social determinants of health, improving access to care, and reducing health disparities, nurses can help to level the playing field and ensure that everyone has a fair chance at achieving good health. In order to make these recommendations a reality, however, it is essential that….

ReferencesBraveman, P., & Gottlieb, L. (2014). The social determinants of health: it\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s time to consider the causes of the causes. Public health reports, 129(1_suppl2), 19-31.Marmot, M. (2018). Just societies, health equity, and dignified lives: the PAHO Equity Commission. The Lancet, 392(10161), 2247-2250.NAM. (2021). Future of nursing 2020-2030 recommendations. Retrieved from  https://nap.nationalacademies.org/resource/25982/Recommendations_Future%20of%20Nursing_final.pdf Wei, H., Kifner, H., Dawes, M. E., Wei, T. L., & Boyd, J. M. (2020). Self-care strategies to combat burnout among pediatric critical care nurses and physicians. Critical Care Nurse, 40(2), 44-53.

Diabetes and Self Care

Problem Statement and Purpose of Study Self-care regimens that require a lot of input are necessary in making the study of diabetes effective. A lot of people with diabetes undergo distress. The diabetes distress is commonly described as the distress that arises from the effect of the diabetes symptoms, regimens for self management, the fear that there would be complications and functionality failure. The diabetes stress stabilizes after some time. It has been found that about a third of all diabetes type 2 patients are prone to diabetes stress regarded as clinically significant. Diabetes distress severely affects adult diabetic patients with a poor diabetes management plan. Such patients stand a high risk of diabetes-related complications. These developments are linked to poor glycemic control and self-management (Leeet al, 2018). The current research seeks to establish whether autonomy support by the health supporters of patients such as the members of their family….

Nurse Self-Care Nurses as Primary

739, p=0.009, e?=0.727). This study clearly highlighted that sleep shortage and work fatigue poses a threat to patient safety and that nurse self-care is warranted.[Dorrian et.al, (2006)] Nurse Support Services An earlier Australian study by Moore KA (2001) which observed 201 nurses working in three different hospitals had concluded that organizational restructuring policies and the consequent work overload was a high stressor for nurses and this was made worse by the poor communication style (top -- down approach instead of consultative style) that only contributed more to nurse burnout. [Moore KA, (2001)]. Given the high levels of occupational stress and burnout among nurses, it is important that nurse self-care interventions are prioritized. A recent literature review on the subject of work stress and coping methods among Australian nurses revealed that 'work load ', 'role conflict' and 'expression of aggression' were the three main stressors. The literature study also revealed 'seeking support', 'problem….

1) Linda H. Aiken, 'Image of Nursing Global Trends', retrieved Sep 4th 2010, from,  http://www.fpnl.co.za/downloads/Presentations/Presentations/Prof%20Linda%20Aiken%20-%20Image%20of%20Nursing%20-%20Global%20Trends.pdf 

2) Jillian Dorrian, Nicole Lamond & Cameron Van del Heuvel et.al (Oct 2006), 'A Pilot study of the Safety Implications of Australian Nurses' Sleep and Working Hours', Chronobiology International, Vol 23, Issue 6, pg 1149-1163

3) Lim J, BOGOSSIAN F. & AHERN K. (2010), ' Stress and coping in Australian nurses: a systematic review. International Nursing Review 57, 22-31

4) Moore KA, (2001), 'Hospital restructuring: impact on nurses mediated by social

Diabetes Self Care in Appalachia

Diabetes in AppalachiaPart 1: Teaching PlanThe teaching plan focuses on the following areas, with the intention being to promote self-management of type 2 DM for the patient living in Appalachia.Leadership.For people living with diabetes in Appalachia, there is not a lot of health literacy at the moment, and nurses would do well to provide effective information to this population so as to help them (Carpenter & Smith, 2018). There are a number of leadership strategies that can be used to improve outcomes, patient-centered care, and the patient experience related to the problem of diabetes. These strategies include developing clear goals and objectives, promoting teamwork and communication, providing adequate resources, and ensuring continuity of care (Lee et al., 2021; Walters et al., 2020). Patients should inquire about these to support self-management.Collaboration.Nurses play a vital role in developing and implementing policies that improve patient outcomes, prevent illness, and reduce hospital readmissions. Patients,….

ReferencesAmerican Diabetes Association. (2018). Economic costs of diabetes in the US in 2017. Diabetes care, 41(5), 917-928.Carpenter, R., & Smith, M. J. (2018). Living with diabetes in Appalachia: a focus group study. Holistic nursing practice, 32(4), 196.Forouhi, N. G., & Wareham, N. J. (2019). Epidemiology of diabetes. Medicine, 47(1), 22-27.Lee, E. H., Lee, Y. W., Chae, D., Lee, K. W., Hong, S., Kim, S. H., & Chung, J. O. (2021). Pathways Linking Health Literacy to Self-Management in People with Type 2 Diabetes. Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland), 9(12), 1734.  https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9121734 Reaven, P. D., Emanuele, N. V., Wiitala, W. L., Bahn, G. D., Reda, D. J., McCarren, M., ... & Hayward, R. A. (2019). Intensive glucose control in patients with type 2 diabetes—15-year follow-up. New England Journal of Medicine, 380(23), 2215-2224.Walters, R., Leslie, S. J., Polson, R., Cusack, T., & Gorely, T. (2020). Establishing the efficacy of interventions to improve health literacy and health behaviours: a systematic review. BMC public health, 20(1), 1040.  https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-08991-0

Self-Perceived Oral Malodour Among Periodontal Patients Prevalence and Associated Factors

Self-Perceived Oral Malodour Among Periodontal Patients: One of the most common dental consultations is perceived oral malodour that suggests that thorough evaluation of oral malodour in dentistry. Generally, oral malodour is considered as a widespread, horrible, medical condition that is characterized with emergence of unpleasant odour from the mouth because of gram-negative anaerobic bacterial putrefaction of proteinaceous substrates containing sulfur. According to Azodo & Umoh (2013), oral malodour is basically caused by hydrogen sulfide, dimethyl sulfide, volatile sulfur compounds, and methyl mercaptan (p.125). These elements have also been associated with the pathogenesis of periodontal disease because of their toxicity to oral tissues. Based on this background, the authors agree that oral malodour is a huge concern to the general population since it has unfavorable consequences on both the private and professional life. Therefore, it's a significant health issue with negative effects on the quality of life, especially with regards to social interactions.….

Azodo, C.C. & Umoh, A.O. (2013, August). Self-perceived Oral Malodour among Periodontal

Patients: Prevalence and Associated Factors. International Journal of Medicine and Biomedical Research, 2(2), 125-132. Retrieved from  http://www.ajol.info/index.php/ijmbr/article/download/92813/82237

Self-Care Strategies Self-care is a widely acknowledged aspect of Counseling. Through research, studies and hard-earned self-knowledge, experts have defined personal attributes, strategies such as mentoring, and qualities that can lead…

Third stated by Scott is: "People who neglect their own needs and forget to nurture themselves are at danger of deeper levels of unhappiness, low self-esteem and feelings…

Of the respondents, 74% were taking antiretroviral medications. Although the sampling for the study was not large, it did have a suffciently similar composition to the typical patient…

Universal care involves balancing activity and rest to prevent hazards to human life functioning and well being. It involves eating and breathing which are two things that these men…

Health Care: Burnout, Self-Care and Unfinished Business Health Care workers must deal with burnout, self-care and unfinished business for their patients, friends and families, and for themselves. My own self-care…

Self-Care Coping Strategies in People With Diabetes: A Qualitative Exploratory Study One of the greatest challenges of managing type 1 and 2 diabetes is that it is a lifestyle-related disease…

Psychology - Counseling

Self-Care Assessment Stress is an inevitable part of everyday life that affects everyone regardless of their socio-economic status. The inevitability of stress emerges from the fact that some days are…

Research Paper

Self-analysis: Application Even from a personal perspective, I have found the Orem model useful to use, when evaluating the stressors in my own life. When a nurse is under stress,…

Many of the same issues that arise in regards to diabetes, also apply to control of obesity as well (Tilghman, 2003). Conceptual Model The symptom-focused intervention model was developed by…

Health - Nursing

Dorothea Orem and her Self-Care Model of Nursing Theory Born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1914, Dorothea Orem went on to become a much-revered nursing leader in the United States, innovating,…

Future of NursingSignificance of the National Academy of Medicines ecommendations egarding Health EquityThe National Academy of Medicines (NAM, 2021) Future of Nursing 2020-2030 report makes a number of recommendations…

Problem Statement and Purpose of Study Self-care regimens that require a lot of input are necessary in making the study of diabetes effective. A lot of people with diabetes…

739, p=0.009, e?=0.727). This study clearly highlighted that sleep shortage and work fatigue poses a threat to patient safety and that nurse self-care is warranted.[Dorrian et.al, (2006)] Nurse Support Services An…

Capstone Project

Diabetes in AppalachiaPart 1: Teaching PlanThe teaching plan focuses on the following areas, with the intention being to promote self-management of type 2 DM for the patient living in…

Self-Perceived Oral Malodour Among Periodontal Patients: One of the most common dental consultations is perceived oral malodour that suggests that thorough evaluation of oral malodour in dentistry. Generally, oral malodour…

