By Billie J. Baldwin, MA, MSW, LCSW-C  

Whether you have been a social worker for 20 years or two, I’m sure you have been part of conversations about what self-care is and how it is a mandate not an option. In fact, the NASW added self-care to its Code of Ethics in 2021. While the onus for self-care should not be completely on the individual but shared with the employing organization, it ultimately falls to the individual to create a self-care plan. 

When many of my social worker friends hear this mandate, they start thinking through the day and panic. Some of you may be excellent at self-care. This article isn’t really for you. Go do some self-care and be awesome. This is for the rest of us, those of us who struggle to figure out what to do, how to fit it in, and what it really means.  

The more technologically advanced our society becomes, the more we struggle with time. While technology has made some tasks easier, the result has not been more freedom. Productivity has taken the place of a job well done. Busyness is mistaken as importance. We say we are busy, even when we aren’t. It’s a habit and it keeps us away from people who bring us the connections we need to be emotionally healthy. It steals our quiet and indulges our fantasies of being indispensable.  

Do you find yourself frequently saying, “I’m sorry. I have been so busy, lately”? Are you though? I’m not saying you’re not busy. I’m saying you’re not THAT busy. People are priorities, not tasks. Community and connection should not be brushed aside so more things can get done. If you are overbooked, take a closer look at the activities you participate in. Make sure they are nourishing to you and your family. Cut down on unnecessary commitments, the ones you think you need to do but feel the sickening dread about every time.  

Self-care is not chocolate and bubble baths or massages and “me time” in the way we want them to be, although sometimes they can be. It is about proactively choosing wellness. Part of being well is learning ways to advocate for yourself, to set boundaries, to do things that create growth and an enjoyable life. It’s valuing yourself enough to be well. Accepting the dysfunction and misguided priorities of the world as good is not wellness. It perpetuates loneliness, burnout, disillusionment and emptiness.  

Human connection is the main protective and reparative factor we have as a species. Self-care requires connections. And it requires mindful practice. These two things insulate us from the chaotic, spinning world in which we live.  

I recently attended a class where we set aside 10 minutes a day for four weeks to focus on a mindful activity. Just 10 minutes showed an improvement in stress level. It did not matter what we did. The entire class showed improvement. Mindful walking, yoga, art, journalling, dance – any of it. We all have 10 minutes. You’re worth more than 10 minutes.  

Sit down and plan. Decide what you want to do. Do you want to meditate on boundaries and assertive communication? Journal about putting limits on media use? Get in touch with your feelings? Dance and paint? All of it? Plan out when 10 minutes works in your day. Set it as an appointment on your calendar that is a non-negotiable time that cannot be bumped. You are the most compelling, interesting and famous person in your world during those 10 minutes. Plan the activity you will do each day. Keep a chart. Measure your stress level before the activity (1-10), complete the activity, then measure your stress level after (1-10). I bet you see a difference.  

Second, find relationships that feel like home. Find your people, the ones who let you be weird and complain-y, and who call you out on your nonsense. My best friends know me so well – well enough to say, “I mean…you’re not good at that.” And they know I will do the same for them. Hold each other accountable for self-improvement, openness and (gulp) self-care. Protect your friends. They are a resource of protection and connection.  

Take care, most interesting social worker in the world. The world needs you.