Self Care in the Isolation Era

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How do you show yourself that you care about yourself?

SELF-CARE is a popular modern-day term that is used to describe what we do as humans to OPTIMIZE our overall health and well-being. (The verb optimizes stems from the word optimal, which means that something is as good as it can be). The term implies that while we take care of our many responsibilities for school, work, family, and other relationships and social commitments, we must also deliberately do things that will take care of our own mental, physical, and emotional state in order to be ready to perform our other duties to the best of our ability.

Spell MODERN Spell OPTIMIZE Spell DUTIES
What is the popular modern-day term we are discussing here? SELF CARE
Self-care optimizes our overall health and what else? WELL BEING
The word optimize comes from what word that means something is as good as it can be. OPTIMAL
I described school, work, and family as what? RESPONSIBILITIES
OR: Name one of the responsibilities that I mentioned: SCHOOL/WORK/FAMILY/RELATIONSHIPS/SOCIAL COMMITMENTS
In order to perform duties to the best of our ability, we must ensure we take care of our mental, physical, and __________? EMOTIONAL
OR: Name one state that someone must ensure take care of to perform their duties: MENTAL/ EMOTIONAL/ PHYSICAL

We are now in the year 2020, and the global PANDEMIC known as the COVID-19 virus has changed the daily routines of most people around the world. Citizens have been asked, ordered, or chosen to stay home in isolation with their families to “flatten the curve” of EXPONENTIAL growth in cases we’ve been seeing in countries that did not act quickly to prevent such growth. Others are self-quarantining if they have confirmed cases of the virus or even suspect they may have it. Whether someone is sick or not, isolation can make self-care problematic. There are individuals whose self-care RITUALS require personal contact and outings outside of the home. In some cities and towns, some peoples’ self-care would not comply with the term du jour we all know as “social distancing.” Furthermore, the outbreak and quarantines have created a whole new category of STRESSORS that we aren’t accustomed to. Your old self-care rituals may not even apply!

Spell PANDEMIC Spell ISOLATION Spell RITUALS
I described COVID-19 as the global what? PANDEMIC
I used a big word to talk about the very rapid growth in cases – what was it? EXPONENTIAL
What has the virus changed for most people around the world? DAILY ROUTINES
What can make self-care problematic? ISOLATION
I said social distancing was the term “du jour.” Du jour is French for “of the day” and often describes something that’s here now but won’t be around forever. What other word commonly precedes (comes before) “du jour?” SOUP/ CELEBRITY…?
Social distancing may be something you never heard of before this year. What other new word did you learn thanks to this virus?

Many people that take time for self-care will claim that acts of self-care would benefit anyone. These PROPONENTS of self-care also encourage people to create their own self-care plans. A self-care plan is a tool comprised of activities or rituals to boost a person’s HOLISTIC well-being (or all aspects of their well-being) so that they may approach their personal and professional commitments with energy, clarity, and confidence. The activities in the plan are usually thought out with care to satisfy a need the individual has – such as the need for space and solitude when you are surrounded by demands 24/7 or the need for connection with others if you are missing relationships in your life; it could be the need for comfort during chaos; or creating confidence at a time of uncertainty with the knowledge you are nourishing yourself and your loved ones with healthy nutrients each day that a NOTORIOUS virus is a threat. If the self-care scheme is practiced with consistency, results are typically positive.

Spell BENEFIT Spell HOLISTIC
Do you think a proponent of something is for or against that something? FOR
What is the opposite of a proponent? OPPONENT/ADVERSARY/RIVAL/CHALLENGER
I said that a self-care plan is a tool that can boost a person’s what? HOLISTIC WELLBEING
(the following question can be answered on beginner boards)
Name one of the things I said boosting holistic well-being helps people approach their commitments with ENERGY/CLARITY/CONFIDENCE.
How many hours total is “24/7” in a week? 168 HOURS
What other common phrase or term is known by a set of numbers? 411/ 911
People that are missing relationships in their lives may feel the need for what? CONNECTION WITH OTHERS
What should self-care be practiced with in order to have positive results? CONSISTENCY
Briefly describe something or someone that is notorious.
VAKT! Take a look at the handwritten care plan this lesson’s author found on Facebook. Go through the list with your CRP and indicate as to whether it is something that might help you.
Beginners use J-R board and answer: M= MAYBE N= NO P= POSITIVELY!

Creating your self-care plan

In developing a self-care plan for COVID-related isolation, you have to ask yourself, “What’s important to ME right now? What do I NEED to feel?”

Once you’ve determined your personal needs and strategy, have it written down? It can be simple or as detailed as you want. Since each person’s self-care is practiced addressing a different issue or issues, self-care plans are TAILORED to the individual. The end goal of self-care is to address something you need or are missing. For example, during this time of uncertainty and CHAOS, many people feel disorganized and need to INCORPORATE something in their routine that will restore a sense of ORDER. Others are desperately craving COMFORT and need to be surrounded by things that bring them to a different place or time that was grounding for them. CONTROL is something that most people feel slipping away in times of crisis, and they are drawn to self-care rituals that allow them to be in control of a situation because they need it. Of course, you may have lots of experience with soothing rituals yourself! The goal of self-care is usually the frame of mind from which an individual would like to operate. You may want to search the internet to review lists of hundreds of suggestions, and some may seem very easy to do. The point is to make time and do them. Setting alarms dedicated to the self-care rituals you select is a useful way to ensure they are done, and a family member can assist you with implementing this. Some “emergency” rituals may only be applied at unscheduled times, so you and your caregivers should be mindful of what those are and try to apply them whenever necessary.

What is a question you should ask yourself when developing a self-care plan? WHAT’S IMPORTANT TO ME? / WHAT DO I NEED TO FEEL?
What should you do after determining your needs and strategy? HAVE IT WRITTEN DOWN
When I used the term “incorporate something in their routine,” what other word can I use instead of ‘incorporate’? INCLUDE, INTEGRATE, …
Name one of the things I mentioned people need to feel these days: ORDER /COMFORT/ CONTROL
A specific frame of mind is usually the what of self-care. GOAL
What rhymes with goal? SOUL/ROLL/BOWL/HOLE/STOLE….
Where did I say you can review lists of hundreds of self-care suggestions? THE INTERNET
What is a useful way to ensure self-care rituals are done? SETTING ALARMS
Name one thing people usually set alarms for.
What device or tool would you like to use to set an alarm for your stuff? CLOCK/PHONE/TIMER….

VAKT! GO AHEAD AND MAKE YOUR SELF-CARE PLAN!

1. Brainstorm with your CRP or research from various lists you can find by searching “self-care plan template” on the internet.
2. Use a template or create a list on your own, dedicating time to your self-care strategies and setting reminders for them on timers, phones, or clocks.

CREATIVE WRITING
Self-care is personal to each individual and could vary throughout the week or even the day. Describe different demands or stressors you face and what kind of self-care you need during those situations.