What Is Self Care? Essay

What is Self-Care? Self-care is one of those words that therapists use, forgetting that the rest of the population has never heard of it. Basically, it is a noun referring to taking care of your own emotional well-being. Self-Care works on two levels. First, the obvious- it allows you to take care of yourself, to nurture yourself. Second, it subconsciously sends you the message that you deserve to be taken care of, which can help increase your self-esteem, self-worth, and happiness. Self-care doesn 't need to take up a lot of time. Even the busiest person could build in five minutes a day to do some deep-breathing or to call a friend. Explore how self-care can fit into your schedule. Show yourself that YOU are just as important as the other responsibilities in your life. Self-care can mean adding one thing into each day that you can look forward to. It could be watching your favorite TV show, taking an extra long shower, or spending five minutes in silence- whatever works for you. Just because you 're feeling happy, doesn 't mean that self-care isn 't necessary. It is still important to pay attention to your needs and feelings, and to nurture yourself. Thoughts and Behaviors... Self-care isn 't just about activities, it can include any thoughts or behaviors. For instance, it includes stopping yourself from using negative self-talk. It also includes setting and enforcing boundaries in your relationships (with parents, friends, romantic partners, colleagues) that

Clinical Neuropsychologist Short Term Goals

Self-care: Personally, I feel that I have been told by different sources how important it is to practice self-care as a Ph.D. student. However, I feel that I am not following the advice properly. I noticed that I reached high levels of stress during the year as a first-year student. In addition, now that I need to balance clients, courses, and research, I am worried that I will burn out easily. For that reason, I am going to engage myself in one or two pleasurable activities a day for two hours. Thus, I will go for a walk with my partner on weekdays (those days that I come home earlier) and I will go on a hike with him during weekends. The days that I will spend the entire day at the clinic, I will meet a friend for a coffee and we will go out to a coffee shop. In addition to these activities, I will utilize the hot tub available in my

Concept Analysis on Self-care: Orem´s Theory on Nursing

• 7 Works Cited

One article defined self-care as “the care of oneself without medical, professional or other assisntance or oversight.” (Godfey, CM et al, 2011). While reviewing different articles the conclusion was that the definition of self-care could

Self-Care Theory And Dorothea Orem's Self Care Deficit Theory

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Dorothea Orem

Orem’s Self-Care Theory lays the foundation to measure self-care maintenance, management, and confidence. The framework of Orem’s theory contributes an optimistic patient view to their own personal healthcare and the goal of nurses, and the independent function of their patients. The identification of nursing as a science and an art are identified as well as its boundaries, and serve as unique contributions to nursing. The research that Orem completed was designed to measure self-care deficits and the quality of life to help determine the correlation between both (Seed & Torkelson, 2012).

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The Basics Of Self-Care Essay Sample

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Health , Medicine , Nursing , Health Care , Psychology , Diagnosis , Management , Treatment

Words: 3300

Published: 2020/02/17

It is imperative to acknowledge the healthcare system is experiencing new patterns of diseases, which have led to an increase in the number of people with long-term conditions. The predicament has made self-care a topic of considerable interest in the contemporary world. It plays an integral role in improving health outcomes among patients with minor and chronic diseases. This paper seeks to give a detailed description of self-care, its pros, cons, and solutions to problems associated with self-care.

Description

Self-care existed before the development of formal health systems. It involves the ability of individuals and families to enhance health and manage ailments. It entails a range of activities that put people in control of their wellbeing. It is imperative to acknowledge that self-care does not require persons to manage their health without help from healthcare professionals. Research by Riegel, Moser, Buck, Dickson, Dunbar, Lee, & Webber (2017) has shown that self-care allows patients to make health decisions that enable them to stay fit. Such many involve seeking professional care if necessary, as well as taking actions to improve and cope with certain health conditions. People are also expected to determine whether self-care is effective and interfaces appropriately with professional care. If not, patients are expected to seek medical advice.

In the same way, self-care may involve other activities like disease prevention, health promotion, symptoms evaluation, and self-treatment. Healthy lifestyle behaviors like regular physical activity, consumption of healthy diets, and practicing good hygiene facilitate health promotion and minimize the risk of developing other infections. Self-treatment, on the other hand, involves the responsible and effective use of medications to manage minor ailments. Symptoms evaluation involves self-diagnosing of a syndrome depending on access to self-care learning tools and reliable information.

Notably, self-care practices may entail avoiding health hazards such as smoking, excessive consumption of alcohol have to prevent ailments in the future CRiegel, Moser, Buck, Dickson, Dunbar, Lee & Webber, 2017). That said, self-care is not only limited to physical wellbeing but also requires attention to a person's emotional, social, and psychological health. In the past, healthcare professionals encouraged patients to engage in stress management and healthy lifestyle choices. Such would involve practicing good hygiene, being physically active, and avoiding too much alcohol. Over time, healthcare professionals encouraged patients to participate in self-care activities like social engagement, meditation, and therapy. In other words, self-care is a broad concept, which involves taking care of an individual's psychological, social, physical, and emotional wellbeing.

Physical self-care involves an individual's ability to take care of their body. It encompasses activities like drinking enough water, adequate sleep, regular exercise, and adherence to caloric intake guidelines. On the other hand, taking care of the mind is crucial for maintaining an optimal level of overall health. Psychological self-care practices may be different between individuals. For instance, persons with mental disorders should participate in psychotherapy and adhere to treatment as prescribed by a psychiatrist. As such, individuals need to engage in activities that will make them mentally healthy.

In like manner, emotional self-care enables people to maintain an optimal level of overall health. It is imperative to acknowledge that emotions may affect a person’s physical wellbeing and relationships negatively. For instance, individuals experiencing grief due to the loss of loved ones may develop a great deal of stress. The latter may result in depression, which may have adverse impacts on their health. It would be essential for such individuals to talk about their feelings with counselors or friends and take adequate time to grieve the loss. By so doing, people can take care of their emotional health.

In the same way, social self-care also enables people to maintain good relationships with friends, family, and the community. Research has shown that spiritual practice is also an appropriate self-care strategy (Bloomquist, Wood, Friedmeyer-Trainor & Kim, 2015). In the rear, effective self-care requires a combination of various community and individual aspects. The features may include personal responsibility, self-reliance, autonomy, self-efficacy, as well as community empowerment and involvement. Such elements enable people to implement effective self-care strategies that improve the health of the public.

Reducing Healthcare Expenditure

Notably, self-care has proven to have various benefits to individuals, their families, and the society. Initially, it results in significant cost savings. It is imperative to acknowledge that healthcare expenditures are on the rise. As such, policymakers should come up with ways of reducing costs. Research has shown that self-care minimizes medical spending around the world (Deek, Hamilton, Brown, Inglis, Digiacomo, Newton, Family Project Investigators, 2016). It can reduce public spending on doctor visits and treatment for diseases that can be treated through self-care options. Examples of search ailments may include digestive problems, pain, and allergies.

A study by the Consumer Healthcare Products Association has shown that for every one dollar spent on the over-the-counter medicines, America's healthcare system saves approximately seven dollars. The therapy enables healthcare systems to allocate resources and money where it is most needed. Most patients spend on out-of-pocket expenses as they undergo treatment. Self-care, on the other hand, plays an integral role in minimizing such costs. Therefore, it is beyond reasonable doubts that investment in self-care can result in long-term savings for individuals, healthcare industries, and governments.

Concurrently, visiting a doctor for a minor ailment like allergic reactions can be time-consuming. Self-care, on the other hand, enables people to diagnose and treat themselves for such diseases. They can acquire help from pharmacists as they buy over the counter medicines (Bell, Dziekan, Pollack & Mahachai, 2016). Hence, one can tell that self-care also gives people availability to adequate healthcare. What is more is that it saves peoples' time by enabling them to manage various ailments on their own. In other words, self-care allows people to address their health needs without the effort and difficulties of seeing a physician. Individuals can manage both chronic and self-limiting conditions like back pain, depression, diabetes, and hypertension. In the rear, self-care reduces the workload of physicians and other healthcare professionals. Such enables them to attend to patients with critical conditions.

Quality of Life

Self-care leads to self-management of minor conditions like fever, pain, and other aches, thus improving patients' quality of life. For example, self-care minimizes the adverse effects of stress and improves sleep. It is beyond reasonable doubts that such activities improve people's wellbeing. The individuals feel confident in their abilities to enhance their quality of life by managing minor illnesses.

Self-care enables individuals to identify when they need to seek medication. Such prevents late detection of ailments, thus increasing chances for optimal health outcomes. In like manner, self-care allows people with chronic conditions to minimize the progression of their disease symptoms (Riegel, Moser, Buck, Dickson, Dunbar, Lee & Webber, 2017). The individuals acquire skills to recognize the deterioration of their ailments. As a result, they seek early medical intervention in the effort to reduce potential complications.

Self-care also enables people to maintain good physical wellbeing by practicing healthy lifestyle behaviors like physical activity. It also allows them to manage their emotional lives and consequently manage stress. By so doing, their quality of life is enhanced. Other benefits of self-care may include increased disease prevention, improved ability for patients to cope with their chronic conditions, and few hospital admissions.

It is imperative to acknowledge that self-care gives people significant control of their health. It allows them to engage in healthy behaviors that will improve their overall health. Compelling evidence has shown that self-care inspires people to transform their daily health routine. As such, they stop depending too much on the healthcare system. As a result, they become more knowledgeable and engaged in their wellbeing.

Moreover, transformation to healthy behaviors leads to self-efficacy, a better understanding of specific maladies, and positive feelings such as confidence or high self-esteem (Schwarzer, Antoniuk & Gholami, 2015). It is common for people to develop anxiety when developing symptoms of a particular disease. In such a case, it can be challenging to decide on whether to seek medical attention. On the other hand, self-care increases knowledge, confidence, and self-esteem that enable people to self-diagnose and consequently manage health symptoms. Additionally, self-care allows people to participate in all aspects of their health. They gain control of their treatment in case of illnesses. The practice encourages self-management, which increases adherence to prescribed medications, thus increasing chances for recovery. Healthcare professionals work together with patients to help them develop self-care plans that allow them to take care of their wellbeing.

Adverse Disease Outcomes

Self-care has some drawbacks, which threaten patients' health and wellbeing. It is imperative to acknowledge that self-care depends on the patients' abilities to make correct decisions to respond to the signs and symptoms they are experiencing. In line with this statement, self-care seems to be inappropriate in cases where patients do not have adequate knowledge to determine their health problems. The therapy requires patients to comprehend the cause of their conditions, how to fix them, and how whether to seek medical attention or not.

