International Self Care Day - our inspiration for practicing self-care

Today is International Self Care Day, so we’re focused on promoting self-care practices that enhance well-being and health. Today is an opportunity to focus on personal health, mental wellness, and the importance of taking time for you in today’s busy world.

Self-care means something different to everyone, depending on what makes you feel at peace, healthy and positive. It can be anything from proper nutrition, regular exercise, adequate sleep, mindfulness, and stress management to setting boundaries, seeking professional help when needed, and taking time to relax and recharge. This day serves as a reminder that taking care of yourself is essential for maintaining overall health and well-being.

In this blog, the State of Us Committee has shared how they practice self care to help inspire new and different ways to protect our mental and physical well being.

Mary Paslawski, MD, Innovate Comms

“For me, self care is a walk first thing in the morning with one of my many foster dogs. I notice a huge difference to my approach to the day and wellbeing when I’m able to do that every day vs the breaks I take in between dogs. Also, I find that a Sunday night bath with some trashy TV and a full skincare routine relaxes me and helps me reset before heading into the week with the right mindset.” 

Jo Jamieson, partner, Brightside Digital Engagement

“Exercise is my self-care: a 30-minute barre class (I subscribe to Meetyouatthebarre), a short run or a dog walk. I’m much more likely to feel a bit grumpy and overwhelmed with work/kids/life if I don’t carve out a little pocket of time to myself a few days a week.” 

Vicki DeBlasi, CEO, Innovate Comms

“I have two non-negotiables in my daily life that keep me on the straight and narrow. Firstly, my daily sanity walk, I do this every single day and have done for about 3.5 years now. It’s rarely more than about 20 minutes but it’s great for getting me into nature, clearing my head and giving me a new perspective on things. And then my weekly yoga class. I have an amazing teacher who I’ve been with for nearly ten years and although I started for the physical benefits, it’s the mental benefits that have kept me going back year after year.” 

Jazz Gandhi, Founder, Duet London

“It’s intense running a business and having a team with so many needs - so it’s vital I also look after myself and my physical disabilities to be able to give the best to my clients and my team. The night before I write a list of everything I need to achieve for the following day (even life admin tasks). I remind myself that if I don’t achieve it all, I just write it again for the next day. It’s about accomplishments, not competitions. I take a daily walk with a task to buy lunch and cook it. This gets me focussing on something other than work - and I love to cook. By the end of the day, I clear and anti-bac my desk before running a bath. Water is so therapeutic: from the sound of water running to allowing that water to hug me all helps to destress me. I also drink 3 litres of water a day, which is vital to keeping my head clear. I then jump on my sofa and watch trash telly (usually Real Housewives!) to unwind before falling asleep in a blacked out bedroom with no screens and a weighted blanket.” 

Don Ferguson, Deputy MD, Hope&GloryPR 

"Work and two small kids under six means my life is bloody manic, and 'me time' is virtually nonexistent. Photography, along with other hobbies, has been shelved. But as an early bird and now teetotaler, I've made Sunday mornings my sanctuary. I'm up hours before the family, cycling from Southeast London to the city centre with my DSLR. It's not really about the photos themselves, though I enjoy them; it's about listening to podcasts, quiet wandering, and doing something purely for me. Plus, being out when the city's still asleep is pretty fantastic, and the mental and physical payoff is enormous.

Lucy Maitre-Smart, Freelance Senior Creative

“My self care can change depending on the day or how I’m feeling. One day it might be a walk through the forest listening to nature - often accompanied by my 1 year old daughter, so seeing the ducks is a must. Or it could be the gym, which is a sanctuary for me, no matter how much I do, just going clears my head. Or listening to a podcast - uninterrupted - I listen to a few which are lighthearted and wholesome, meaning they don’t need much brainpower to listen to but allow me to have a breather.” 

Shanil Nayee, Account Director, Axicom

“I make an active effort to regularly listen to my body and mind to catch the moments where I am feeling overwhelmed. Being really honest with myself means I can then manage my own wellbeing, be it through exercising, gaming, spending time with my lovely, beautiful wife or binge watching movies. It’s by no means foolproof, but that’s kind of the point in a way… life is hard sometimes so you need to figure out what helps you and then lean on those aids when you need them most.” 

Will Cook, Founder, 393

“Sport has always been a big part of my life, and yes, sometimes it’s still about the competition - but it also helps me self-care too. There’s something powerful in pushing yourself, setting goals, and chasing a time or a target. Though, it’s not only about performance. Most days, it’s about resetting, clearing my head, and creating rhythm in my routine. Whether it’s a long walk, a quick run, or a swim - moving every day helps me think better and feel better. The act of moving, without pressure or performance, I find can be enough to shift my mindset.” 

Jo Bromilow, Director of Social and Influencer, MSL 

‘So much of my job requires a completely unnatural rhythm and relationship to speed and time - what’s new, what’s next, what should our perspective be on this new tool that just got announced - so my self-care routines are all connected to slowing down. Nature is all about acknowledging things take time, and from going for a walk in the nearest wood I can find to a slower kind of work in my garden - laying the groundwork that I’ll see bear fruit or flowers in a future that’ll be here before too long - really helps me appreciate the slowness and expansiveness of actual time. Life is short, but life is also abundant - sitting in a wood listening to evening birdsong or watching the leaves blow in the wind will really help you appreciate the world you live in outside of your inbox. I also have a little ritual of reading my almanac - a seasonal guide to the month ahead written by Lia Leendertz - on the first day of each new month to help me appreciate the coming weeks as something more than a set of deadlines, phone calls and deliverables and encourage me to look out for the subtle changes and beauty in each day.’ 

On this day, we encourage everyone to take a moment to think about the small things that you can introduce to support your mental and physical health. Today, it’s about you.