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" A N Y T H I N G W O R T H
D O I N G I S W O R T H
D O I N G S L O W L Y "
Gypsy
Rose Lee
" S L O W D O W N
A N D E N J O Y L I F E .
I T ' S N O T O N L Y
T H E S C E N E R Y Y O U
M I S S B Y G O I N G
T O O F A S T - Y O U A L S O
M I S S T H E S E N S E O F
W H E R E Y O U A R E
G O I N G A N D W H Y "
Eddie
Cantor
" I A C H I E V E
B E T T E R B A L A N C E
B Y G I V I N G M Y S E L F
T H E O P P O R T U N I T Y
T O S A V O R
L I F E M O R E "
Eric
Maisel
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Self-care activities like acupressure, taking a nap, going for a walk,
reading a good book, or engaging in recreational activities prevent
the feeling of being "fried" if done on a regular basis. They are part
of the natural rhythm of expenditure and renewal of energy while engaging
in life. Self-care experiences complement a busy life. Without them,
we will eventually run down. Only the Energizer Bunny can keep going
and going and going!
When we have a lot to do, taking a time out for self-care may seem like
a waste of valuable time. However, motivation for self-care can come
from considering a re-definition of productive and wasted time (E.
Maisel-A Life in the Arts). Working to a point of diminished
effectiveness is hardly productive and doing things to renew our energy,
even though they yield no direct tangible work product, is hardly wasted
time.
Self-care is more than the forms it can take as different activities.
It is the belief that we are as important as what we do and that by
caring about ourselves we will care for ourselves. Unless we hold that
belief, we can easily sacrifice ourselves in our busy lives by letting
go of the experiences that we find nourishing and enjoyable. Holding
that belief is essential for sustaining regular self-care behaviour.
We are not our work.
One of the challenges to self-care is "finding the time". This seems
to be based on the assumption that self-care is only done away from
work time and that it has to be in conventional forms such as those
mentioned above. However, renewal of energy can be done as part of a
busy schedule in ways that we may not have thought of as self-care.
I was a university professor before taking early retirement (a form
of self-care). Here are some simple things that I did as part of my
work to take care of myself. They illustrate for me that small shifts
can be sufficient for yielding significant benefits.
- I started eating my bag lunch with a friend at work, rather than
alone at my desk while working. I felt refreshed and more productive
during the afternoons.
- I decided that not everything on my desk required my best or maximum
effort. There were many tasks that only had to be "good enough". I
felt energized knowing that I did not have to work really hard on
everything.
- I managed my "To-Do List" differently. Rather than thinking I had
to finish an item once started, I stayed at it only until I began
to tire of it. I then scanned the other items on the list and chose
the one that gave me the greatest sense of renewed energy. I returned
to earlier items as I re-kindled my interest in them. Over time, everything
got done.
- I remembered to take a big breath when I started feeling hurried.
That was just enough for me to slow down and to let my hunched shoulders
drop down out of my ears.
- I identified the aspects of my job that I really liked so that
I could look forward to them and not forget to enjoy doing them.
- I became less rigid about following my daily plan. I decided that
a plan was just an organized way to restrict my experience. I considered
a plan to be necessary in the event that nothing more interesting
came up.
Mary's essay last month entitled "Reflections
of a Conference Planner" provides another glimpse into self-care
in the midst of a very tiring and challenging time. She identifies a
list of experiences that gave her a much needed lift and that will continue
to re-charge her as significant memories and as on-going connections
with people who are very important to her.
In a perfect world we would always keep ourselves in a state of even
energetic balance, ensuring optimal performance and full enjoyment of
life. Life, of course, is not perfect and neither are any of us. We
get really busy. We are then challenged to find ways to take care of
ourselves beyond the usual, conventional activities that are sometimes
difficult to sustain. In doing so, self-care becomes an opportunity
to explore our creativity. Creativity is self-expression that acknowledges
our personal importance. The more we discover creative forms of regular
self-care, the more resilient we will be in bouncing back from the stressful
experiences of life.
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