Lack of required knowledge can result in unwanted self-care behaviors that can worsen a disease, thus leading to adverse health outcomes (Tewahido & Berhane, 2017). Self-care does not seek to eliminate the need for healthcare professionals. However, the therapy can dissuade people from seeking medical attention, thus increasing the chances of adverse disease outcomes. Therefore, it is essential for individuals implementing self-care to seek advice from professionals, especially when they cannot understand their health conditions.

Diagnostic Errors

Self-care increases chances for diagnostic errors among patients. The individuals may miss an essential detail during self-diagnosis. Such can result in misdiagnosis, which translates to devastating knock effects. For example, patients with mood swings may think that they have bipolar disorders or other depressive illnesses, whereas they may be having a different disease. Patients may concentrate on one symptom, whereas the sign may have appeared as a result of other underlying reasons. Similarly, the symptoms may have occurred due to an undetected health condition. Misdiagnosis and missed diagnoses can make patients employ management interventions for incorrect diseases. Such may lead to adverse negative outcomes.

Some individuals use the internet for self-diagnosis. From a liberal point of view, health blogs can be posted by people without any medical training. As such, cyberchondriacs are likely to acquire unreliable information from the internet (Tan & Goonawardene, 2017). On the other hand, valid medical websites can provide reliable info, but patients can end up misinterpreting it (Tan & Goonawardene, 2017). The individuals can end up over-diagnosing themselves and consequently develop hysteria because they begin to worry about possible outcomes. Stress and panic tend to aggravate patients' problems. Therefore, self-diagnosis can be harmful if inappropriate decisions are made during the process.

Self-care can also result in delayed diagnosis, which can accelerate symptoms of specific conditions. In line with this statement, self-diagnosis can undermine a physician’s roles. It can make believe that they are suffering from a particular disease even when the diagnosis is wrong. On the other hand, doctors have medical training and thus have the experience as well as the ability to carry out a proper diagnosis. When they diagnose patients of a different disease, the patients can doubt the results because their self-diagnosis said otherwise. Lack of trust can ruin the doctor-patient relationship, thus resulting in poor health outcomes (Tan & Goonawardene, 2017). Therefore, self-care increases the risk of diagnostic errors.

Wrong Treatment

It is imperative to acknowledge that self-care entails the management of self-diagnosed symptoms or diseases. Self-treatment increases the chances of taking wrong medications, using ineffective treatment methods, incorrect dosage, severe drug reactions, and delays in seeking medical advice (Mehmood, Rehman, Zaman, Iqbal & Hassan, 2016). Such practices may jeopardize patients’ health. For example, a patient may decide to use medications that were prescribed to another person because they have the same set of symptoms. They fail to understand that different health conditions may have some similar signs.

In like manner, implementation of self-care can contribute to incorrect choice of treatment interventions. For example, obese patients may understand that losing weight is an essential way of managing the condition. Instead of eating healthy foods and undertaking progressive exercises, they may decide to starve themselves in the effort to lose weight. Starving is a wrong treatment intervention and is not likely to give the patients the results they desire. In other words, it does not result in weight loss. Instead, it brings about health complications like binging and eating disorders such as Bulimia. Similarly, patients may decide to engage in vigorous exercises as a treatment interventions, not realizing that the activities can cause heart attacks in people with certain conditions. Therefore, it is beyond reasonable doubts that self-care increases the risk of wrong treatment.

Possible Issue Resolutions

Notably, some medical conditions are critical and challenging for patients to address on their own. For example, psychiatric disorders require the integration of active participation in psychiatric rehabilitation, medication, and psychotherapy for patients to achieve optimum health outcomes. In the same way, people with eating disorders may require psychotherapy and other medical interventions in the effort to combat the illnesses. In such cases, self-care alone would not be sufficient. Individuals with such conditions can benefit more from professional treatment, and thus, self-care should occur as a secondary therapy. In line with this statement, patients should be able to differentiate, which medical conditions require professional medical attention in the effort to make self-care more effective (Riegel, Moser, Buck, Dickson, Dunbar, Lee & Webber, 2017). It is common to find that people are not sure about the cause of their symptoms. In such a case, consulting experts such as nurses, physicians, psychiatrists, or licensed therapist would help in understanding health conditions and effective treatments. In the same way, patients need to seek professional help if their self-care efforts are not working out. Such would help in reducing potential complications.

As previously discussed, self-care involves self-diagnosis to identify common health conditions like colds, headaches, and coughs, among others. Patients should determine whether the symptoms are critical or not. That said, the individuals should have elementary knowledge regarding such signs. Community-health nurses, governments, and healthcare organizations need to impart the public with information that will enable them to gain more confidence in their daily healthcare routines. The healthcare system should also provide people with high-quality information for safe self-care activities (Tewahido, & Berhane, 2017). They should disseminate it to vulnerable groups like the poor and disabled. For example, community nurses and local pharmacists should provide patients with advice and information to support self-care.

Healthcare providers are at the forefront of healthcare and thus play an integral role in supporting self-care behaviors among patients. As such, they should build their client’s confidence and make them believe that they are capable of managing their health while at home. They should help patients develop an effective self-care plan. They should provide them with resources that encourage them to assume control of their health and wellbeing. Policymakers should come up with local and national incentive schemes that will enable healthcare professionals to support self-care among patients.

It is imperative to acknowledge that there are several barriers to effective self-care. They may include health illiteracy, leadership gaps, and social determinants, among others. As such, effective self-care interventions would require people to overcome such obstructions. It would require participation and collaboration of various stakeholders, including policymakers, healthcare professionals, governments, NGOs, and the community. They should create initiatives to enhance health literacy and understanding of self-care. The efforts would give people the knowledge to make conversant decisions and consequently take appropriate action for their health and wellbeing. Research has shown that health literacy contributes to healthy lifestyle choices and behaviors (Poureslami, Nimmon, Rootman & Fitzgerald, 2016). In like manner, governments should implement high health education standards to support self-care literacy. Such initiatives will reduce the risks associated with self-care. In the rear, collaboration between governments, healthcare industries, as well as public and private partnerships, will improve access to self-care tools and resources.

To sum up, self-care is vital for maintaining an optimal level of overall health. It puts people in control of their wellbeing by allowing them to manage illnesses on their own. Self-care has proven to have several benefits to individuals, families, and the society. Initially, it minimizes healthcare expenditures. It reduces the money spent on doctor visits and treatment of minor ailments like coughs. In like manner, self-care improves health outcomes for patients with terminal and self-limiting illnesses. On the other hand, it can result in adverse health outcomes if patients have inadequate knowledge and ability to respond to diseases. It also increases risks for wrong treatment and diagnostic errors. Misdiagnosis can result in an incorrect choice of medication, which can jeopardize patients’ health. It is essential for healthcare professionals, government, communities, and healthcare organizations to work together in the effort to minimize barriers to effective self-care.

Bell, J., Dziekan, G., Pollack, C., & Mahachai, V. (2016). Self-care in the twenty-first century: a vital role for the pharmacist. Advances in therapy, 33(10), 1691-1703.

Bloomquist, K. R., Wood, L., Friedmeyer-Trainor, K., & Kim, H. W. (2015). Self-care and professional quality of life: Predictive factors among MSW practitioners. Advances in Social Work, 16(2), 292-311.

Consumer Healthcare Products Association. Statistics on OTC Use. Retrieved 22 October 2019, from https://www.chpa.org/MarketStats.aspx

Deek, H., Hamilton, S., Brown, N., Inglis, S. C., Digiacomo, M., Newton, P. J., Family Project Investigators. (2016). Family-centered approaches to healthcare interventions in chronic diseases in adults: a quantitative systematic review. Journal of advanced nursing, 72(5), 968-979.

Mehmood, A., Rehman, A. U., Zaman, M., Iqbal, J., & Hassan, S. S. U. (2016). Self-medication; An Emerging Trend. Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International, 1-8.

Poureslami, I., Nimmon, L., Rootman, I., & Fitzgerald, M. J. (2016). Health literacy and chronic disease management: drawing from expert knowledge to set an agenda. Health Promotion International, 32(4), 743-754.

Riegel, B., Moser, D. K., Buck, H. G., Dickson, V. V., Dunbar, S. B., Lee, C. S., ... & Webber, D. E. (2017). Self‐care for the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease and stroke: A scientific statement for healthcare professionals from the American Heart Association. Journal of the American Heart Association, 6(9), e006997.

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Self-care: A concept analysis

Associated data.

There is extensive literature from various disciplines on self-care , an important aspect of nursing intervention via evaluation and education, but its meaning remains unprecise due to the difficulty integrating the diverse definitions developed over time across disciplines. Therefore, it is vital to clarify the meaning of self-care and formulate the defining attributes, antecedents, and consequences to self-care.

Walker and Avant’s concept analysis approach was used to analyze the concept of self-care. A search of the literature was completed using the databases CINAHL, PubMed, and EBSCOhost for years 1975–2020; literature search included peer-review articles, full-text publications, and available in English. A total of 31 articles were reviewed, and saturation was reached.

An extensive review of the literature revealed salient characteristics that reflected the most frequently used terms associated with the concept. Guided by Walker and Avant’s method, three defining attributes emerged as common themes: awareness, self-control, and self-reliance.

Conclusions

A clarified definition was identified: the ability to care for oneself through awareness, self-control, and self-reliance in order to achieve, maintain, or promote optimal health and well-being.

What is known?

• • The concept of self-care remains unprecise due to the difficulty integrating the diverse definitions developed over time across disciplines.
• • Never has the concept of self-care been more relevant than in the context of an escalation of chronic and communicable diseases, with a massive impact on healthcare systems worldwide.
• • It is crucial to formulate the defining attributes, antecedents, and consequences of self-care in order to provide clinicians, researchers, and patients with the ability to communicate clearly with one another and establish well-defined lines of responsibility.

