It can take some time to build self-care habits that keep all your basic needs met and support your overall mental health. Many people are tempted to set ambitious goals for self-care or quantify the results they want to see. These approaches may be helpful for productivity and work tasks. However, they’re not very helpful for habit building. What’s most important is that your self-care activities are as easy and simple as possible. They should also boost your energy and make you feel good when you do them regularly.

If you’ve never given your self-care much thought before, this refers to the habits and rituals that help you maintain mental, emotional and physical wellness. You should take some time to reflect and create a self-care routine. You’ll need to consider what you need to feel your best and how to make these activities doable on a daily basis. Consider some things you can do to manage your feelings during the school day and things you can do in your free time. Read the previous post in this series for a step-by-step guide. 

Whether you’re an old pro at self-care or trying to establish new habits, you can ask yourself these five quick questions to check in on your self-care and prioritize your needs:

• How do I feel in my body right now? — You might consider starting your check-in with a body scan meditation. Find a quiet spot with some privacy if you can, close your eyes, and see what you notice first. Acknowledge and name any sensations you’re feeling. Then start anywhere you like and move to each part of your body, noting any other sensations you come across. 
• What emotions am I feeling? — Our emotions are so automatic that it’s easy to get through a whole day without really registering what you’re feeling. To live mindfully and intentionally, you need to build your awareness of your own emotions. When you start checking in on them more often, you can start choosing how you respond rather than reacting. Use the feelings wheel as a reference. 
• Do I have any negative thoughts replaying in my mind? Am I ruminating on anything? — This question will help you catch any thought patterns that are bringing your mood down. These could be anxious thoughts, negative self-talk, resentment toward yourself or someone else, thoughts that stem from depression, or something else. The first thing to do is try to trace where these thoughts might be coming from and consider some alternative things you could tell yourself when these thoughts come up. You can also write your thoughts down and talk through them with a therapist. 
• Am I taking care of my body and physical health? — Your physical health and your mental health are very closely tied together. Problems with one will usually affect the other. Activities of daily living like showering and brushing your teeth are also forms of self-care. Go through your mental checklist and ask yourself: Am I drinking enough water? Am I eating enough and maintaining a balanced diet? Am I sleeping well and getting some movement every day? How’s my personal hygiene?
• What do I need? — This is the million-dollar question in terms of self-care. You can’t meet your highest-order needs without doing the basics first. Before you can get to things like fulfilling relationships and a sense of purpose, you need to feel safe in your body. You need to be well rested, fed, and clothed. As you get better at meeting each one of these needs, the others feel easier because you have a stronger foundation of self-care.

Personalize these five questions so they make sense for you. Try writing them on an index card. Keep it in a place where you’ll see it often, like on your bathroom mirror or inside your locker. It’s up to you how often you want to check in on your self-care and when. It depends on where you are with your mental health. It could be once a day or a few times a week. Decide when you’ll do your check-ins and create a reminder for yourself. Set an alarm on your phone or put it on your calendar if you need to.

Self-care is more than a health and wellness trend. It’s a name for the activities each person needs to do to stay mentally, emotionally and physically well. No matter what you call it, these are necessary ways to show up for yourself and get your needs met.

Are you struggling with self-care because of a mental health condition? This is something we talk about a lot at Lightfully Teen. We offer comprehensive mental health treatments that go beyond outpatient therapy. Contact us if you have any questions or want to talk. We’re here to help.