The Art of Practicing Self-Care

Stacey Billups, LMSW

 AAWP Advisory Board Member 

​Practicing self-care while caring for others is not just a personal choice; it's a necessity. Many of us today find ourselves in the role of caregivers, whether for our elderly parents, children, extended family members, or even our colleagues. This constant juggling of responsibilities can lead to stress, burnout, and significant health and wellness concerns. But what exactly is the difference between stress and burnout? And how can we creatively address our own needs while caring for others?
​

Stress vs. Burnout

Stress: Stress is a physical and psychological response to internal and external factors that make us feel overwhelmed. Some common symptoms of stress include:

• Trouble concentrating
• Headaches
• Anxiety
• Anger
• Stomach issues
• Fatigue
• Teeth grinding
• Apathy
• Poor relationships
• Difficulty concentrating

If these symptoms are not addressed, they can lead to more significant health problems or an increased likelihood of burnout.

Burnout: Burnout is the state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion where we have no more to give. It can be caused by an overly stressful environment, a perception of a lack of control, insufficient sleep, too many roles and responsibilities, and personality factors such as perfectionism, overachievement, and rigidity.

Approaching Self-Care
​
To avoid burnout and other symptoms of stress, the African American Wellness Project a national nonprofit that works to address health disparities in the African American community,  recommends incorporating self-care into your health regimen.
 
The Oxford Dictionary defines self-care as the practice of acting to “preserve or improve one’s health, well-being, and happiness,” particularly during periods of stress. The goal of self-care should be two-fold:

1. Limit adverse outcomes: Guard against, cope with, or manage stress and its consequences. Creating a self-care plan that addresses the Five Life Pillars—physical, relational, emotional, psychological, and spiritual—is essential.
2. Promote positive outcomes: Maintain and enhance well-being and overall functioning. For instance, a friend of mine, also a caregiver, found that starting her day with a short walk and a moment of gratitude significantly improved her ability to manage stress and maintain her well-being amidst her demanding role.

Creating a Self-Care Plan

Start small: Begin with 1-3 minutes of breathwork, imagery, or meditation.
Identify one goal in each of the Five Life Pillars: It can be helpful to approach creating a self-care plan around five significant areas of life, sometimes referred to as the Five Life Pillars:

• Physical: Take care of your health through exercise, sleep, and nutrition.
• Relational: Engage in social networking and build solid relationships.
• Emotional: Practice mindfulness, meditation, or breathwork, and replace negative coping strategies such as drinking or excessive retail therapy.
• Psychological: Engage your mind in creativity, games, puzzles, etc.
• Spiritual: Connect with nature, practice faith-based activities, or engage in prayer or meditation.

Identify barriers: Consider the possible challenges you may face when you begin your self-care journey. Thinking about potential obstacles in advance can help you avoid pitfalls.

Track your progress: Make time to write down your progress. You can use your phone's calendar to jot down notes.

Re-assess and reflect: Adjust your plan as needed. If you struggle to stick with your self-care plan, you may need to simplify it or change your approach to one of your goals. Consistency is key, so it's essential to have doable practices in your plan.

Prioritize: It can be easy to disregard your plan when the world's demands are overwhelming you. However, it's crucial to prioritize self-care. If you don’t prioritize yourself, you cannot show up fully for others. Self-care is an act of kindness to yourself and those you care for.

Practice self-compassion: In contrast to harsh self-criticism, which undermines motivation by seeing ourselves as the problem, self-compassion practices encourage feelings of safety and nurturing. They increase oxytocin and opiates (feel-good hormones), reducing stress and fostering better mental health. So, practice being kind to yourself; it's literally good for your health!
 
Connect With Us
Stay updated on AAWP's latest initiatives and resources by following us on social media:

• Facebook: @AfricanAmericanWellnessProject
• Twitter: @TheAAWP
• Instagram: @ AfricanAmericanWellnessProject
• YouTube: @AfricanAmericanWellnessProject

 
For more health resources, visit our website at aawellnessproject.org.

Stacy Billups, LMSW

Stacey Billups, LMSW, is licensed as an LMSW in New York State. Stacey earned her Master of Social Work (MSW) at Howard University.  Stacey has worked extensively with the NYC Department of Education and New York University’s (NYU) ASD Nest Support Project. She also facilitates interactive arts-based professional development and workshops. 
Stacey is a mother of two sons and a professional artist with a ten-year art studio practice. Stacey believes in the positive impact that creativity can have on our mental, physical, and emotional health, thus improving the individual well-being but also the collective health of the community.