Self-Care Practices We Will Be Continuing Post-Pandemic
True self-care is not face masks and bubble baths. It’s creating a reality from which you need not ‘escape’.
Georgia Nelson reimagines mental wellbeing in a COVID and post COVID world — one where we need not regularly indulge in ‘consumer self-care’ and rather connect with making choices for our long-term mental wellness. Cue: practical self-care.
2020 has been a serious reality check for us all — from the bushfires, to the pandemic, multiple humanitarian crises, and the Black Lives Matter movement firing up around the world. Add personal dramas into the mix (it was watching my career goals and dreams dissolve into thin air and the anxiety that followed, for me), and life becomes a minefield of existential dread at best.
And this minefield is only amplified by the constant and somewhat depressing updates we see all over our socials, on the news, in magazines, and pretty much every digital platform. I’ve come to hate phrases like ‘the new normal’ and ‘unprecedented times’ — like, idk what ‘normal’ even looks like anymore!
Yet my latest pet peeve? ‘Self-care’. I’ll be the first one to admit that I was definitely a perpetuator of the white-washed definition that was reduced to face masks, bubble-baths, baking and iso exercise fads — as if this consumer-based approach could adequately care for your emotional, mental and physical wellbeing.
Cue: practical self-care. The kind of nurturing that encompasses mental stimulation, emotional stability, self-love, and eliminating self-destructive habits. These rituals have redefined how I navigate my daily life and served as a life raft to drag me from the depths of anxious spirals, even when reruns of Gilmore Girls failed.
1. Mindfully consuming media
It’s easier to fall into the void of social media and current affairs now more than ever before; reading one bleak article after another, scrolling mindlessly through post after post about the latest lives lost. Social platforms like Instagram and TikTok that once represented hope and a form of escape have transformed into the epicentre of social movements and breaking news.
And while these heavy topics and complex issues do require significant mental energy, it is our duty as allies to actually give a f_ck and invest the time and energy required to keep up. The solution: limiting your phone use while consciously choosing actions that will make a difference.
Set an hour or two aside each day to read informative news stories and articles, try a weekly social media-free day, or commit to a daily screen time limit instead of scrolling your feed ‘til 3am. I’ve taken it a step further to channel this energy into considering how I have contributed to social issues and inequality, taking steps to educate myself, having constructive conversations with friends and family, attending protest rallies, and sometimes just recuperating and resetting my mind. Tuning out indefinitely under the guise of #selfcare is cancelled.
Image by: Christopher Ott
2. Being aware of what I’m putting on my skin
I know what you’re thinking — skincare isn’t practical self care. But it can be. For me, skincare is all about feeling confident and empowered in and by my own skin. It’s not about slapping on a face mask because #selfcaresunday (although I have previously been known to drop half a paycheck on the latest products and do exactly that) and following an It-Girl’s 10-step beauty routine that wouldn’t even work for my skin type anyway. The way I treat my body has morphed into a more sustainable and wellness-focused approach.
From my daily cleanse to SPF, I’m actively deciding how I nurture my skin and consume beauty products rather than splurging on cult products a beauty influencer recommends (and gets for free, mind you!). I’m taking note of what my skin needs, so now my routine changes daily.
The deciding factors? My current skin concerns (lately it’s a fight between hormonal acne, dermatitis, and a dull, corpse-like appearance tbh), if the products are good for my skin and the environment, the ethics behind the brand, and who/what I am funding. My skincare routine has changed completely, and I’m slowly transforming my beauty shelves into a clean beauty haven.
3. Checking in on my financial wellbeing
Hands up if you’ve been financially victimised by your own spending habits . . .
I’ve always been a spender, not a saver, and this pandemic has really solidified the importance of a stable and secure financial situation (I could really use a rainy day fund right now). When I knew my move to New York (my life-long dream) was not going to happen any time soon, my strict, meticulously planned out budget disappeared before I even had the chance to cancel my flights. I jumped straight back on the online shopping bandwagon and immediately dipped into my savings, not thinking about my impending redundancy.
Only recently, after a conversation with my SO, have I stopped the splurging and started to rethink my future financial goals. I’m working to create the perfect balance — a new budget, quit comparing my money situation with that of my friends (especially when some of them are buying their own houses in their mid-20s), set up an emergency fund, and also set a little bit aside so I can treat myself once in a while.
4. Balancing my needs with the needs of others (and not feeling guilty about it)
In an interview with Gay Times , feminist and queer icon Florence Given said, “ When you live a life pleasing others’ expectations of you, you become resentful and exhausted.” — something every person, womxn in particular, needs to know. I’ve always been a people-pleaser, jumping at the chance to take on a multitude of problems for others. But this mindset has taken its toll in recent years and months, resulting in emotional burnout and anxiety flare-ups.
So I’ve spent much of the pandemic checking in on my current emotional and mental needs first, then extending this approach to my circle of family and friends. This isn’t to say I’ve completely ignored my people, but I have definitely taken a step back from certain situations.
This reflection has taught me that it’s okay to say no; it’s okay to distance yourself from friendships that drain you or make you doubt yourself; it’s okay to take a Friday night all to yourself and be in bed by 9pm. And it’s definitely okay to ask for support when you need it.
5. Get outdoors — and leave your phone behind
So many of us get wrapped up in the 9-to-5 grind that turns into a 12-hour work day with a quick walk around the block from our busy CBD offices to pick up some lunch, usually engulfed in our phones and replying to work emails. But this culture of overworking and “living for the weekend” is incredibly draining and unfulfilling. It’s kind of crazy that it took a global pandemic for most of us to realise how beneficial out there actually is.
Soak up the sunshine at your local park on your lunch break (while wearing SPF, ofc). Pick up an outdoor hobby like surfing, hiking or even gardening. Explore your neighbourhood and find a secret spot where you can sit and just *be*. Whatever you choose to do, put your damn phone/laptop/tablet down and start appreciating your surroundings.
6. Taking stock of my accomplishments
Comparing myself to others was (and still is) one of my most toxic habits that I’m actively trying to break. I’ve seen womxn my age doing cool sh_t like writing books, editing magazines, starting podcasts and pretty much everything else I want so badly but haven’t yet accomplished. But I’m learning to transform this constant comparison and jealousy into gratitude and empowerment ‘cause there’s no point wasting time and energy on negative feelings when I could be putting my procrastinating ass to work.
There’s still plenty of time to make my career dreams a reality, but in the meantime, in this limbo, I’ve reflected on what I’ve achieved over the past year. I’ve discovered that your 20s can be tumultuous, but I’ve grown so much and ticked more things off my bucket list than I realised. And it is with this attitude that I am seeing out the rest of the year. It’s been a b_tch, but I’ve learnt to fight back.
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Georgia Nelson
Skincare junkie and self-labelled drama queen, Georgia Nelson is fluent in all things beauty, pop culture and social media.
Keep up with her latest (mis)adventures via her blog, Instagram and Twitter.
