Self Care Checklist

We have all heard the advice that we must secure our own oxygen mask before we can help others with their mask but it can be easier said than done when life feels chaotic and anxiety is impacting our ability to engage in self care. Healthy habits can be challenging to develop and maintain when day to day life gets in the way and obligations and responsibilities begin to stack up against us. When we have an anxious mindset, taking care of others first and placing ourselves last can be tough to remedy let alone prioritize when we may feel guiltly about putting ourself first over our friends and family. When we place our needs at the bottom of the list we decrease our ability to ride the waves when our ship begins to take on water and we feel like we are sinking. Creating a checklist of healthy habits and hobbies that will help keep our boat afloat when life comes at us with increase our capacity for distress tolerance and decrease our likelihood of overreacting or avoiding when life feels overwhelming and out of our control.

First and foremost, prioritizing restorative sleep will assist in keeping calm when anxiety starts to overtake us due to the simple fact that we are well rested and have a clear head to make rational decisions. Creating a sleep schedule that works with your personal needs and daily schedule will decrease fatigue and increase clarity during the day. Limiting screen time before bed and engaging in relaxing activities such as a warm bath or deep breathing exercises signals the body that it is time to wind down and can assist with slipping off to sleep instead of laying there watching as the clock clicks over to another hour gone and another hour closer to when you need to get up and do it all over again. Simple stretching, yoga or meditation can calm an anxious mind and ease us into the time where the body can feel restored and relaxed and the brain can rest and recharge.

Another healthy habit that can assist with symptoms of anxiety for your self care checklist is proper nutrition and healthful food choices. Many who experience anxiety skip breakfast due to having a lack of appetite in the morning due to high cortisol levels which is a stress hormone that can peak right after we wake up, which makes the body not want to eat but get right into the tasks of the day. Selecting simple and easy to access breakfast foods such as yogurt or a banana can decrease the need to select and prepare something to eat in the morning. Creating more of a grab and go breakfast plan ensures that you start your day with something in your body that is nutritious which assists in decision making and clarity as the day gets started. Meal prep and creating a list for grocery shopping can ensure that you have everything on hand that you may want and need in order to make nutritious eating another healthy habit that helps cut down on potential anxiety starting up about 4pm when thinking about what to grab on the way home for dinner.

Additionally, daily physical activity is a must if we want to decrease our reactivity and increase our capacity to tolerate when anxiety is starting to get the better of us and we are feeling frustrated and out of control. Moving the body allows for us to feel empowered and engaged with ourselves which helps get us outside of our own racing thoughts. Haven’t we all found ourselves laying in bed, feeling like we are spinning our mental wheels and getting absolutely nowhere? When we attempt to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day, or best case scenario, get in our 7,000-10,000 daily steps, we can feel like we have exerted excessive anxious energy which aids in a clear mind and increased ability to problem solve when anxiety gets us into the game of “what if” and it begins to spiral away from us. Setting daily goals for physical activity as well as tracking how you moved your body today (dancing, walking, swimming??) can help with us maintaining physical activity as a daily healthy habit that can ensure that we are prioritizing our own personal needs and protecting our desire for self care.

Finally, and this is my absolute favorite healthy habit, is play! Yes, you heard that correctly, PLAY! When we think of self care and healthy habits we always think of physical activity, proper nutrition and restorative sleep and I would feel amiss if, as a therapist, I had not included them into my blog about self care and healthy habits but let’s get to how engaging in playful activities is the most beneficial form of self care. As we age, we forget the importance of laughter, hobbies and playing with our friends. Finding whatever it is that sparks joy in your heart and in your life will decrease experiencing anxiety symptoms and increases your ability to live in the present moment and simply enjoy your life to it’s fullest capacity. Play is personal and for some it is taking a painting class, taking a trip, playing a video game, baking, watching cute cat videos, gardening, playing a sport (is anyone NOT playing pickleball nowadays?!?), watching a comedy, listening to music or going to a concert with your best friend can all add that special little something to your life that quite frankly, makes it all worth living. Play increases our overall quality of life and heck it is just downright FUN!!!

Please note: this blog post is for informational and instructional purposes only. The information included may not be the best fit for your personal situation. Blog posts should not be considered as medical, legal or financial advice. The educational content included in blog posts are not intended to replace professional advice or information. Check with your own medical or business professional before implementing any information or advice provided here on the Chatwin Counseling blog.