What is SMART Self-Care and how can you do it?
Self-care is the practice of intentionally doing things that benefit your physical, mental, or spiritual health, and it’s often lauded as the cornerstone of wellbeing and resilience. Little wonder then, that it has become highly commodified and increasingly aspirational: sold as an open-ended quest, the secret to self-care often seems to be just one click and one purchase away. It’s time to get SMART about self-care.
You’re probably already familiar with SMART as an acronym that can help you achieve your goals. And here’s how SMART self-care works.
Specific
The ‘S’ in SMART stands for ‘Specific’. So let’s start by getting clear about what self-care is and what self-care isn’t.
When we talk about self-care, we are talking about the things we do to nurture our own wellbeing and resilience, as well as the actions we undertake to prevent, manage, or improve health conditions. Self-care is defined by the WHO as a ‘broad concept’ that encompasses hygiene, nutrition, lifestyle, cultural beliefs, income level, and self-medication. The key lies in recognising our own unique well-being needs and taking proactive steps to meet them.
Self-care means different things to different people: it could be a five-mile run or a gentle country walk, a session at the gym, or a relaxing night in. Self-care includes both mentally stimulating activities as well as activities that help you switch off. It might be a welcome catch-up with friends and family, but it might also take the form of setting boundaries and saying ‘no’. And for people with chronic illness, it is often underpinned by medical advice. At its core, self-care encompasses the everyday actions and routines that we consciously choose in order to preserve and nurture our own happiness, health, and wellbeing.
We also need to be clear about what self-care isn’t. Firstly, self-care isn’t always a solitary pursuit; it can involve families, communities, and healthcare services. Indeed, knowing when to seek help is central to good self-care. Secondly, self-care isn’t selfish. Taking the time to look after yourself isn’t something you should feel guilty about. When you look after yourself you nurture the strength to do the things you want to do, as well as the resilience you need to be present for the people and world around you.
Crucially, self-care doesn’t provide short-term benefits at a long-term cost. We often turn to unhealthy coping strategies in times of stress, and if you’ve ever turned to retail therapy without considering your budget or drowned your sorrows at the end of a bad day; you’re not alone. But here’s the thing. If our current choices cause problems for our future selves, they can’t be considered self-care.
Motivational
There are a few variations of the ‘M’ in SMART, and we’re choosing Motivational – because successful self-care requires motivation over time. After all, making a New Year’s resolution to go to the gym is of little benefit if you go all out through January only to hang up your sweats in spring.
SMART self-care is rooted in an awareness of our own personal motivations, and we need to bring the ‘why’ to the forefront when we lose momentum. We might be driven by the promise of reward (perhaps stopping smoking for health reasons), or by pleasure (a luxurious bath). Whatever our personal motivations might be, nurturing awareness of the ‘why’ behind our actions gives us something to fall back on when the world knocks our mojo flat. So ask yourself: What’s your Why?
Attainable
SMART self-care is attainable and within reach. Yet self-care culture often focuses on the aspirational at the expense of the achievable – and nowhere is this more evident than in our online lives.
Social media can be an awesome source of inspiration and support, but it also has the power to warp our perception of what self-care looks like. There is a growing cachet in proclaiming self-care accomplishments, and we’ve all seen the ubiquitous sepia-tinted images of beach yoga and Michelin-starred vegetable platters. And though we know that these edited and curated snapshots rarely reflect anyone’s everyday reality, it can often seem like everyone else has self-care sussed, and that somehow, we just don’t measure up. So if you find yourself addicted to inspirational quotes, consider this: when online brings you down, offline is the new luxury (or at least, take a temporary break).
SMART self-care is about achievable everyday actions. So fine-tune your baloney detector, and shift the focus from the aspirational to the attainable.
Resourced
SMART self-care means making smart choices about wellbeing resources. There are seemingly limitless ways that we can invest in self-care, with health food purchases, gym memberships, meditation courses, scented candles, bath products, and treats to pamper the mind, body, and soul. Investing in self-care can enhance our lives and bring us closer to wellbeing goals – so long as it’s within budget. But when unnecessary spending leads to future anxiety and hardship, we can’t claim it as self-care.
Balancing the books can often seem like a big ask in a consumer culture that links self-care to aspirational purchases. And that’s why the SMART approach is grounded in mindfulness and gratitude.
Through mindfulness we learn to focus on the present moment without judgement, and become better able to sit with our thoughts, feelings, and emotions without acting (or spending!) impulsively. And by cultivating gratitude, we nurture appreciation of the things we already have, so that we are not constantly looking for the next quick fix. We deepen our appreciation of friends, family, supportive communities, the natural world, and our own inner resources of commitment and strength.
Time
Time is key to SMART self-care, and we need to plan where it fits in our lives. Whilst some spontaneous choices do marvels for mood, successful self-care is often routine. Intentionally setting aside time for self-care helps cement its place in our lives.
One of the most common barriers to self-care is feeling like you just don’t have the time. You’re working long hours, you have family and social commitments, you’re exhausted, and your schedule is full. So take a breather and remind yourself: self-care doesn’t have to be time-consuming.
If you have space in your day for longer activities, perhaps an evening run or an afternoon of reading – that’s awesome. But self-care can also be nurtured through small actions: taking the medication that keeps you healthy, flossing your teeth, getting your body moving in the morning, mindfully savouring your sandwich at lunch, a soak in the bath, a walk in the garden, a book before bed. Self-care can be found in the small moments if we only take the time to notice how those moments fit into our everyday lives.
When it comes to self-care, SMART actions add up over time.
Fiction and Poetry
Written by Sandra Bishop
Sandra Bishop studied at Newcastle University where she achieved First Class Honours in Religious Studies. After attaining a PGCE with Distinction in Post Compulsory Education and Training, Sandra spent twenty years working in education and social care before rediscovering her love of writing. Sandra specialises in journalistic articles, educational resources, blogs, and long-form content. You can view her portfolio here.