How to Develop a Self-Care Plan
Have you been feeling depleted, stressed out, or generally unhappy lately? Between everyday challenges and the chaos of the world, it’s natural to feel the heaviness of your responsibilities, especially if you haven’t taken the time to reset. Self-care is one of the most important ways to manage feelings and emotions that may have you feeling overwhelmed. Let us show you how to develop a self-care plan that sets you up for success and gives you the energy to achieve what you desire.
Self-care that works for you has to be personalized. It needs to fit your lifestyle and create a balm for the areas of your life that trigger stress or unhappiness. Here are five steps to consider when developing your self-care plan:
Evaluate the Areas in Your Life
The first step is to assess the different areas and existing routines in your life. Write down categories that make sense for you. For example: Work, Family, Health, and Community. Then, decide what’s most important to you in each area. Maybe you need enough energy for productivity at work while you desire to have more fun while you’re with your family. Is there anything preventing you from these lists of wants and needs? By viewing and assessing these particular categories, it’s easier to see which areas are working well and which might be triggering stress.
Identify Self-Care Practices Specific to Each Area
Look at each category again and identify what self-care practices are needed for your wellbeing. For example, a regular visualization practice about your professional goals could go in your “Work” category while taking a morning walk outside might go into “Health.” If you’re having trouble identifying a practice for a specific section, take a moment to reflect. Ask yourself, “When did I feel my best in this life area? What routines helped me feel this way?” Now, add those to your list!
Identify Triggers or Blockers to Your Self-Care Practice
As you craft your self-care plan, be mindful of roadblocks that may appear along the way. Preempt these challenges by shifting your self-care practice to make it stronger. For example, if you plan to meditate every day, but consistently find yourself getting distracted, shift your routine. Wake up 15 minutes earlier before everyone else in your household, and meditate uninterrupted. By coming up with a plan, you’ll set yourself up for success and allow your self-care practice to stick!
Document Your Self-Care Plan
One of the best ways to get a plan to stick is to document it. What kind of documenting works for your learning style? If you’re a visual, artistic person, it might feel right to draw something out, use your vision board in the app, or use vivid colors to highlight your plan. If you prefer auditory cues, a recorded voice memo might do the trick! Whether you choose to type, record, or draw your self-care plan, have it available to reference every day. When your plan is in front of you, it serves as a constant reminder and gets your brain primed to act upon it. Remember, plans can be changed. Modify and adjust it as you find what works best for your lifestyle.
Share Your Self-Care Plan
Sharing your plan with your friends, family, community, or even the Veraki private Facebook group, is a great way to maintain accountability and find support. If your friends and family know what you need in order to show up as your best, they’ll be more likely to step in and help out. You may even inspire others to join you and take their own journey toward better self-care.
Just like any new skill or routine, sticking to your self-care plan requires practice. If you don’t feel better after week one, keep practicing it! Practice, adapt, then practice more. Self-care is a journey and it will evolve just as your life does. For more resources on how to develop a self-care plan, try the Self-Care Kit in the Veraki app.
Veraki teaches you the tools you need now for personal growth, mental resiliency, and life balance. Download the mobile app today and start showing up as your best self!