Explorers, are you practicing self-care?

By Katie Gardner, November 17, 2021
Questions for Reflection

We’ve all heard about self-care and how important it is. Maybe you recently decided to take a self-care night and eat junk food, binge a TV show, and stay in bed. But that’s not all self-care is!

Self-care is anything that takes care of you, which includes eating right, getting enough sleep, working hard in your classes, and doing the things you enjoy. It’s important, especially as we approach the end of the semester, to continue doing all of these things. As stressed as you may feel, make sure you’re still eating enough (food with some nutritional value!), you’re getting enough sleep, and taking time for yourself--remember: all work and no play leads to...extra stress!

Still not feeling great? Try practicing mindfulness (being present in the moment, rather than focusing on other things) or meditation to help you refresh and recharge!

Take some time to reflect on how you're taking care of yourself, and what you would like to do going forward.  Where can you improve?  Where do you need some help? And what would you like to do about it in the future?

You can try answering these questions for yourself with the chart below!

Self-Care Check-In Chart
  Specific Areas of Focus Specific Actions I Can Take
Attending to Personal Well-Being    
Managing Your Emotions    
Managing Challenging Situations    
Engaging in Problem-Solving with Others    

The end of the semester is stressful, but taking care of yourself, and making your well-being the priority will ensure you can continue going long after the semester ends!