DAM Good Self Care

On-Going and Proactive Self-Care: “Maintenance”  

Incorporating self-care activities into your regular routine can help keep your stress levels in check and create a proactive approach to managing stress. Maintenance self-care refers to activities you commit to on a regular basis as a means of taking care of yourself (Butler, L.D, University of Buffalo SSW). Continually working on self-care means you’ll get to know yourself better and improve over time. 

  • Develop habits and routines for healthy living. Regular sleep, good nutrition, limiting caffeine, sugar, alcohol. (Cuseo, Fecas & Thompson).  

  • Rely on an organizational system. An organizational system can help relieve the stress of forgetting due dates and to-do items. Use paper, an app, sticky notes – anything to create a system you trust. Identify key priorities and say ‘no’ to avoid being overstretched or falling behind.  

  • Hold time in your schedule for self-care. Use your schedule or planner to hold time for self-care activities. Scheduling them helps them feel more like a commitment and less like something you can opt out of if you start feeling busy.

  • Control your environment. There’s no perfect environment for everyone. Know yourself and what works for you. Limit distractions – create a space for work that allows you to concentrate and focus. When possible, avoid places, people, discussions/websites that cause unwanted anxiety.  

  • Identify your stress relieving activities. Take note of the type of activities that help you relax and recharge. Activities that produce deep breathing, muscle relaxation, and laughter will help increase relaxation and reduce tension (Cuseo, Fecas, & Thompson). 

  • Monitor overwhelm. You know yourself best. What does stress feel like for you? How do you know when you’re stressed? If your day-to-day habits aren’t helping, know your next steps. 

This content adapted from HelpGuide.org: Stress Management.

Situational or Responsive Self-Care: “In the Moment”  

Sometimes stress happens unexpectedly or your ongoing self-care strategies may not feel as effective. In these moments, it helps to have quick strategies ready to use. These are simple actions you can take right away to help yourself feel calmer, more centered, and supported. Thinking ahead about what works for you will make it easier to enact this plan in the future.

  • Identify your support network. Take some time to identify who you can contact in different scenarios. Who listens well? Who encourages you? Who can remind you of your self-care plan? 

  • Know what to avoid. Certain people, environments, and activities can have a negative impact if you’re already having a hard time. (Examples: that dramatic person in your house, that super-sad play list, staying in bed all day, etc.) Who should you avoid if you’re really stressed? What environments escalate stress rather than relieve it? What types of activities should you avoid if you’re trying to lower stress? What habits surface when you’re stressed? 

  • Reframe how you talk to yourself. While we can’t always control the situation, sometimes we can view stressful situations from a different perspective. If you find yourself upset, frustrated, or angry, try converting that thought into something more positive. “I can’t get everything done” becomes “I just need a plan to help me get organized.” Annoyed by a long line? It’s a chance to listen to a podcast. What does negative self-talk sound like for you? When you’re stressed, what do you tell yourself? If it isn’t already, how can you reword that talk to be more positive? 

This content is adapted from Rinfrette, PhD, LCSW-R, accessed on University at Buffalo: Developing Your Self-Care Plan.