What is new?

• • This analysis identified a clarified definition of self-care: The ability to care for oneself through awareness, self-control, and self-reliance in order to achieve, maintain, or promote optimal health and well-being.
• • The complexity of self-care, within the context of increasing chronic and communicable diseases, is evidenced by its dynamic ability to transcend multiple disciplines.
• • Current and future definitions of self-care would benefit by being multifaceted and addressing a holistic view of the chronic disease patient within a global health context.

1. Introduction

“Since the beginning of humankind, people have taken action to ensure personal safety and have developed strategies to address illness and other health challenges.” [ 1 ] Rituals performed by primitive cultures, consumption of special foods to promote health, and knowledge sharing from generation to generation are reflective of self-care strategies [ 2 , 3 ]. Despite this realization, self-care was not clearly defined until the late 20th century, when the ability to provide care for oneself gained recognition and started to take precedence as chronic disease increased.

Over time, multiple and often imprecise definitions of self-care resulted in various descriptions across several disciplines. The elusive and complex phenomenon of self-care is reflective of the confusion around the integration of the terms: symptom management, self-efficacy, self-management, and self-monitoring [ 4 , 5 ]. The concept of self-care has also been related to broader notions of autonomy, responsibility, and self-direction [ 5 ]. For this reason, an in-depth analysis of the current knowledge regarding the concept of self-care is required.

McCormack [ 1 ] noted self-care is not a new idea [ 6 ]. Rather, applications of self-care have been present in communities before the healthcare system was formally established; and in some cases, people only rely on self-care due to the lack of healthcare access [ 7 ]. Despite the belief self-care is inherently human, its utilization became less valued during the scientific era [ 8 ]. Notably, with the proliferation of nursing and medical schools, people sought care primarily in the acute setting. As technological advances strengthened the knowledge and authority of health care providers, self-care further diminished [ 8 ]. Not until the latter half of the 20th century did a notable shift in disease patterns from acute to chronic disease facilitate the expansion and necessity of self-care [ 1 , 9 ]. At this time, not only was chronic disease management exploding, but support groups, particularly the inception of Alcoholic Anonymous in 1935, strove to define the gaps in their care. This gap echoed the inevitable need for self-care [ 1 ].

As previously inferred, the origin of the concept of self-care evolved within various social movements, including women’s and wellness movements. These movements created a societal context that fostered the development of the concept [ 10 ]. In addition, self-care intervention also gained attention because of the increased focus of improving the intrinsic capacity of older people to manage their chronic diseases [ 7 ]. Society embraced autonomy, sparked the inception of support groups, and motivated self participation in health care [ 11 ]. The acceptance and awareness of a new facet to healthcare continued to gain momentum as the population and chronic diseases increased [ 4 , 5 , 12 ].

Never has the concept of self-care been more relevant than in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This epidemic outbreak has had a massive impact on healthcare systems worldwide, including on primary care settings [ 13 ]. In many countries, as the pandemic spread, health care services became overloaded, non-urgent services were drastically reduced [ [14] , [15] , [16] , [17] , [18] , [19] ], and staff responsible for self-management support of chronic patients was put on hold [ 20 ]. In order to remain connected to patients, primary care was restructured from in-person to virtual care using Telehealth [ 21 , 22 ]. This profound transformation of healthcare delivery has evidenced the importance of patients’ self-care behaviors to decrease the risk of contagion and remain healthy [ 23 ]; as well as healthcare professionals’ education and support of patients amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic [ 24 ].

The objective of this concept analysis is to synthesize the extensive literature obtained from various disciplines to formulate the defining attributes, antecedents, and consequences to self-care. Clarity is needed to differentiate between the numerous characteristics that are present and used. It is essential the concept of self-care is defined in order to provide clinicians, researchers, and patients with the ability to communicate clearly with one another and to establish well-defined lines of responsibility [ 25 , 26 ].

2. Selection and aims of the concept analysis

Researchers should select a complex concept that plays a significant role in nursing [ 27 ]. Therefore, the concept of self-care was selected since it is considered a focal point of nursing practice as an intervention nurses provide via evaluation and education to enable patients to restore health, independent living, and well-being [ 5 ].

Considering the various unprecise descriptions of self-care across disciplines, clarity is needed to provide clinicians, researchers, and patients with the ability to communicate clearly with one another and establish well-defined lines of responsibility [ 25 , 26 ]. Thus, the researchers performed an in-depth analysis of the current knowledge regarding the concept of self-care.

3.1. The concept analysis approach

The Walker and Avant’s method of analysis was used to examine the concept of self-care [ 15 ]. These iterative steps include as follows: 1) selecting a concept; 2) determining the aims of the analysis; 3) identifying all possible uses of the concept in nursing; 4) defining concept attributes; 5) constructing a model case; 6) constructing borderline, related and contrary cases; 7) identifying antecedents and consequences of the concept; and 8) defining empirical referents of the model. Careful examination of the implications of this concept provides an understanding of the phenomena. The Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR) guideline has been utilized to improve transparency [ 28 ].

3.2. Data sources

A comprehensive and broad search for the term self-care was entered in three online databases (National Library of Medicine PubMed, CINAHL, and EBSCOhost). This search included peer-review articles published between January 1975 and October 2020. To further refine the search process and capture pertinent literature, the terms, self-efficacy, self-control, and resilience, were included in the search; the search generated 535 hits. Inclusion criteria included English, full-text publications, and academic journals. Exclusion criteria included non-English language articles, limited text publications, non-academic journals, and articles that did not address the key terms self-efficacy, self-control, or resilience. Utilizing the exclusion criteria narrowed the search, and a final total of 31 articles were reviewed to identify self-care attribute common themes. The reference lists of all identified papers were searched for relevant cited articles, and saturation was reached.

Utilizing the Walker and Avant process, all 31 articles were read in their entirety, and a data extraction table was constructed to include the reference and attributes ( Table 1 ). Representation from multiple disciplines, including nursing, medicine, psychiatry, pharmacy, social work, and business, was demonstrated in the review. Articles were retrieved from various countries, including Canada, China, England, South Korea, and the United States. An Excel spreadsheet was created to document the key terms that were included in each of the final 31 articles, including self-care, self-efficacy, self-control, and resilience. This concept analysis was exempt from Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval; the research did not involve human subjects.

Table 1

Self-care attributes.

Note: Articles included within the analysis of the concept of self-care.

4.1. Identifying all possible uses of the concept in nursing

Reflective of the diverse wealth of literature, the concept of self-care can be implemented in a variety of settings, including nursing and nursing theory, medicine, psychology, business, and lifestyle. Throughout these disciplines, a myriad of interpretations of the concept is delineated from the rich variety of perspectives; consequently, the information is fragmented. Despite this array of information, Dictionary.com [ 54 ] and the American Heritage Science Dictionary [ 55 ] define self-care as the care of oneself without medical or other professional consultation, assistance, or oversight. The WHO compounded this definition: including the individual, family, and community, who in turn, promotes, prevents, maintains health, and copes with illness and disability [ 56 ]. In addition, the WHO identified fundamental principles of self-care, which include autonomy, self-efficacy, empowerment, community involvement, and community empowerment [ 57 ].

Within modern medicine, this definition is most commonly reflected in preventative health and chronic disease management. Gantz further defines this perspective with a discussion of the two parallel paradigms of self-care: a health care model that consists of the health care delivery systems and the lay model based in self-help groups, family practices, supplemental therapies, and the media [ 29 ]. Four levels of self-care performance have emerged: responsible, formally guided, independent, and abandoned [ 4 ]. Thus, the multidimensional concept of self-care reflects a fluid component to the overall care of a person.

According to Denyes and colleagues, the trailblazer of self-care in nursing theory, Dorothea Orem, defined self-care as the learned and deliberately performed action utilized to regulate development and functioning [ 30 ]; her Self-Care Deficit Theory (SCDT) exemplified this [ 12 ]. Within this theory, the self was not only the agent of action, but also the object of action. Orem discussed self-care as a developmental process suggestive of health, life, and well-being [ 12 , 31 ]. This dynamic process reflected the reciprocity between humans and their environment, and it has transcended nursing since Orems initial analysis in 1956. SCDT has significantly influenced nursing knowledge and has provided a conceptual framework to guide practice [ 1 ]. Orem’s framework also suggests that every person has the capacity to become a self-care agent and practice self-care activities, and nurses can help the patients achieve their self-care goals [ 58 ].

Others have expanded Orem’s description of self-care. Chambers argued the self-care continuum flows from individual responsibility to self-management of illness to shared care with a provider [ 59 ]. Within nursing practice, self-care emerges as an intervention nurses provide via evaluation and education to enable patients to restore health, independent living, and well-being. As nurses practice ethically, persons with chronic disease will be more effectively managed with the utilization of self-care [ 5 ].

Similarly, medical providers incorporate self-care when encouraging patient communication regarding relevant observations and symptoms. This assists the provider with therapeutic and diagnostic decision making [ 32 , 57 ]. The direct communication lays the foundation for the patient to achieve optimal therapeutic outcomes. The literature supports self-care functions as one of the primary forms of care for chronic disease patients when they are expected to make day-to-day decisions about self-management and administration [ 60 ].

Within the discipline of psychology, practitioners incorporate self-care into their practice when determining what precipitates a behavior or emotional process. Self-care in this context is evaluated as health belief, clarification of values, decision making skills, and the component of self [ 29 ]. In addition, Barnett and colleagues attest self-care is also necessary for health care providers themselves [ 61 ]. Not only will this care decrease burnout, distress, and impaired professional competence, but it also creates a supportive and healthy professional climate [ 61 ]. Self-care activities practiced by health care providers have helped to reduce occupational stress and have shown an increase in resilience, which is a crucial ability a person develops to recover from challenges and stress faced in the workplace [ 57 ]. This self-care manifests via a myriad of measures from physical exercise to psychological therapy and is incorporated by all persons.

