In this post: Are you being faced with barriers to self care? These barriers can gradually stack up like an impenetrable wall and leave you feeling trapped and helpless. But, There are self care strategies that you can put in place to overcome these barriers.
I stood up, the creaking of the floorboards beneath my feet matched the strain I felt on the inside. I shuffled to the mirror, and my reflection only intensified my distress.
My eyes were dull, my face drawn, and the smile that once graced my lips seemed like a distant memory. “What happened to me?” I wondered aloud, my voice barely above a whisper.
You and I both know that a lot of us are going through a great deal of stress and when we’re trying to practice self care we’re going to bump into some challenges along the way.
These can stop you from moving ahead and making any sort of progress if don’t have a plan. When you’re aware of the routine challenges then you can take steps towards preventing them.
The first thing you need to know is why you should start practicing self care. You have to start with your why.
Here’s the thing, if you want to start taking care of yourself and your reasons are shallow or trivial, then they will not be strong enough to make you stick with it.
You’ll need to find out and pinpoint the deep-rooted reasons that fundamentally affect you and this will help you decide on your plan of action to use combat these hurdles to self care.
Table of Contents
Benefits Of Self Care
If you’re not adding self care to your life then your mind body and soul will take a beating. When you include self care practices in your day-to-day life you’ll be rewarded with its many benefits.
First of all, it’ll help to lower your stress levels, and it also plays a big role when you’re confronted with any type of illness and disease. It’ll help you to get back on your feet better and at a faster pace.
Needless to say, there are easy ways and tons of self care ideas that you can include in your daily routine. Overall, you’ll see a big improvement in your mental and physical health.
Related: Benefits of self care
Barriers To Self Care
If you have no motivation to take care of yourself or think that self care doesn’t matter then you need to reconsider. You shouldn’t feel like it’s a chore because this is how you refuel your tank in order to navigate life on a daily basis.
When your energy starts to dwindle and leaves you exhausted and drained then you’ll come around and have a change of heart.
Take a closer look at the barriers that you struggle with and work at getting through them so that you can take some time to do things that improve your well-being and help you to live a good quality life.
So, Let’s look at some of the roadblocks that you face when trying to practice self-care. good quality of life
1. Lack Of Time
Pay attention to your body and your mental well-being. When taking care of yourself sometimes it doesn’t require an in-depth, fancy routine.
That being said, at regular intervals, you really have to dedicate some time and make yourself available in order to rest, recharge, and renew. At other times all you need is a 5 minute self care session.
There are quick and easy self care actions that are small but can have a big impact. Activities such as taking a short break for a deep breath or take a drink of water are small but packs a punch.
Or, put your feet up and have a cup of tea or grab a quick bite. Don’t ignore these quick wins and the good thing is, they only take a few minutes.
2. Feeling Guilty And Selfish
Another huge barrier when it comes to practicing self care is because you feel guilty and selfish. But you have to understand that self care is important and isn’t being self-centered and self-serving.
In order for your health and well-being to flourish, it’s crucial that you have to put yourself first. How can it be selfish to prioritize yourself? It’s not, everyone will benefit including you.
Don’t try to please other people and push aside your own needs. Get in the habit of taking action to recharge your mind and body. When you’re always putting others before yourself, it can become overwhelming and exhausting.
Just that in itself is enough to eat away at your mental and physical health.
Sometimes it can be hard to cast aside the matter of catering to other people. But in all of that, you have to take care of yourself. It’s not an option.
It might not be easy at first but make the effort, and push yourself if you must. Start doing the things you need to, in order to take care of your mind and body. You’ll feel happier and live a more satisfying life.
The fact is, when you take care of yourself you’ll have renewed energy not only to nurture yourself holistically but also to offer help to others and focus on their needs.
You can’t fully give back to others if you’re not handling your own needs.
3. Not Understanding How To Practice Self Care
Self care is something that might not come easy to you, simply because you don’t understand how to best take care of yourself.
