“Self-care is important and is never a selfish act. It is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on earth to offer myself and others. Anytime we can listen to true self and give the care it requires, we do it not only for ourselves, but for the many others whose lives we touch.” ― Parker Palmer
Social workers learn to be kind, helpful, and empathetic.
They’re meant to think about how their actions affect others.
These traits are important, yes, but social workers should also take care of themselves.
A “self-care plan for social workers” is essential for social workers to get started with wellbeing.
I recommend you also read this article on Ultimate Self Care Products You Need.
Do something nice for yourself today.
Put yourself first.
Find some quiet, sit in stillness, breathe.
Put your problems on pause.
You deserve a break.
What is self-care?
Self-care is simply put, taking care of oneself.
It is working toward taking care of one’s health, well-being, and happiness.
This could come in many forms, like when people take a mental health day or go to the spa for a day to relax.
It can even come in the form of a good night’s sleep.
Why does self-care matter?
Self-care matters because it is what makes a person feel like they can get through the day, and what makes their life bearable and enjoyable.
Self-care is just as important as taking care of others, yet it seldom appears that way.
Most social workers seldom have a self-care plan.
In this article on the Ultimate Self-Soothing Box Essentials, I explain the essential self-care products you need to help you get through a busy or overwhelming day.
However, this is vital to help enhance health and wellbeing, manage stress and improve productivity.
As a professional, the onus is on you to put your self-care first.
If you are still not convinced on the importance of self – care or having a self-care plan, here are 11 detailed reasons why self care is important and not selfish.
Tip #1 Reduced Stress Levels
Self-care reduces stress for sure.
People who take the time to take care of themselves, get the sleep they need, eat regular meals and put themselves first have less stress.
Self-care teaches people to learn how to cope with stress.
Self-care is taking breaks when necessary and feeling more at peace.
Tip #2 Better-Managed Emotions
People learn how to better understand their emotions when they practice self-care. If they’re feeling angry, they generally can pinpoint why that is.
Sometimes emotions consume people, yet they don’t know where they came from.
Self-care helps people manage those emotions and figure out what made them upset in the first place.
Tip #3 Productivity
When people aren’t worrying all the time or feeling stressed, they can get more done.
For instance, social workers in an office setting may get more work done if they don’t take frequent breaks, but their work will be of a higher quality if they do.
Overworking oneself can be just as bad as not working at all.
Employees who work on self-care won’t have to go back and correct lots of mistakes.
Self-care increases productivity.
Tip #4 Improved Energy
Like productivity, self-care helps improve energy.
A major part of self-care is resting when necessary and relaxing when overwhelmed.
By taking these small self-care steps, people become more energized.
They accomplish more and feel alert for longer periods of time.
This can be because of better eating habits, too, which is another part of self-care.
Tip #5 Confidence
Confidence is a major aspect and benefit to self-care.
When people take care of themselves, they become more comfortable in their own skin.
Suddenly, they feel more invigorated with the person they are because they understand themselves, their strengths, and what makes them unique.
Self-care gives people a better sense of control, higher levels of motivation, and higher belief of self.
Who knew confidence could so easily be achieved by taking care of oneself.
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- HOW TO START A MENTAL HEALTH THERAPY JOURNAL TODAY
- ULTIMATE SELF CARE PRODUCTS YOU NEED
- BEST SELF SOOTHING BOX ESSENTIALS
- GUIDE TO PROFESSIONALISM IN SOCIAL WORK
Tip #6 Resilience
Self-care increases resilience and coping mechanisms.
When a person takes care of themselves, they’re better set up to cope with challenges and situations that arise in their life.
This is because they manage their emotions better, they know more about themselves, and they feel more confident in their decisions.
Tip #7 Better Relationships
People who take the time to take care of themselves can better connect with others.
They’ll be able to better communicate their needs, but also recognise the needs of others.
Instead of feeling stressed or worried, they can be in the moment and enjoy time with friends.
Self-care creates the best version of a person.
This is the version of oneself they should share with the world because they have the most to offer.
Tip #8 Creativity
Another great trait motivated by self-care is creativity.
People have their best ideas when they’re well-rested and ready for the day.
Sometimes people become cranky at night and have a hard time focusing because they’re tired.
The same is true of self-care.
If people aren’t taking care of themselves, their minds can become jumbled.
Taking the time to relax and do something happy and calm for oneself, like reading a book or meditating, can help people come up with new, fascinating ideas that had lived in their minds all along.
Tip #9 Trust
One of the most important things self-care does is build trust in oneself.
With self-care, people learn to trust who they are and the decisions they make.
It also gives people an idea of their personal worth and what they deserve in life.
They learn to trust themselves because they are taking time for themselves.
Tip #10 Improved Physical and Mental Health
There are many benefits of self-care on mental health and physical health such as reduced stress, anxiety and a boost in energy.
Making time for exercising can help improve our overall wellbeing.
I enjoy nature walking and jogging. Walking is part of my daily routine without fail.
I use this as an opportunity to meditate and it helps me unwind.
Tip #11 A Happier Life
Finally, self-care leads to a happier life. It encourages people to find a healthy balance between work and personal life.
It builds better relationships and makes it easier for people to be true to who they are and what they need.
Self-care makes life easier and more gratifying.
By keeping a mental health journal, you can start to identify things that you are grateful for.
Self-care plan for social workers template
What Happens if You Don’t Practice Self Care
It’s possible to receive all the benefits of self-care without it, but it’s quite hard.
Without self-care, people burn themselves out.
They get lost in work and never take time to relax.
They live life, but it’s not for them. They live life for the benefit of others.
Self-care lets people become truly happy and live comfortably.
Without it, they’ll likely become over stressed and exhausted.
The importance of self-care for students cannot be underestimated.
When students practice self-care, it can help increase concentration and they perform better in their modules.
Before You Go
People need self-care to progress in life.
They need it to move forward in work, move forward with others, and move forward with themselves.
Life is much better with self-care in it. That’s why self-care is important.
Reasons self care and why having a self-care plan is important
- Reduced Stress Levels
- Better-Managed Emotions
- Productivity
- Improved Energy
- Confidence
- Resilience
- Better Relationships
- Creativity
- Trust
- Improved Physical and Mental Health
- A Happier Life
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- HOW TO START A MENTAL HEALTH THERAPY JOURNAL TODAY
- ULTIMATE SELF CARE PRODUCTS YOU NEED
- BEST SELF SOOTHING BOX ESSENTIALS
- GUIDE TO PROFESSIONALISM IN SOCIAL WORK
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So important indeed! We often tend to forget about ourselves, too busy with all our occupations and for others.
But how can we be any good to others if we can’t be good for ourselves?
Thanks for posting this!
You are welcome Frank. Thanks for stopping by.