In addition to the health-related disciplines, self-care transcends all avenues, including leadership, business, and lifestyle. It thrives as a relevant business from the standpoint of reducing health care costs, as well as product line enhancement [ 29 ]. Furthermore, national executives and leaders have integrated self-care as a part of their employee development workplace regimen [ 62 , 63 ]. Self-care application in the context of daily life includes activities such as exercise, meditation, yoga, complementary and alternative therapies.

4.2. Defining concept attributes

Walker and Avant suggest the “heart of the concept analysis” is the process of defining the attributes [ 27 ]. An extensive review of the literature revealed salient characteristics reflecting the most frequently used terms associated with the concept [ 27 ]. These terms include awareness, self-control, self-reliance, health literacy, self-efficacy, social support, resources, cognitive level, and readiness. Notably, three defining attributes emerged as common themes: awareness, self-control, and self-reliance ( Table 1 ).

4.2.1. Awareness

Cook-Cottone and colleagues suggest that when development and health is normal, individuals do not consider health concerns [ 33 ]. Instead, an awareness is eminent for the person to attend to their needs. This awareness coupled with knowledge and skill adds to the empowerment of the individual to motivate their own behavior and quality of life [ 34 , 35 , 64 ]. Self-monitoring depends on awareness, measurement, and interpretation of the symptoms [ 65 ]. Symptom recognition and evaluation then triggers self-care [ 36 , 37 ].

4.2.2. Self-control

According to Denyes and colleagues, self-care is a product of a person acting as a unitary being and engaging in regulation and control of their self and emotions [ 12 , 30 , 33 ]. Cook-Cottone and colleagues support this contention that regulation and control of the self are essential to achieve cognitive approaches to prevention, regulation, and self-care [ 33 , 38 , 64 ]. Furthermore, the WHO argues that control and prevention of a disease reflect self-care practices [ 34 , 56 ]. This self-control is reinforced with awareness and self-reliance.

4.2.3. Self-reliance

In order to successfully perform self-care, the individual must maintain self-reliance. The concept of self-reliance is deeply embedded in our thinking of chronic disease management and is reflected in medication administration and adherence to health care plans [ 66 ]. Self-reliance directly influences the inclusion of the patient and their family into self-care, and it mirrors the person’s resilience and perseverance [ 39 , 67 ].

4.3. Constructing cases

Constructed cases illustrate the concept by incorporating the attributes, antecedents, and consequences. A model case includes all the defining attributes, a related case represents a connection to the concept, and a contrary case is a clear example of when the concept is absent [ 27 ].

4.3.1. Model case

Last week while hiking Mount Whitney with his wife, Carl, a 45-year-old male, slipped on a slick rock and sustained a 4-cm superficial wound to his right leg. He attended to the wound by cleaning it daily with soap and water and providing adequate dressing changes. The wound healed completely within one week, and Carl was able to resume hiking with his wife.

The above case is an effective representation of a model case because Carl has demonstrated the defining attributes of awareness, self-control, and self-reliance. When he became aware of the injury, he was in control and had enough self-reliance to provide adequate care for himself and appropriately attended to his wound. His self-care was supported by his previously present self-efficacy, cognition, self-agency, adequate resources, and a supportive cultural and social network.

4.3.2. Related case

Ned, a homeless 54-year-old male with schizophrenia and type 2 diabetes mellitus, sustained a wound to his right leg when he slipped in a canyon. He has not been able to take his medications as prescribed for two months due to the fact that his belongings, including his medications, were stolen from him. Though Ned was aware of the injury, he did not treat the wound, and his entire leg became swollen, red, and hot. Two weeks after the initial injury, his friend called 911 because Ned appeared to become febrile with an altered mental state. Ned was transported to the emergency department (ED).

This is a related case because although Ned lived independently and was aware, he did not have the defining attributes of self-control and self-reliance. Thus, he did not provide self-care to his wound. This lack of reliance and control resulted in a poor outcome.

4.3.3. Contrary case

David, a 79-year-old male, sustained a mechanical fall in his home bathroom when he was exiting the shower. He was found by his wife unconscious on the bathroom floor with a laceration to his forehead and to his right leg. He was transported to the ED via ambulance. Upon arrival to the ED, David quickly decompensated and inevitably needed to be intubated. Computed tomography (CT) of his head revealed an extensive subdural hematoma. He was admitted to the ICU and received full care from the medical and nursing staff who attended to all his needs.

In this contrary case, David does not have the defining attributes of awareness, self-control, and self-reliance in order to self-care for his wounds. This deficit is secondary to his impaired cognitive level, ineffective self-agency, lack of self-efficacy, and critical medical state. Though this may be a sudden change in person and situation, David is presently unable to provide self-care.

4.4. Identifying antecedents and consequences of the concept

The iterative process of concept analysis defines antecedents as incidents that must occur prior to the occurrence of the concept [ 27 ]. An individual’s ability to carry out self-care is directly related to his or her knowledge, motivation, skill, and confidence which in turn has been influenced by the physical, psychological, social, and cognitive context [ 35 , [40] , [41] , [42] ]. Thus, the antecedents derived from the literature were categorized into patient-related and system-related ( Fig. 1 ).

Antecedents, attributes, and consequences of self-care.

4.4.1. Patient-related antecedents

Patient-related antecedents include self-efficacy, cognition, a triggering event, and self-care agency [ [43] , [44] , [45] ]. A strong body of evidence supports a direct correlation between self-efficacy and self-care [ 41 , 44 , 45 , 68 ]. This relationship reinforces the connection between confidence and self-care maintenance and management [ 44 ]. Similarily, cognition is essential for effective self-care [ 40 ]. Though a patient’s knowledge and expertise are critical to implementing and understanding chronic self-care, Chen and colleagues demonstrate that self-efficacy is more closely interconnected to self-care than health literacy [ 46 , 47 ]. Self-agency is a broad concept that encompasses foundational capabilities, self-care operation, resources, and power components [ 30 , 47 , 48 ]. Thus, it progresses along the physical and cognitive continuum. Self-agency is built upon the developmental levels of a person and their needs and desires to practice self-care [ 65 ].

4.4.2. System-related antecedents

System-related antecedents include cultural factors, social support, and access to adequate resources [ 4 , 32 , 49 ]. According to Benbow and Deacon, people should be provided with instructions, supplies, and all the necessary resources that enable them to perform self-care [ 69 ]. This establishes a supportive cultural and social network and facilitates access to self-care via a system-related foundation [ 32 ]. Kim and colleagues contend social support is comprised of three categories: social connectedness, perceived support, and actual social support [ 49 ].

4.4.3. Consequences

Walker and Avant argue that consequences result secondary to the occurrence of a concept [ 27 ]. These consequences reflect both psychological and physical goals [ 50 ]. The literature depicts several consequences resulting from self-care, including the achievement of desired outcomes, decreased risk for complications, symptom control, decreased health services utilization, and increased patient satisfaction [ 4 , 6 , 51 , 70 ]; thus, enhanced coping, improved sense of control, deepening sense of meaning, well-being, and quality of life are optimal consequences of self-care.

Potential negative outcomes may arise when a person does not desire to ask for help or delays help due to their beliefs that they can provide adequate self-care. This may be secondary to low health literacy, decreased cognition, and/or a mental health history. Self-care can also potentially result in self-harm if the person does not have the appropriate means to provide care or if they have received inappropriate information from sources such as the internet [ 1 ]. Self-care interventions play an important role in situations where people have no access to health promoting interventions or have some distrust in the health care system. This is why it is crucial to promote high quality self-care, so people can receive appropriate information regarding the self-care intervention, as well as supporting people in acquiring the skills and resources needed to practice self-care [ 7 ]. Furthermore, self-care is thought of as an opportunity by most patients and health care providers, but to others it may be considered to be a threat.

4.5. Defining empirical referents of the model

The measurement of self-care involves the utilization of diverse empirical referents. Though several instruments exist, a lack of a single comprehensive measure creates a gap in knowledge. In particular, one single measure does not address the person’s spiritual health, psychiatric well-being, race, ethnicity, in addition to the already established criteria. Instead, most assessments focus on cognition, self-efficacy, and self-agency [ 41 , 43 , 52 ]. It would behoove an evaluator to assess the patient’s perspective of the positive or negative involvement of the medical provider. As such, an integrative model is needed.

Empirical referents within the nursing realm most frequently utilize instruments that measure self-care agency and self-care practice [ 48 , 71 , 72 ]. Specific pediatric instruments are also available [ 42 , 73 , 74 ]. Another example includes the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLPII) scale, which measures self-care behaviors focusing on health promotion and preventative measures [ 75 ]. Becker and colleagues developed the Self-Rated Abilities for Health Practices (SRAHP) scale to measure self-care and self-efficacy through the evaluation of a person’s performance in health-promoting behaviors [ 76 ]. Additionally, the Exercise of Self-Care Agency (ESCA) evaluates the person’s ability to care for oneself [ 77 ].

Even more standardized measures exist within the discipline of psychology, including the Self-care Behavior Inventory, Perception of Competence Scale, Flourishing Measure, Contributor to Distress Measure, and Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey [ [78] , [79] , [80] , [81] , [82] ]. Similar to the beforementioned instruments, these instruments assess self-determination, confidence, capability, competence, and engagement. Despite a plethora of instruments to measure self-care, a comprehensive and integrative instrument is not available.

5. Operational definition

The results of the literature search outlined the concept and its defining attributes. Consequently, self-care is further defined as the ability to care for oneself through awareness, self-control, and self-reliance in order to achieve, maintain, or promote optimal health and well-being. Three attributes were identified: awareness, self-control, and self-reliance. Self-efficacy, self-agency, a triggering event, access to adequate resources, and both cultural and social support preceded as the antecedents.