Not quite understanding how to practice self care can be another obstacle when looking to take care of yourself. It’s all about how you treat yourself, ensuring that you’re fulfilling your mental and physical needs.
Sometimes it can take a well-thought-out plan of action for you to discover what you need and when you need it.
Once you’ve made this decision to take care of yourself, you’ll need to start to pay more attention to your mind and body. This is so that you’ll know the cues that they give out to let you know that you need to slow down.
This allows you to recharge and refuel your tank so that you can function both in your mental and physical capacity.
4. Wanting To Be Perfect
You might want things to be perfect but nothing and nobody is perfect and that also includes self care.
Everything doesn’t need to be precise or meet anyone’s expectations so don’t feel that you need to be on target with all the latest self care happenings and trends.
No. you don’t have to follow any strict or exact routine. If there is something you can take away from them that will truly help you in your quest to take care of yourself, then, by all means, do so.
As long as you don’t feel pressured into practicing the latest trends. The important thing is that you take action, no matter how small they are as long as they have an impact and help to make your self care the focal point.
5. Believing that Self Care Is Expensive
It’s absolutely untrue, self care doesn’t have to be expensive. Probably social media or other trending news items on the internet could possibly give you the impression that self care costs a pretty penny. This is completely false.
It’s not at all necessary for you to purchase pricey self care tools, or items or take up a gym membership in order to take care of yourself.
You don’t even have to take lavish trips or travel the world whenever you need to take a break. Rather, you can look to explore and identify budget-friendly ways to relax and take a break from stress and overwhelm.
For starters, you could identify great inexpensive spots for staycations or a road trip, just to name a few, which would be great options.
6. Not Setting Boundaries
If you’re unsure or have no idea what boundaries are then you won’t be able to set them. Setting limits is an important part of your self care plan.
Boundaries are limits to your individual space, your own responsibilities, your needs, and your emotions. These limitations are put in place to protect your health and wellness.
You and I both have different boundaries of things or situations we’re not likely to tolerate. Begin by making note of your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual boundaries.
Decide what you’re prepared to accept and what things you’ll respond to with “nope, absolutely not.’ Take into consideration the things that cause you to feel overwhelmed and stressed out.
When you have a compilation of what your limits are then you’ll have a clearer picture of the kinds of boundaries you need to put in place.
Don’t feel that you need to be a superwoman and be there for everybody. And, that you have to handle everything or feel anxious or terrified to say no to requests that don’t serve you.
When you decide to set clear wholesome boundaries it simply means that you recognise your limits. This will help to make your relationships better and helps you to get the time you need to look after your needs.
Related: What are personal boundaries and why we need them
7. Placing The Needs Of Others Before Your Own
Wanting to help others is quite generous and also impressive but if you want to make a significant change and start taking care of yourself you have to put yourself first. There’s nothing wrong with making yourself your number-one priority.
You might become so focused on the needs of others that you even forget your own basic necessities for life.
You shouldn’t neglect to eat healthy, getting proper sleep and exercising just because you’re wrapped up in putting somebody else needs and demands before your own.
It might be hard to make that change to put yourself first especially if you’ve been putting other people’s needs before your own. Think about it, what would happen to you if you’re not getting proper sleep? How will you function?
Look at it this way, the benefits of caring for yourself will outweigh all the disadvantages- your self care is of greater importance and is of more benefit than putting the needs of others before your own.
8. Believing That You Don’t Need Or Deserve It
One of the grounds on which you might grapple with when dealing with the obstacles to self care, is that you don’t believe in yourself.
You just might not believe that you need or deserve self care . Sometimes just thinking about making changes can be confusing and terrifying at the same time. Probably you don’t think that you’re able to manage the process of making the change to take care of yourself.
If that is the case, then you need to begin with focusing on boosting your self-esteem. Then when you see your worth, that you’re valuable, then you’ll be more willing and available mentally to make the change and start caring for yourself.
