Why Self-Care is More Than a Hot Bath

“You must practice self-care!” they shout from the rooftops. From influencers to corporations, the word "self-care" has been thrown around in recent years as the pinnacle of holistic care and the baseline for better health. But has the idea of self-care been co-opted by corporations and systems that profit

Solo Self-care

from the concept, ultimately leading us further away from the deep internal and external connections that self-care practices are actually about? Has society lost the deeper meaning of self-care altogether?

I would argue that the idea of self-care has been wildly distorted and co-opted by businesses, systems, and retailers to provide band-aid, individualistic solutions heavily marketed toward women and seemingly forget men altogether. Self-care has become less about connection and healing and more about products for sale rather than the cooperative, ideological, and cultural balm it should be.

In a society that promotes individuality and working beyond our capacity, we must question how anything sold can actually be a self-care item—especially when the practice or product is designed to benefit a system or institution more than the individual or their community. What if self-care is more than taking a bath, paying for a shave, or meditating to prepare us to get back to work?

A Holistic Approach to Self-Care

So what does self-care really consist of if it’s not just another bath bomb or a day at the spa? According to the University at Buffalo School of Social Work, self-care begins with understanding our needs and creating a plan to act on those areas. Their self-care assessment offers a non-exhaustive list of domains that encompass physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual, relational, and professional care. Below they ask you to rate each bullet point on a scale of 0-3 (0 being never and 3 doing it well) :

Physical Self-Care

• Eat regularly (e.g., breakfast, lunch, and dinner).

• Exercise and engage in fun physical activities like dancing or running.

• Get enough sleep (7–8 hours is recommended).

• Take vacations and time off when needed.

  
  

Psychological Self-Care

• Practice self-reflection and journaling.

• Minimize stress through relaxation techniques and counseling.

• Engage in hobbies or attend cultural events.
  

Emotional Self-Care

• Spend time with loved ones.

• Practice self-affirmation and gratitude.

• Allow yourself to cry and find joy in laughter.
  

Spiritual Self-Care

• Meditate, pray, or reflect.

• Spend time in nature and find a spiritual community.

• Contribute to meaningful causes.
  

Relational Self-Care

• Schedule regular quality time with friends and family.

• Make time to reply to personal messages and allow others to support you.
  

Workplace Self-Care

• Take breaks during the day.

• Balance work tasks to avoid burnout.

• Create a comfortable work environment.

(University at Buffalo School of Social Work, n.d.)

This comprehensive list encourages us to view self-care as something beyond a performative action. Instead, it invites us to create a roadmap for meaningful and lasting practices that address the diverse aspects of our lives.

Community-Based Self-Care

As beautiful as this is, individual self-care may still miss a critical piece of the puzzle: community. In her book, Take Care of Your Self: The Art and Cultures of Care and Liberation, Sundus Abdul Hadi argues that self-care is inherently a community-based activity. For marginalized and oppressed communities, which often lack access to resources, self-care has historically been rooted in collectivism. Drawing from ancestral wisdom, these communities foster spaces that allow members to care for one another.

This way of teaching us that self-care is not solely about individual well-being but about collective responsibility. While we can check off lists of personal care tasks, self-care should also involve "checking in"—on each other’s processes, needs, failures, wounding, and successes. Community self-care creates a sense of purpose for those who provide and fosters understanding, solidarity, and opportunities to advocate for justice. In doing so, self-care becomes a powerful tool for healing both individuals and communities (Abdul Hadi, 2020).

Real-Life Examples of Self-Care & Understanding Burnout

When disaster strikes, we’re often more capable of providing self-care and community care. An example is the recent tragedy in Ashville, where there are reports of neighbors and those from neighboring states stepping in to provide what services they can. Perhaps it’s because we can imagine ourselves in another person’s shoes. However, this collectivist behavior changes, and we again find ourselves outside of the community setting and settle back into our individualized lives.  Self-care is about reducing burnout, but to what end? Why do we want to stop burnout? Burnout diminishes not only our capacity to be with ourselves but also our capacity to be with others. It’s almost a paradox because we must be with others to provide self-care, but we must also receive from others as well. 

Conclusion

By reframing self-care to include both individual and collective well-being, we can move beyond the surface-level fixes marketed to us. True self-care fosters resilience, nurtures relationships, and builds a sense of belonging and shared purpose. Through these practices, we can honor the roots of collectivism while creating a more just and connected world that feels safer to exist in. So yes, take that bath and spend some time in nature, but don't forget that self-care extends beyond the self and into our communities.

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References

Abdul Hadi, S. (2020). Take care of Your Self: The art and cultures of care and liberation. Common Notions.

University at Buffalo School of Social Work. (n.d.). Self-care assessment [Handout]. Retrieved from https://www.buffalo.edu/content/dam/www/community/UBOTG/Self%20Care%20Assessment%20handout%20v2_1.pdf