Self-care activities are the things you do to maintain good health and improve well-being. You’ll find that many of these activities are things you already do as part of your normal routine.
In this assessment you will think about how frequently, or how well, you are performing different self-care activities. The goal of this assessment is to help you learn about your self-care needs by spotting patterns and recognizing areas of your life that need more attention.
There are no right or wrong answers on this assessment. There may be activities that you have no interest in, and other activities may not be included. This list is not comprehensive, but serves as a starting point for thinking about your self-care needs.
| 1 | I do this poorly | I do this rarely or not at all |
| 2 | I do this OK | I do this sometimes |
| 3 | I do this well | I do this often |
| * | I would like to improve at this | I would like to do this more frequently |
| Physical Self-Care | 1 | 2 | 3 | * |
| Eat healthy foods | ||||
| Take care of personal hygiene | ||||
| Exercise | ||||
| Wear clothes that help me feel good about myself | ||||
| Eat regularly | ||||
| Participate in fun activities (e.g. walking, swimming, dancing, sports) | ||||
| Get enough sleep | ||||
| Go to preventative medical appointments (e.g. checkups, teeth cleanings) | ||||
| Rest when sick | ||||
| Overall physical self-care |
| Psychological / Emotional Self-Care | 1 | 2 | 3 | * |
| Take time off from work, school, and other obligations | ||||
| Participate in hobbies | ||||
| Get away from distractions (e.g. phone, email) | ||||
| Learn new things, unrelated to work or school | ||||
| Express my feelings in a healthy way (e.g. talking, creating art, journaling) | ||||
| Recognize my own strengths and achievements | ||||
| Go on vacations or day-trips | ||||
| Do something comforting (e.g. re-watch a favorite movie, take a long bath) | ||||
| Find reasons to laugh | ||||
| Talk about my problems | ||||
| Overall psychological and emotional self-care |
| Social Self-Care | 1 | 2 | 3 | * |
| Spend time with people who I like | ||||
| Call or write to friends and family who are far away | ||||
| Have stimulating conversations | ||||
| Meet new people | ||||
| Spend time alone with my romantic partner | ||||
| Ask others for help, when needed | ||||
| Do enjoyable activities with other people | ||||
| Have intimate time with my romantic partner | ||||
| Keep in touch with old friends | ||||
| Overall social self-care |
| Spiritual Self-Care | 1 | 2 | 3 | * |
| Spend time in nature | ||||
| Meditate | ||||
| Pray | ||||
| Recognize the things that give meaning to my life | ||||
| Act in accordance with my morals and values | ||||
| Set aside time for thought and reflection | ||||
| Participate in a cause that is important to me | ||||
| Appreciate art that is impactful to me (e.g. music, film, literature) | ||||
| Overall spiritual self-care |
| Professional Self-Care | 1 | 2 | 3 | * |
| Improve my professional skills | ||||
| Say “no” to excessive new responsibilities | ||||
| Take on projects that are interesting or rewarding | ||||
| Learn new things related to my profession | ||||
| Make time to talk and build relationships with colleagues | ||||
| Take breaks during work | ||||
| Maintain balance between my professional and personal life | ||||
| Keep a comfortable workspace that allows me to be successful | ||||
| Advocate for fair pay, benefits, and other needs | ||||
| Overall professional self-care |
Self-Care Strategies
Physical Self-Care
Eat regularly (e.g. breakfast, lunch and dinner) Eat healthy
Exercise Get regular medical care for prevention
Get medical care when needed Take time off when needed
Get massages Dance, swim, walk, run, play sports, sing, or do some other physical activity that is fun
Take time to be sexual—with yourself, with a partner Get enough sleep
Wear clothes you like Take vacations
Take day trips or mini-vacations Make time away from telephones
Other:
Psychological Self-Care
Make time for self-reflection
Have your own personal psychotherapy Write in a journal
Read literature that is unrelated to work Do something at which you are not expert or in charge
__ Decrease stress in your life Let others know different aspects of you
_ Notice your inner experience—listen to your thoughts, judgments, beliefs, attitudes, and feelings Engage your intelligence in a new area, e.g. go to an art museum, history exhibit,
sports event, auction, theater performance
Practice receiving from others Be curious
Say “no” to extra responsibilities sometimes Other:
Emotional Self-Care
Spend time with others whose company you enjoy Stay in contact with important people in your life
Give yourself affirmations, praise yourself Love yourself
Re-read favorite books, re-view favorite movies Identify comforting activities, objects, people, relationships, places and seek them out
Allow yourself to cry Find things that make you laugh
Express your outrage in social action, letters and donations, marches, protests Play with children
Other:
Spiritual Self-Care Make time for reflection
Spend time with nature Find a spiritual connection or community
Be open to inspiration Cherish your optimism and hope
Be aware of nonmaterial aspects of life Try at times not to be in charge or the expert
__ Be open to not knowing Identify what in meaningful to you and notice its place in your life
_ Meditate Pray
Sing Spend time with children
Have experiences of awe Contribute to causes in which you believe
Read inspirational literature (talks, music, etc.) Other:
Workplace or Professional Self-Care
Take a break during the workday (e.g. lunch) Take time to chat with co-workers
Make quiet time to complete tasks Identify projects or tasks that are exciting and rewarding
Set limits with your clients and colleagues Balance your caseload so that no one day or part of a day is “too much”
Arrange your work space so it is comfortable and comforting Get regular supervision or consultation
Negotiate for your needs (benefits, pay raise) Have a peer support group
Develop a non-trauma area of professional interest Other:
Balance
Strive for balance within your work-life and workday _ Strive for balance among work, family, relationships, play and rest
Source: Transforming the Pain: A Workbook on Vicarious Traumatization. Saakvitne, Pearlman & Staff of TSI/CAAP (Norton, 1996)
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