6. Discussion

As a major driver in the development of self-care knowledge, the growing costs of health care can be interpreted as an indication for need [ 83 ]. Nelson and colleagues predict self-care will evolve into the principal source of care. As chronic disease proliferates, the need for people to take more responsibility for being the principal provider of their own care will surge [ 53 ]. The pendulum, in turn, sways from the expensive, specialized care towards high-value self-care [ 53 ]. This will also transcend into the medical provider’s understanding of patient education as it is incorporated into their academic curriculum. Self-care interventions allow the individual the opportunity of making informed decisions about their health by having more choices of care which are more accessible and affordable [ 7 ]. Eventually, the driving force of shared decision-making, coproduction, and competent self-management will echo self-care methodology reinforced within patient education and instructions [ [84] , [85] , [86] ].

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the vital role self-care interventions play in lessening the effects of disease and saving lives. Personal self-care behaviors such as wearing masks and social distancing, and healthcare systems transformations, for instance, the prioritization of self-care interventions with different patients have been an asset during lockdown periods [ 87 ]. The expansion of self-care is not exclusive to the current pandemic, but has been the focal point of healthcare systems worldwide, as evidenced by the development and expansion of self-care programs and policies regarding a variety of chronic and infectious diseases [ 88 , 89 ] and mental health [ 90 ]. Cultural health beliefs and values heavily influence lifestyle choices and health-promoting practices [ 91 ]; fatalism, collectivism, familism, gender roles and cultural norms have been known to play a critical role in dietary and medication adherence, and the use of alternative medicine [ 91 , 92 ]. Significant differences have been found in patients’ self-care regarding receiving an annual flue-shot, adhering to a low-sodium diet, or weighting themselves regularly by country and continent [ 88 ]. Thus, the relevance of a culture- and country-specific approach to understand self-care, and design effective, targeted interventions.

The synthesis of this information highlights the intricacy involved with self-care within the context of chronic disease, and it exemplifies its dynamic ability to transcend multiple disciplines. The findings suggest a multifaceted definition of self-care addressing a holistic view of the chronic disease patient within the present literature.

7. Conclusion

The analysis of self-care identified a clarified definition: the ability to care for oneself through awareness, self-control, and self-reliance in order to achieve, maintain, or promote optimal health and well-being. Chronic disease patients ultimately spend more time managing their conditions and providing self-care than they spend with their providers. Legitimizing this realization as an equal aspect of medical care within the context of chronic disease reinforces the importance of disseminating this information to both professional and lay audiences [ 1 ]. Self-care is an active decision-making process that enables people to effectively engage in their care.

This work was supported in part by the Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS) Foundation.

Ethical considerations

This concept analysis was exempt from Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval; research did not involve human subjects.

CRediT authorship contribution statement

Nicole Martínez: Conceptualization, Methodology, Formal analysis, Investigation, Data curation, Writing – original draft, Project administration, Funding acquisition. Cynthia D. Connelly: Conceptualization, Methodology, Validation, Writing – review & editing, Supervision. Alexa Pérez: Methodology, Formal analysis, Investigation, Validation, Writing – review & editing. Patricia Calero: Methodology, Investigation, Validation, Writing – review & editing.

Declaration of competing interest

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Acknowledgements

A special thank you to Dr. Eileen Fry-Bowers, PhD, JD, RN, CPNP, FAAN for her research guidance and support in this study.

Peer review under responsibility of Chinese Nursing Association.

Appendix A Supplementary data to this article can be found online at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnss.2021.08.007 .

Appendix A. Supplementary data

The following is the Supplementary data to this article:

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17 Actually Easy Self-Care Ideas to Nourish Your Body and Mind

Prioritizing yourself isn’t always straightforward, but there are expert-approved solutions that can help you become your best self—even if you only have a minute to spare.

By Blake Bakkila • March 21, 2024

What Is Self-Care? Arrow

Benefits of Practicing Self-Care Arrow

How to Add Self-Care to Your Routine Arrow

Easy Self-Care Ideas for Your Body and Mind Arrow

The Takeaway Arrow

As a first-time mom emerging from the fog of the “fourth trimester,” the thought of finding time for self-care is almost laughable. From adjusting to fewer hours of sleep (and plenty of wake-ups in between) to feeding my 4-month-old son to meeting deadlines at work, it feels like there aren’t enough hours in the day for trying self-care ideas. 

I’m acutely aware that my situation isn’t unique. People in all sorts of situations often think it’s impossible to practice even a little bit of self-care on a regular basis. To explore this topic further, we reached out to a handful of mental health experts who offered realistic solutions and plenty of practical self-care ideas—many of which only require a few minutes. 

What Is Self-Care?

“Self-care is often misperceived as bubble bath and face masks or shopping to ‘treat yourself,’” says Anne Appel , a licensed clinical professional counselor and couples and family therapist in Chicago. “And while sometimes those events can improve our well-being for a short dose of dopamine, getting into a regular routine of self-care is filled with more micro-actions for increased physical and mental well-being.” 

In reality, self-care can have different meanings for different people. Much of it depends on what’s accessible and feasible for you, your lifestyle, and your career. You don’t need to (and shouldn’t) overcomplicate your life with self-care, but you can evaluate your availability and needs, and then seek out practical self-care ideas that will work for you. 

Benefits of Practicing Self-Care

When you practice self-care, the benefits create a positive domino effect: The more you prioritize taking care of yourself, the more you can accomplish from a physical and mental standpoint, in both your personal and professional life.

“The benefits of regular self-care are manifold,” says Deborah Gilman , PhD, a licensed psychologist who specializes in child development, trauma, and parenting. “Firstly, it reduces stress levels by allowing you to unwind and recharge, thereby enhancing your resilience in the face of life’s challenges.”

According to Gilman, other benefits of self-care include: 

More self-awareness and mindfulness . By achieving this, you can have a better understanding of your emotions, thoughts, and needs. 

Improved physical health. Self-care includes things like making time for movement, getting an adequate amount of sleep, and developing nutritious eating habits, all of which help nurture and nourish your body and mind.

Healthier relationships. When you take care of yourself, you’re more capable of being present for your friends, family, and coworkers.

Self-care is sometimes confused or equated with selfishness, but Gilman challenges her clients to think of it as “an act of self-respect and self-compassion.” And when you tend to your relationship with yourself, others around you will also reap the benefits. 

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How to Add Self-Care to Your Routine

Knowing you want to prioritize self-care is one thing—but following through and actually setting aside time for self-care ideas is another. Here are a few pro tips for actually adding self-care to your routine:

1. Evaluate Your Energy Level

Before you try any self-care ideas, understand what you can manage. Dianne Mani, PsyD , a therapist and senior clinic director at Octave , likes to think about it as preparing a “self-care buffet” with several activity options to choose from. Depending on how you’re feeling on any given day, you can set out to perform a low, medium, or high effort form of self-care. 

2. Take an Honest Look at Your Schedule

Mani says she will sit down with clients and review their schedules to determine how and when they can practice self-care. 

“We’ll start to go through and decide, ‘Are these things I actually have to do?’” Mani says. “And then I ask them to actually schedule in the time. Even [by] setting an alarm, you’re really making a commitment to yourself, you’re showing up for it, and you’re more likely to do it when you actually sit down and proactively and intentionally put that self-care in there.”

3. Reset Your Stance On Self-Care

When you’re busy and overwhelmed, the concept of adding anything to your schedule is daunting. However, we can all find a minute or two to sneak in some “me time.” In fact, you might want to try shifting your mindset to see self-care as something besides packing more into your schedule. 

“If we combat the ‘I don’t have time’ mindset by understanding that self-care doesn’t always involve taking a vacation or neglecting our responsibilities, we are more likely to engage in the process,” Galasso says. “In doing so, we can untangle any unconscious thoughts or feelings that we aren’t worth improving, growing, or being allowed to be happy.”

4. Stack Self-Care with an Existing Routine

You can more practically add self-care to your life by bundling it with other activities . 

“For example, I have a long commute to work—instead of mindlessly listening to sports talk radio, I’ve recently started meditating and praying,” says James C. Jackson, PsyD , a licensed psychologist and a professor of medicine and psychiatry at Vanderbilt University, where he is also the director of behavioral health at the university’s ICU Recovery Center. “For me, this is absolutely a self-care practice and [the] car ride to work represents an easy opportunity to do it that doesn’t disrupt the rest of my schedule.”

Another idea for maximizing your efficiency might include listening to your comfort podcast or a fun playlist while doing household chores or meal-prepping your food for the week ahead, for instance. 

Easy Self-Care Ideas for Your Body and Mind

Scheduling time for yourself isn’t always easy, but there are several realistic and beneficial self-care ideas experts recommend to get you started. Whether you have one minute or one hour to spare, there are plenty of deliberate, intentional activities and practices you can do that will make significant changes to your physical and mental health. 

Eager to learn more? Here are some of our favorite expert-approved self-care ideas:

1. Try Meditation or Breathwork

Meditation comes with a host of benefits : it calms your mind, boosts energy levels , sharpens your focus, and so much more. If you’re not sure where to get started, the Peloton App offers a range of meditations varying from five to 30 minutes in length.

Try a Meditation Class on the Peloton App

5 min Breathing Meditation

Kirra Michel · Meditation

10 min Calming Meditation

Chelsea Jackson Roberts · Meditation

15 min Relaxing Meditation

Aditi Shah · Meditation

If meditation isn’t your favorite, you can also simply sit without distraction and breathe. “Notice the sensations of each inhale and exhale, allowing thoughts to come and go without attaching to them,” Gilman says. 

