After the recent success of national self-care week in mid-November, an initiative to raise awareness of what can be done to improve physical health and mental wellbeing, member of a charity have released some tips on how you can take care of yourself better.
Swindon Carers Centre is a charity that’s supports unpaid carers in the area.
“Self-care and looking after your own wellbeing can be difficult for our carers,” explained Anne Saunders, who is the Media and Communications Manager at the charity.
“Although caring for someone can be very rewarding, it can also take its toll physically and emotionally.”
Members of the charity have shared their tips on how you can better your wellbeing and we have listed them below.
Walking
“I like exercising and walking regularly,” said Claire Smith, who is the Head of Development at the charity.
“I take long fast walks on a regular basis with my dog. I also enjoy trying to cook healthy meals.”
Meditating
“I was introduced to meditation several years ago and I have been practicing it ever since as it is a small way to practice self-care even if just for 10 minutes,” said Isabel Tate, a Parent Carer Support Practitioner.
“It is free and there are loads of guided meditations to choose from on YouTube you just need to find a few that you like and find a quiet space, which can be a challenge some days).”
“It isn’t always easy to quieten your mind especially when you first start doing it, but don’t give up it does get easier over time.”
“It creates calm, relieves stress, I like to practice it first thing in the morning it helps to set me up for the challenges of the day.”
Drawing
“I have also just taken up drawing and once you get started it really becomes very absorbing,” said Lorraine Kardasz, a Parent Carer Support Practitioner.
“Reading is always a go to for me as well. And when I could afford it, I used to enjoy body balance classes. They are great for body and soul!
Chatting
“We allow ourselves time to catch up, taking five minutes to chat, check in with each other, and to see how each other’s days are going,” said Sally Herron, Rebecca Thompson and Tanya Hawker, from the Swindon Carers Centre Resources Team and the Adult Carer Support Team.
Planning
“Set yourself small things to look forward to. This could be something big, or it could be something small,” said Anne.
“It could be a walk with a friend or cooking a new meal. I enjoy curling up for half an hour with a new book to read.”
