Self Care Checklists

What is a Self-Care Checklist?

According to the World Health Organization (2022), self-care encompasses the capacity of individuals, families, and communities to enhance well-being, prevent illnesses, sustain health, and manage illness and disability, whether or not they have the assistance of a healthcare professional. Often, individuals mistake self-care for an indulgence, such as getting a facial or spa or spending so much money on things that bring us temporary joy. Sure, they can be forms of self-care, too. But there are other ways through which we can take care of ourselves that bring lasting positive impacts.

Self-Care Checklists are tools that individuals use to ensure they care for their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. A basic Self-Care Checklist typically consists of a list of self-care activities and practices that people can refer to regularly to ensure they prioritize their self-care needs. It comprises several components: physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual, relational, and school or professional self-care.

Healthcare professionals, especially therapists, can use a Self-Care Checklist to help their clients or patients manage their well-being, identify areas they need to focus on and promote self-care as a vital part of their treatment plan. It is essential for therapists to take care of themselves, too, to prevent burnout and ensure they can provide the best care for their clients.

How does it work?

A Self-Care Checklist is a valuable tool for ensuring your clients prioritize their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Here is how to use this template:

Access and secure a copy

Begin by downloading a copy of our printable self–care checklist from the Carepatron website. Give your client a copy and explain how the template works. You can also use a similar template called Daily Self-Care Checklist for more focused self-plans and daily self-care ideas. This daily Self-Care Checklist is more ideal for people who like to organize their routines down to the tee.

Encourage your client to complete the checklist

Explain to your client that this tool is designed to help them track and prioritize their self-care activities. Encourage them to fill it out regularly, whether on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.

Discuss results with your client

After your client has completed the checklist for a designated period of time, schedule a meeting to discuss the results. This will allow you to have an open conversation about their self-care habits and areas needing improvement.

Set realistic goals

Use the results of the checklist discussion as a starting point to set achievable goals to improve your client's overall well-being. Help them identify self-care activities that they may need to prioritize or incorporate into their routine.

Benefits of Self-Care Checklists

Carepatron's free Self-Care Checklists offer numerous benefits, including the following:

Fully digital

Our Self-Care Checklist is fully digital, making it easily accessible through your phone, tablet, or computer. This means your clients can refer to it at any time and in any convenient place. There will be no more carrying around paper checklists or forgetting to bring them with you.

Customizable

Our Self-Care Checklist is customizable, allowing you to tailor it to your clients' specific needs and preferences. This feature allows you to create a unique and relevant template for each client.

Practical

Our Self-Care Checklist is designed with practicality in mind. They focus on a simple, easy-to-use layout that helps clients stay organized and on track with their self-care routine. By breaking down tasks into manageable steps, this self-care plan makes it easier for clients to prioritize their self-care and stick to their plan.

Promotes accountability

Having a self-care day checklist in place helps promote accountability for both you as the healthcare provider and your clients. As a healthcare provider, you can use the checklist to monitor your client's progress and provide support where needed. For clients, the checklist serves as a visual reminder of their self-care goals and can help them stay accountable and motivated to practice self-care.

Explore more resources in our library for self-care. You can use the Self Care Routine Template to create personalized daily routines that promote overall well-being and balance. For inspiration and new practices, explore the Self Care Ideas Template. Additionally, integrating the Care Plan Template and tracking your progress with the Wellness Journey Template can help you maintain a structured and holistic approach to your health and wellness.

Research and evidence

Self-care is taking deliberate actions to maintain and improve one's physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Research and evidence consistently demonstrate the health benefits of self-care.

For instance, in sexual and reproductive health, self-care has been found to have the potential to substantially improve health (Narasimhan et al., 2019). These interventions cover fertility regulation (e.g., pregnancy tests and contraception), sexual health promotion (e.g., digital resources for STIs and menopause), disease prevention (e.g., HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis), and treatment (e.g., self-managed abortion and HIV medication in community-based clubs).

In the context of mental health, Gavurova et al. (2022) investigated the connection between self-care and depression in the general Slovak population during the COVID-19 pandemic. With 806 participants, the results showed that self-care activities were associated with depression, concluding that individuals should take care of themselves during a difficult period.

In a related study, Luis et al. (2021) examined the mediating role of self-care between stress and psychological well-being in Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Spain's general population during the global pandemic. Utilizing a sample of 1082, the results revealed that individuals with lower self-care levels are associated with higher levels of perceived stress, which translates to lower levels of well-being.

These are only a few of the rich pieces of evidence supporting the importance of self-care in our daily lives. It is important to note that people's self-care needs vary.

References

Gavurova, B., Popesko, B., Ivankova, V., & Rigelsky, M. (2022). The role of self-care activities (SASS-14) in depression (PHQ-9): Evidence from Slovakia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Frontiers in Public Health, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.803815

Luis, E., Bermejo-Martins, E., Martinez, M., Sarrionandia, A., Cortes, C., Oliveros, E. Y., Garces, M. S., Oron, J. V., & Fernández-Berrocal, P. (2021). Relationship between self-care activities, stress and well-being during COVID-19 lockdown: A cross-cultural mediation model. BMJ Open, 11(12), e048469. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-048469

Narasimhan, M., Allotey, P., & Hardon, A. (2019). Self care interventions to advance health and wellbeing: A conceptual framework to inform normative guidance. BMJ, 365, l688. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l688

World Health Organization. (2022). WHO guideline on self-care interventions for health and well-being, 2022 revision. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240052192