Practicing self-care doesn’t have to be time consuming. It just needs to be meaningful and purposeful to you.
Self-care is a necessity when it comes to managing stress and preventing burnout — especially when you live with a chronic condition like psoriasis.
Practicing self-care doesn’t always mean beauty masks and bubble baths. It often means taking a step back to care for yourself physically, emotionally, spiritually, or socially.
However, if you’re like me, then you may know when you’re beyond busy, self-care can feel like another thing to add to the to-do list.
Here are six tips I’ve found helpful in building self-care into my daily routine when navigating life with psoriasis.
1. Schedule self-care on your calendar
Set up an appointment with yourself, just as you would for a meeting or a doctor’s appointment. Of course, things come up — but as you would for any other meeting or appointment, you can always reschedule with yourself.
When planning your “appointment,” consider how you’ll spend your time and what you’ll need to do to prepare.
- Can you truly relax for a meditation session if you’re sitting at your desk at work?
- If your plan is to go for a walk, do you have the right shoes, or do you need an umbrella?
- Will you turn your phone on silent to avoid distracting text messages and notifications?
Find a space where you can focus on yourself without feeling guilty or unprepared. Scheduling it on your calendar can help you look forward to it, too.
Better yet, don’t just put self-care on your calendar once. Make it a recurring event. Self-care is an ongoing practice that prevents you from burning out due to the stresses of everyday life.
2. Break it up into 10-minute blocks
Movement is a great way to practice self-care, and many of us may know that exercise is important for our health. But not finding the time is a big reason we don’t do it enough.
If you have a goal to exercise for 30 minutes a day, consider breaking up that goal into three 10-minute blocks of movement (like three walks) so it feels more manageable.
When exercise isn’t possible on a given day, you can try meditation or mindfulness practices instead. Some really helpful apps and websites can help guide you through different meditations based on the time you have available.
You can apply this breakup technique to a lot of self-care activities, like reading a book, listening to a podcast, or scrolling through positive content on social media.
3. Keep self-care simple
If the idea of setting aside an hour for yourself makes you feel guilty or stressed, consider starting with one activity for a few moments a day.
Taking care of yourself doesn’t have to be time consuming. It just needs to be meaningful and purposeful to you.
For my psoriasis, my favorite self-care rituals are indulging in sleep and getting my water in.
— Reena
Plus, once you start noticing the results of doing small activities for yourself, you might feel motivated to make more time to practice self-care.
Here are a few simple ideas to help get you started:
- Listen to your favorite song.
- Meditate.
- Look in the mirror and smile and laugh.
- Take a walk around the block.
- Text or call someone you love.
- Drink a cup of tea or your favorite beverage without any distractions.
4. Change your mindset about self-care
When you live with psoriasis, sometimes self-care isn’t about doing.
Self-care can mean saying no to something or de-prioritizing what you don’t have time for. It can mean setting boundaries based on the time and energy you have.
I once heard that it is common to believe that our body has betrayed us, but it’s more helpful to view it as our body asking for attention.
— anonymous
Sometimes, self-care is simply releasing pent-up feelings. For me, this includes a good cry or a nice vent session with a loved one.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, self-care could also be spending time alone. The symptoms of psoriasis can affect us mentally and physically, so it’s essential to check in with yourself and your emotions.
5. Incorporate self-care into existing routines
Managing psoriasis is already time consuming, with skin care routines, treatment, and medications. It makes sense that finding time for self-care can seem overwhelming or challenging.
Sometimes, we feel like they need to wake up earlier to fit self-care into our routine.
If you’re not a morning person or already have a jam-packed morning, consider setting an alarm to start your bedtime routine earlier. It can give you enough time to journal about your day or to read a few pages from a book before bed.
6. Find support in the psoriasis community
Connecting with others who understand what you’re going through can be a very productive form of self-care.
When it comes to social media, try to create a positive space that brings you joy or connects you with people who inspire you — many people living with psoriasis post about their journeys on social media.
Our Bezzy Psoriasis community also understands what you’re going through and is here for you. As your Bezzy Psoriasis guide, I host live chats every Monday through Thursday, and we’d love for you to join our conversations in the community forums.
The takeaway
Self-care can take many forms, from spending time alone to grabbing coffee with a friend. It might look like meditating, going hiking, or just being out in nature.
There are many ways to practice self-care that can fit within your lifestyle and won’t add stress to your life.
When you live with psoriasis, it’s important to remember that self-care extends beyond physically treating psoriasis symptoms. The main focus of self-care should be finding activities that bring you happiness and moments of relaxation.
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Originally written May 16, 2022
Fact checked on May 16, 2022
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