You may also see references to ‘self-care’ both in this toolkit and elsewhere within the School’s resources. ‘Self-care’ means intentionally investing time and energy in yourself in a way that positively impacts your wellbeing – i.e. your wellness. As you’d expect, there are thousands of activities, practices and hobbies that might be part of your ‘self-care’, so it’s important that you take the time to reflect on what positively impacts your wellbeing. What works best for you will depend on your own unique circumstances and it will also probably change over time.
Forming healthy habits
“I’ve tried something once and it’s not for me”. It’s quite common to have disappointing results the first time you try something new. Some research suggests that it takes a minimum of 21 days to form a new habit.
Don’t be discouraged if your first attempt isn’t successful – it may take a few tries to make that new habit stick. Take simple steps that will encourage you to build the new habit into your time. For example, if you’re trying to make sure that you take regular lunch breaks, block out this time (as much as you can) in your work calendar and update your status in Teams so that colleagues know when you’re taking your break.
Taking some time for your wellbeing isn’t selfish or indulgent – it’s key to ensuring that you can fulfil your potential, professionally and personally. What’s more, better wellbeing can help you to work more productively and efficiently, so in the longer run it can mean a better work-life balance.