The best way to start is to come up with a strategy to help you to break down these barriers and start taking care of you. This will make it so much easier to put your game plan in place and follow through. Start to embrace changes for a better you.
9. Mental Health Conditions
Mental health conditions can have a significant impact on your ability to practice self care. Conditions, such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD, can make it challenging to prioritize your own well-being.
This can lead to neglecting basic self care practices, such as eating well, getting enough sleep, and engaging in activities that bring joy and relaxation.
Some common factors that contribute to difficulties with self care when dealing with mental health conditions include low energy levels and feelings of worthlessness. This can also lead to self-criticism and self-blame for not being able to do so.
If you suffer from mental health conditions, then it’s crucial for you to prioritize self care and make it a part of your treatment plan.
This may involve seeking support from therapists or mental health professionals who can help develop a personalized self care plan. It may also include exploring different self care activities to find ones that are enjoyable and manageable with your current symptoms.
Also, incorporating small moments of self care throughout the day, such as taking breaks or practicing deep breathing exercises, can be beneficial.
How To Overcome Barriers To Self Care
You might be facing major barriers that stop you from prioritizing and practicing self care on a regular basis.
Whether you’re tussling with a tight schedule, dealing with emotional challenges, or wrestling with self-doubt, let’s take a look at some practical strategies on how to overcome these barriers and make self care a key part of your daily routines.
Make Self Care A Priority
- Recognize that self care plays an important role in your well-being.
- Accept that self care is not selfish but is in fact necessary for a balanced, fulfilling life.
Identify Your Barriers
- Pinpoint the specific barriers that are a hindrance to your self care.
- Specify what is stopping you from prioritizing self care on a consistent basis.
Set Realistic Goals
- Start off small and set achievable self care goals.
- As you progress, over time you can build up more in-depth self care routines.
Set Up A Self Care Plan
- Map out an organized practical plan that consists of self care activities.
- Now schedule time in your daily or weekly routine to take care of yourself.
Get Support
- Let your trusted friends and family members know about your goals to take time to care for yourself.
- Ask for help when you need it or delegate tasks to make room for self care.
Set Boundaries
- Set clear boundaries in order to safeguard your ‘me’ time.
- Advocate for yourself by setting firm boundaries and communicating them to others.
Let Go Of Guilt
- Let go of any guilt you might have that’s associated with taking care of yourself.
- Get this straight, self care benefits both you and those around you.
Make The Most Of Your Time
- Review how you manage your time so that you can identify pockets of time to take care of you.
- Take advantage of tools such calenders, planners and to-do lists.
Small Steps
- Start off with quick, simple self-care activities.
- Take it little by little, be flexible with your routine, and start to include more complex practices as you build your self-care habits.
Seek Professional Help
- If you’ve been struggling with mental health conditions or difficult barriers persists , get professional help.
- Choose the right professional depending on your specific needs.
What Are Some Self Care Strategies?
These self care strategies might seem so basic but they’re very important and are the foundations on which you build yourself a more detailed plan of action. Let’s take a look at some of them.
- Create a weekly schedule.
- Ensure that you get 6 – hours of sleep.
- Look after your mental and physical health.
- Organize your priorities and commitments.
- There’s no way around it, you need to exercise.
- Say no to additional responsibilities, commitments, and or events you don’t want to accept or engage in.
- Make quality time for family and friends.
Conclusion On Barriers To Self Care
It’s no surprise that a lot of us are in serious need of self care, but for some reason, it can feel like what you need to pull this off is way out of your reach.
The many barriers you face in taking care of yourself can leave you feeling frustrated and miserable. If you want to make a change and start taking care of yourself then change your mindset and your attitude and believe you deserve it.
Check-in with yourself, then make the necessary changes and work on making yourself a priority.
What are your barriers to self care? Comment below!
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