Self-Care Is Not Selfish in Care Work
🌍 Why We Struggle to Switch Off
Let’s be honest — caring people are often brilliant at looking after everyone except themselves.
Whether you’re a professional care worker, unpaid carer or caring for a loved one at home, it’s hard to switch off. There’s always something that needs doing, someone who needs you, or a worry that follows you home.
And when you finally do get a moment, the guilt creeps in.
We tell ourselves: “I’ll rest later.”
But later rarely comes.
That’s why it’s time to start saying it proudly:
Self-care is not selfish.
Because taking care of yourself doesn’t take away from others — it makes you stronger, calmer, and better able to care.
💛 Why Time Off Matters
We know care workers and caring people often struggle to take time off — even when they’ve earned it. Staffing pressures, routine, and responsibility can make it feel impossible to step away.
But there are so many reasons why taking a break from a caring job is good for you and for the people you support.
And for those who juggle unpaid caring responsibilities alongside work, it’s just as important to use your annual leave too. You might feel tempted to spend that time catching up on chores or appointments, but real rest matters.
Take those annual leave days and use them. They exist for a reason.
Rest gives your body and mind the space to recover and reset.
And if you’re caring for a loved one at home, look for respite options or support networks that give you both breathing room. A small change in environment can make a world of difference.
💛 What Self-Care Really Looks Like
Self-care isn’t all spa days and holidays (though if you can, go for it!).
It’s the small things that help you feel human again:
A walk in the park, even for ten minutes.
Sitting in the garden with a cup of coffee and a flask.
Listening to your favourite podcast or playlist while cooking.
Writing down something that went well today.
If you’re caring for someone, do something that regenerates you both.
Spending time in nature is powerful — and there are so many accessible parks and trails these days designed for all abilities.
And if you can’t leave the house? That’s okay too.
Enjoy water play in the garden, plant something new, or have a mini “picnic indoors.”
And on those days when the weather is terrible, throw caution to the wind — put on your waterproofs and go outside anyway. Sometimes splashing in puddles does more for your mental health than you’d expect.
💛 Laughter Is Medicine Too
Care work can be intense, emotional, and heavy — which is exactly why laughter is essential.
Finding humour in the ridiculous doesn’t make you unprofessional or unkind — it makes you human.
In Peopleoo Circles, carers share the everyday ups and downs — the funny, the bizarre, and the beautifully relatable. It’s a space where you can laugh, connect, and remember that you’re not the only one going through it.
A shared giggle after a tough day can lift your whole mood — and that’s self-care, too.
💛 Refill Your Cup
You can’t pour from an empty cup — but you can refill it, one small moment at a time.
Taking care of yourself means you’ll have more patience, more joy, and more energy to give.
It means you stay connected to the parts of yourself that exist beyond caring.
So take that walk. Drink that coffee. Laugh at something silly in a Circle.
You deserve time for you — because you matter too.