2. Take Your Shoes Off and Step On the Grass or Sand 

The age-old suggestion “touch some grass” is very real. “This is called earthing,” says Hannah Yang, PsyD , a psychologist and founder of Balanced Awakening . “Our bodies can benefit from having that direct connection with the earth. If you live in a warm climate where this is possible, give it a try!”

3. Consciously Engage In Each of the Five Senses

“Notice five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste,” Gilman says. “This exercise helps bring your awareness into the present moment and grounds you in your immediate surroundings.”

4. Turn On Your Favorite Song

Music and movement can contribute to your joy, even if you take just a few minutes to listen to your favorite song. Bonus points if you bust a move!

“Experts have shown you can ‘fake it till you make it’ with your moods,” says Julia Corcoran, PsyD , a licensed clinical psychologist and the director of clinical strategy and experience at Modern Health . “Do something that you associate with happiness (laughing, dancing, or even faking a smile) and it can make you feel happier!”

5. Go for a Walk in the Morning

Many experts agree that going for a walk —even one that’s as short as 10 minutes—can help you practice self-care. It also allows you to get outside, which will connect you to nature. Not to mention, walking is an easy activity when you’re low on energy, since it doesn’t require as much effort as other self-care ideas might, Mani notes. For even more motivation, the Peloton App offers guided walking workouts and walking meditations that are as short as five or 10 minutes long.

Give Your Walk a Boost with the Peloton App

20 min Power Walk

Joslyn Thompson Rule · Walking

10 min Calming Walking Meditation

Ross Rayburn · Meditation

5 min Warm Up Walk

Mariana Fernández · Walking

6. Unplug as Much as Possible

Doom-scrolling is the opposite of self-care. If you can, dedicate time away from your devices, or even create “no-tech zones” in your home, Gilman suggests.

“Designate specific areas of your home or workspace as tech-free zones where digital devices are not allowed,” Gilman says. “Create a peaceful and inviting environment in these spaces, free from the distractions of screens and notifications, where you can unwind, recharge, and focus on relaxation.”

In addition to these zones, Gilman says you can also schedule screen-free activities like eating meals without devices. Whatever you can do to stay present and not rely on technology is key. Even something as simple as disabling nonessential notifications on your devices can improve your life, too. 

7. Unfollow Accounts That Don’t Make You Feel Good

Social media and self-care don’t typically go hand-in-hand, but there are ways to minimize the negative effects of your go-to social apps. If you notice that following certain influencers—or even friends or family—is making you feel worse, Appel recommends unfollowing them. To take a less harsh approach, you could also mute or hide accounts from popping up in your feed. 

8. Connect with the People You Love

Try to have a dedicated hour to calling or video chatting with family and friends at some point during your week.

“Connecting with others is a developmental imperative,” says Joseph Galasso, PsyD , a clinical and sports psychologist and the CEO of Baker Street Behavioral Health . “This has become especially well-known during the past few years when loneliness and isolation have risen to crisis levels. When we connect with others, we help to improve our mood, feel connected, and even begin to make proactive plans to increase socialization.”

Not sure you can commit to one hour? Take a few minutes to send a quick text or email, or jot down a handwritten note to send to a family member or friend. If you’re scrolling through TikTok or Instagram, you can even incorporate self-care by sending your loved one a post that reminds you of them. 

“Express your appreciation for their friendship, offer words of encouragement, or share something that made you think of them,” Gilman says.

9. Set Boundaries with People Who Don’t Make You Feel Good

“Limit time with friends or family [who] make you feel less-than or anxious,” Appel says.

It’s important to identify the people in your life who improve your mental health and make you feel confident and happy. By that same token, you have every right to create some distance between yourself and friends or relatives who aren’t contributing to your joy. 

10. Schedule Workout Classes You'll Actually Look Forward Doing

“When we invest in our physical health, our mental health improves , and vice versa,” Appel says. “ Start small with exercise if it’s not your thing, and remember that you don’t have to do an intense, sweaty session to make it count.” (Psst: The Peloton App offers 16 different fitness modalities and thousands of classes to help you find your new favorite way to work out.)

11. Add Movement to Your Work Commute

If you go to your office on a full-time or hybrid schedule, Gilman recommends walking, biking, or adding some sort of movement to your commute . This can allow you to squeeze in some exercise and start your day on a more positive note before dealing with potential stresses at work. 

12. Incorporate Desk-Friendly Exercises

Your work hours can also include moments of self-care. Gilman has a quick and easy desk meditation to try: “Set a timer for one to two minutes and allow yourself to simply sit quietly at your desk,” she says “Close your eyes or softly gaze at a spot in front of you, and bring your attention to the present moment. Notice any sounds, sensations, or thoughts that arise without judgment, allowing them to come and go.” 

Other physical exercises you can perform at your desk? Shoulder rolls, neck stretches, left lifts, or even desk push-ups can reduce your stress and improve your energy levels.

13. Prioritize Sleep

“Establish a consistent sleep routine and aim for seven to nine hours of quality sleep each night,” Gilman says. “Create a relaxing bedtime ritual to signal to your body that it’s time to wind down.” 

Part of your nightly self-care sleep ritual may include the following, per Gilman: 

Playing soothing music, nature sounds, or using a white noise machine in your bedroom

Having a diffuser that emits calming essential oils like lavender or chamomile

Writing down what you’re grateful for in a journal

Sipping on herbal tea

Powering down your devices at least an hour before bedtime

14. Read a Few Pages of an Interesting Book

Reading “has plenty of benefits to restore our well-being,” Galasso says. “While we are reading, we are actively engaging in an activity that forces us to focus and concentrate. We are more likely to relax when we are engrossed in the content and we are preventing cognitive decline.”

15. Start a Crafting or Artistic Hobby

Learning something new has powerful self-care benefits, but you don’t have to spend hours working on a skill. Once you determine how much time you can dedicate per day or week, you can then schedule the appropriate activities. 

“It can be as simple as getting some colored pencils and an adult coloring book and going to town,” Yang says. “Or you could choose to learn knitting or crocheting and invest in the supplies and know-how.” 

16. Be Kind and Gentle with Yourself

The journey to prioritizing yourself and your well-being isn’t linear or simple. And in a way, you need to practice self-care in your approach to self-care. By focusing on self-compassion and self-love, you can further improve your life by doing what makes you happy whenever you can. 

“Acknowledge that it’s OK to not always be productive or to take time for yourself, and let go of any guilt or self-criticism associated with making time for self-care,” Gilman says. 

17. Consider Talking to a Professional

“Sometimes, we need extra support,” Corcoran says. “If you have access, working with a coach or therapist can be a game-changer in your work to improve your well-being.” 

If you’re not sure where to begin, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provide helpful resources and information that may help you get started. Asking your healthcare provider, social worker, or a trusted loved for a recommendation one can be a great starting place, too.

The Takeaway

No matter how stressed you are, self-care is not something to ignore. By nurturing yourself with these self-care ideas (or other activities that serve you outside of this list), you can more easily take care of others. It only takes a few minutes to drastically improve your outlook, too, and it all starts with reminding yourself that you and your health need to be a priority.

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This content is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute individualized advice. It is not intended to replace professional medical evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment. Seek the advice of your physician for questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition. If you are having a medical emergency, call your physician or 911 immediately.

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Concept Analysis: Self Care Essay (Critical Writing)

The concept of self-care is analyzed from the field of nursing. Avant and Walker’s theoretical model of analysis provided information for the study. Self-care was defined through different field and correlated with relevant terms. Terms like, antecedents, empirical referents, consequences of self-care concept, and references were examined. Model cases, borderline, related cases, invented cases, contrary cases, and illegitimate cases were correlated with an ESRD patient. The concept of self-care, the factors of occurrence of self-care, and empirical referents were explored in the study.

Aim of Analysis: The aim of the concept is to develop an operational definition of theoretical concept of self-care.

Introduction

Self-care is important to humanity and nursing. Self-care influences the lives of patients and the nursing profession. Self-care is a treatment procedure introduced to a patient, thus increasing the knowledge and independence of the patient. Self-care educational program improves the life of ESRD patients because it provides the patient with knowledge of his or her diseases and the ability to carry on with his or her daily activities. Self-care education will reduce the dependence on nurses and will reduce the number of avoidable pain, discomfort and even death suffered by patients. Self-care is a scheme or mechanism that empowers a CKD or ESRD patients during the early stages of dialysis (Backmann & Hentinen, 1999). An ESRD patient loses control of his or her mental state thus, requiring assistance and support. This procedure helps nurses formulate a training program to provide learning methods for CKD or ESRD patients. Patients who can sit and see how things are done could assist themselves as their situation improves. This will be achieved through educational procedure. Self-care program will have a positive influence on humanity, the nursing profession and the ESRD or CKD patient.

Purpose of Analysis

The purpose of the study is to determine the influence of self-care on the quality of life of an ESRD patient. This analysis will correlate the importance of self-care to humanity, and its importance in the nursing profession. Self-care program will empower the patients to adequately control his or her environment and self, thus, providing solution s to the limitations of healthcare management, nursing shortages. Patients with End Stage renal disease usually have poor adherence to fluid restrictions. Improving adherence by use of an education program on self-care will aid in improving the quality of life for these patients. Orem (2003) said nursing care revolves around three major things: giving care to a patient; giving instructions to a patient on how to care for them and helping the patient achieve self-care. Giving care to a patient may seem easy to achieve without self-care of the patient; this is not the case. Every nursing procedure requires consent (Clark, 1995). This consent may be hard to achieve if the patient does not have self-care. It is an aspect of self-care which makes an individual recognize symptoms of a disease and seek professional help (Katz & Kelvin, 1980). There are two major goals of nursing: Ensuring a patient meets their daily health care requirements and ensuring patient participation in his or her health care as directed by the health service provider (Gaffney & Moore, 1996). For nurses to achieve their goals they should understand the concept of self-care.

