A Self-Care Action Plan

Self-care can seem like a daunting task when you've already got a lot on your plate, so let's take a little time to reflect on what works best for you, and make an action plan.

Huge thanks to Sarah Manuel for supporting us on Patreon!

Hosted by: Hank Green

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RESOURCES (almost 50 self-care action ideas to take!):

[ThatmMonsterEmily]

I've noticed for myself that when I start slipping into depression, I start letting my house get dirty and messy. I consider tidying up daily as a part of my self care plan. It can also help prevent me from falling deeper into my episodes.

[TheNicolexoxo]

"you are a human being and that is enough to warrant compassion and kindness" YES

[Mimi-cqbg]

A super smart lady I know have me the secret. Treat yourself how you would treat a three year old.

1. Good healthy snacks, frequently throughout the day.
2. Lots of water!
3. Some time outside
4. A little time in front of a good show.
5. A yummy dinner.
6. A walk after a yummy dinner.
7. A bath after the awesome walk.
8. A book after the bath.
9. A few minutes of quiet time, after the book. Finish your mug of warm milk, if that's how you roll.
10. Lights out early with a super hydrating night cream. ASMR videos are a wonderful option, as is cuddling with a stuffy or a dog or whatever else that makes you feel at peace.

[SimonAndersson-]

I like how the person who was teaching me chemistry is now the same person teaching me how to care for myself 😂😂

[laurenunreal]

It's so refreshing to get a non-prescriptive guide to self-care! As well-intended as posts with lists of how to practice self-care work, they're not always that constructive. It's nice to see a video that 1. sets out how to actually make a self-care plan and 2. acknowledges that different things work for different people!

[annslyart]

My tips for myself:
1 - If I feel down for a long time, I won`t be shy about going to the psychologist because it is one of the fastest and really vital ways to understand what happens to me.
2 - to be a friend to me. I try to support myself, just as I support my friends. Trying to use a lot of patience for myself and refocus on the resting.
3 - trying to use only long-term dopamine. I am sure my brain should produce dopamine from itself, it is precious to me, and it is an ongoing process.
I wish you good emotional feelings. And to me :)

[madmisskelly]

I like reading before bed, journaling in the evening and meditating in the morning. I don't always do these things but i feel better when I do. Cutting out the internet before bed was a great way to get better sleep. I also notice I stick to a bedtime when I read before bed.

[lahdeedah]

Because my depression and anxiety make me want to withdraw, part of my self-care is setting up hangout dates with friends and family. Stuff that is casual and low stress like going for a walk or grabbing coffee or visiting the library. That way I feel less stress about going out and I look forward to socializing, something I find difficult at times

[deeyoyo]

so I'm disabled, and have found that I let things that cost me energy, but don't get a 'reward', like for instance preparing food for myself, slide quite often. I live on my own since a few months, and don't have anybody that cooks for me anymore (read: mom and dad). For a while it was my intenties to invest time to become a better cook, but it turns out I really don't have the energy for it. So now I just try to at least eat 2 simple meals a day, and I've found a new way to relax: jigsawpuzzles! I get so relaxed from them and it's a good way to mentally charge myself without physically exhausting myself as well. Great video, I loved what you did with the Chanel!

[paigemarysmith]

Huge thing for me is remembering I deserve self care. I often remind myself to treat myself how I would treat someone I love, like my family or friends.

[ShaylaFitzpatrick]

This is actually perfect and I'm going to share this with my residents (I'm an RA) for finals week.

[TheNickieMickey]

Helped me pass my AP classes. Now Hank is helping me pass life. Wow

[andreabeangibson]

I often struggle with self care. I let everything else in my life take priority over making sure I'm okay mentally. It's really touching to have someone I respect so much tell me, and others like me, to take care of myself. Thank you

[CaptainPIanet]

Hank, I just wanted to let you know that I look up to you, perceived failures and all. Your endeavor to continually improve yourself and reassess your viewpoints is an admirable one.

[KittyOnATRex]

Hi Hank, I'm Kat. I'm a disabled single mom, and I lost my health suddenly a year from my bachelors degree.
YOU are a part of my self care. 💜
Scishow and ALL of your related YouTube chanels have helped keep me sane through long days of illness. I cannot express enough how grateful I am for the fun and thoughtful brain food. I adore your whole cast. My 2 teenagers love your shows too! They promote great conversations, and I highly recommend to everyone, watching it with your kids if you can.
Thank you Hank.
😘Shhh, don't tell the others you're my favorite.
#smilefile

[qur]

I'm here for my work online assignments as a healthcare worker. It's very helpful in all aspects of life. BE WELL AND BE SAFE.

[Artofcarissa]

I have anxiety and depression and for the longest time my appetite went south and I wouldn't eat all day until 4pm. It got really bad and lost a lot of weight too quickly so I decided to make a biweekly meal plan to make sure I'm eating breakfast lunch and dinner every day.

[neonsilver]

I'm in a very isolated area right now in a rural place, and my friends all live in a city to the north, like 3 hours away. I don't get to be very social because of this, and as an ambivert, there is only a little of that that I can stand before I feel like I'm going to go crazy. To rectify this, I make a point every other weekend or so to actually drive all the way up there and spend some quality time with the people that I care about. To make this not so bad, I'm moving soon to be closer to them, and to me, that is self care. Taking into account my emotional needs, and actively seeking out solutions to isolation and loneliness problems.

[avclayton]

I needed this reminder -- thank you.

I've got a couple different YT playlists for when I get stuck in a mental black hole and need to get out of my brain. Equal parts nostalgia, cute critters, and positive social interaction. Nothing profound, just things to get me back outside the event horizon. I've also recently discovered that drawing is a good way to short-circuit a black mood (and mix metaphors).

[АленаСамойлова-му]

There are my self-care tips which help me to prevent burnout:
1. Set time aside for doing nothing and to be appreciate myself for that
2. To stay hydrated help to stay physically fit and positive
3. Do a bunch of push-ups in the morning
4. When I’m feeling down I’m doing more small breaks throughout the work day
5. Reading books help reduce the negative effects of stress