Miller (1992) says that the importance of self-care in a patient with chronic illness cannot be overemphasized. To achieve quality of life in the management of chronic illness, the patient should have self-care skills (Bandura, 1986). End Stage Renal Disease is a chronic disease. Its management involves among other things, fluid restrictions; protein restrictions and sodium and potassium restrictions (Jenerette & Murdaugh, 2008). This is due to the function of the kidney in regulating fluid, ionic composition and protein. In the pathophysiology of End Stage Renal Disease, the functions of the kidney are severely compromised. The patient is required to limit intake of these substances to improve health (Barofsky, 1987).

Definition of self-care

There are various definitions of the word self-care by many authors and organizations. The definition of self-care is important in coming up of the various attributes of self-care which is the major part of concept analysis. The attributes will develop conclusions which later be applied in cases. The table below provides a list of some definitions needed to study the concept analysis of self-care.

Defining attributes of self-care

According to Avant & Walker (2005), the following self-care attributes can be identified: 1. Self-care is an action done for the individual, by the individuals to enhance their health by either improve, restore, treat, or prevent illness. 2. Self-care includes all health decisions (individual, family, or community) make for themselves and their families holistically. 3. Self-care addresses all universal needs to gain independence, adaptability, and integration of self in daily life. 4. Self-care is a gradual transition of competence derived from knowledge from professionals or lay experiences which occur throughout a lifespan. Listed below are some examples of cases with the various attributes.

Borderline case

Adam is a nurse and has practiced for 4 years. Adam was reassigned to Martha Smith who had chronic kidney disease. Due to shortage of resource personnel Adam had to work on his new assignment. She was becoming unstable and had to be restrained to her bed. Fortunately, Martha Smith is the mother of his childhood friend. Smith recognized Adam as he entered her room to take her medication. She asked him about his family life and Adam feeling sorry for her, began the treatment. Martha Smith later asked Adam to remove the restraints for a few minutes. She told Adam she felt belittled with the chains and she was scared. Adam reluctantly removed her restraints and continued his duty. Adam returned fifteen minutes after to discover Martha Smith lying on the floor. The antecedents in the case where complete including, maturity, age, job experience, routine activities and specialization. In this study, the outcome affected Martha Smith.

Contrary case

Ben has been registered as a nurse for 2 years. He worked in the CKD unit and had rough days with chronic patients. Ben believed he could not cope with critical patients and it affected his confidence. Ben reported a medication breached twice last week, signaling his fear for critical ESRD patients.

Related case

Mr. Muigai is a 50year old African man. He was admitted due to renal failure. He was scheduled for dialysis and was given nutritional information. Mr. Muigai could not control his salt and water intake. He could not control his protein intake. Three nurses missed work on the day of Muigai’s admission. The staff strength was reduced to two. While the nurse attended to her patients, Muigai’s son called out for help. The nurse rushed into Muigai’s room, went to the medication drawer and picked a bottle without looking at the contents, handed it to Muigai’s son. The nurse informed the boy to give the medication to his father, and she hurriedly left the room to attend to her patient. Muigai missed the scheduled dialysis session. He also developed edema due to fluid accumulation.

Invented case

An invented case is unlikely to occur in real life situation. It is important in determining the importance of the concept being analyzed.

Mr. Red is a 30year old man. Red is on dialysis and has symptoms of mental instability. He does not have medical insurance neither does he have funds to seek medical attention. He remembered a friend with similar condition. Mr. Red examined his friend’s empty bottles of medicine to check for the name of the medication. He planned and robbed a drug store at night to get the medication. He took the medication and recovered from his illness.

Mr. Red met the self-care attributes but did not have the resources to cater for his illness; he resorts to stealing to ensure he meets his self-care needs.

Illegitimate case

Mr. Caleb is a Stage five CKD patient who had been admitted for three days following excessive nose bleeding. He was informed about the need for self-care. When asked about the most important health care practice would ensure he remains healthy all the time, he mentioned complete bed rest to avoid complications, he should avoid all activities in the house. The major reason why he was discharged to home care was to ensure he continues his daily activities; as much as rest is important in avoiding severe hypertension, it is not an important factor. This may meet some requirements of self-care but it does not fulfill all the requirements (Zambrowski, 2008).

Mrs. Veronica, a 50year old woman was diagnosed with End Stage Renal Disease. Since the diagnosis, she has attended training on the management of chronic illness. She has adhered strictly to her dialysis appointments. She has maintained a strict diet which has decreased protein, decreased fluid intake and decreased electrolyte intake. She has an appointment monthly with the urologist. Her responsiveness to signs may indicate fluid overload such as edema and increased blood pressure. She managed to control her condition as evidenced by urea and electrolyte findings, consistently within the required limits for a patient with end stage renal disease. She maintained a stable blood pressure and never had an incident of toxemia related to End stage renal disease.

Mrs. Veronica has all the characteristics of self-care. She practices health maintaining activities such as diet restriction. Her ability to recognize symptoms may indicate changes in condition; she takes appropriate action when symptoms occur and she complies with the health care prescription.

Referenced research and studies

Orem (1971, 1980, 1985, 1991, and 2001) has done a lot of research on self-care. She has attempted to analyze the concept of self-care and even developed a theory on the same. Orem observed the importance of self-care program to ESRD patients. Other researchers have also studied the relationship between self-care and its antecedents (Ailinger & Dear, 1993; Hart & Foster, 1998; Lukkarinen & Hentinen, 1997; Mapanga & Andrews, 1995). The chances of occurrence were attributed to the antecedents of self-care. The study provided support with different case analysis to authenticate their findings. Studies have been done on factors that predict occurrence of self-care (Ailinger & Dear, 1993; Aish & Isenberg, 1996; Baker, 1997; Folden, 1993; Schott-Baer, Fisher, & Gregory, 1995). Age, physical ability, need for care, prevention, control and independence influenced the occurrence of self-care. Shortage of nurses, resources, and improved quality of life, had major influence in the occurrence of self-care (Ralph & Taylor, 2013).

Antecedents

According to Avant and Walker (2005), antecedents are pathways to different occurrence. The need for self-care may be the cause of the need to prevent, restore, regain, control, or understand a disease. These factors are the antecedents prior to the occurrence of self-care. They are factors or conditions which influence a patient to achieve self-care (Walker & Avant, 2011). Self-care is performed by individual, family or a community to improve the health status. To achieve self-care, there are requirements that have to be achieved. These factors may influence whether an individual can have self-care or not. 1. The need of care, illness, disease, prevention, of the individual. 2. The mental capacity to know or understand the need of self-care dealing with knowledge deficit. 3. The factors that prevent self-care. 4. Physical ability to perform self-care (Doran). Some psychological factors that influence self-care include: ability to recall; ability to learn; knowledge of the disease and the disease process; and ability to find solutions to problems (Jaarsma, Halfens, Senten, Abu Saad & Dracup, 1998).

Consequences of self-care

Consequences refer to the end product of self-care. Self-care has a positive impact on both the patient and the health service system. The consequence of the outcome occurs after administering self-care. When an individual believes he or she is incapable of hurting another, or being hurt, it reduces the chances of occurrence. However, when the individual feels incapable of hurt, such actions may hurt others. To the patient especially when managing chronic illness, there is better prognosis and reduced risk of complications (Badzek et al 1998, Kimberly 1997, Leveille et al, 1998). In addition to this the patient will also feel as helpful and in control as he is responsible for his health. Patients whose health care needs are attended to usually feel helpless. It ensures that the nursing fraternity can provide holistic care to the patient even when the patient is not under their care (Challiner, 1998).

It also has a positive impact on the health care system. Most patients are admitted into hospitals because of inability to take care of themselves (Kutner, Zhang, & McClellan, 2002). If most patients can achieve self-care, then the incidences of admission will be reduced and spending on health care, services will also be reduced. This theory is supported by various authors who have the same view. Self-care results in decreased admission in hospitals (Dundar, Jacobson & Deatson, 1998) & Slusher (1999) say self-care reduces the costs of health service.

Empirical referents

Avant and Walker (2011) described empirical referents as types and classes of a process which demonstrates a concept. The variable in this concept invulnerability and it influences the occurrence of the concept. The variable will provide a measurement in the nursing profession and the concept of analysis can be determined by the measurement. Empirical referents related to self-care include: patient demonstrates knowledge of the disease process; patient performs activities to improve his or her health; adherence to medication; keeping appointments with the health professionals; seeking medical attention when the patient has symptoms; regular medical checkups and taking a health insurance to cover for his or her medical bills when he or she is ill (Dashiff et al, 1998).

Theoretical definition of self-care

Self-care is practicing health maintenance activities; recognizing symptoms or changes in health status; responding to the symptoms using the most appropriate option; and complying with professional guidance regarding the management of illness. Variables include exercising, eating healthy food, regular medical checkup and adherence to medication. Indicators for self-care include: Weight; Laboratory findings; Number of checkups in the last 12 months, and number of missed doses of medication. In the case of a patient with End Stage Renal Disease Laboratory findings of Urea and Electrolytes may be used to determine nutritional self-care. Weight may be used to determine adherence to the fluid requirements (Dunbar et al, 2006).

According to Carter (1998) self-care is not something observable and there is no tool that can be used to measure it specifically. There is need to use other means of observation that measures factors related to self-care. A case in point is the Diabetes Quality of Life Measure (Lewin, 1977). It has 46 elements that measure three factors which are: level of satisfaction of the patient, worry and the impact of the disease on a patient’s life (Vingerhoets, 2001).

The concept of operations

The aim of the study is to construct an operational definition of self-care. The theoretical model provides the basis for judgment. From the analysis, improve quality of life, adherence, decision, family, health status, control, and prevention influence the concept of self-care. Thus, the variables can be used to ascertain its occurrence.

Concept analysis of self-care in a diagrammatic representation

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