The document discusses the benefits of self-care and mindfulness for managing stress and mental health, providing tips and examples of practices like exercise, meditation, journaling, and limiting technology use. It explains that self-care is assessing and meeting one's needs, while mindfulness is paying attention to the present moment non-judgmentally, and both can improve health, boost self-esteem, reduce burnout, and build resilience. Recommended resources on the topics include books and audiobooks by Jon Kabat-Zinn and Thich Nhat Hanh that provide guidance on meditation and mindfulness practices.

1. Mental Maintenance
Self-Care andmindfulnessforthe overwhelmed,impatient,fastidious,andquick-tempered
PresentedbyJeremyBolom,AssistantDirectorof LincolnParishLibrary,Louisiana
jbolom@mylpl.orgor318-513-5512
Self-Care vs.Mindfulness
 More medical definition: Self-care isthe practice of takingactionto preserve orimprove one’s
ownhealth. Forour purpose:it’saskingwhatyouneed& followingthroughwiththe honest
answer.
 Mindfulnessisthe practice of “payingattentioninaparticularway: on purpose,inthe present
moment,andnonjudgmentally.”
Benefitsof Self-Care vs.Mindfulness
 Self-Care:
o BetterHealth(Managesstress;bettersleep)
o Boostsself-esteem&confidence (self-worth)
o Reducesburn-out(Work/lifebalance)
o Increasescapacityforempathy(mental)
o Buildsresilience (mental) A benefitisresilience,youwill getknockeddown,butthe key
isgettingback upfasterand withlesstime downinthe dumps.
o Modelshealthybehaviortoothers.
 Mindfulness:
o All the above forSelf-Care,plus:
o MindfulnessPractices,especiallymeditation
o Controlsanxiety
o Fightaddictions
o Healthbenefits:bettersleep,painmanagement,etc.
Self-Care:AQuick Guide
 Is askingwhatyouneed& following throughwiththe honestanswer
 Livingvs.existingORthrivingvs.surviving
 These involve personal andprivate needs
 There are twotypesof self-care assessmentsderivedfromthe same source : Transforming the
Pain:A Workbookon VicariousTraumatization (forprofessionalswhoworkwithtraumatized
clients)
 These force difficultpersonal conversations whichmake youface yourneedsandemotionshead
on
 Areasof assessment:
o Physical
o Psychological
o Emotional

2. o Spiritual
o Personal
o Professional
“If youcan’t love yourself,howinthe hell yougonnalove someone else?” –RuPaul
Examplesof Self-Care
 Exercise :Physical
 Healthydiet:Physical
 Regularsleeproutine :Physical
 Take breaks : Professional
 Relocate atlunch : Professional
 Use sickleave :Professional
Self-Care:Tipsfrom Reality
 Pay emotional attention.(to yourattitude). Knowingwhenit’stime forself-care.Honestyis
still the bestpolicy,especiallytoyourself. How isbeatingyourself uphelping?
 Rediscoveryour joy!
 Have an anchor : Findyour reboot,refocus,andyourchannel of release. Thisis yourgo-to,like
your happysong. A true escape.The one thingthat can alwaysdistract…always.
 Wise venting.keepyourventilationsystemclean!Vent,custhe steam’sgottagosomewhere.
But spreaditwisely. Gossipisdangerous! Joinaclubof sharedinterests.
 Read/listento advice (books,articles,apps,etc.) Make a pointto add self-care titlestoyour
TRP and schedule itin. Keepitvariedandkeepitbrewing.
 Make the time. Planit anddo it on purpose;it’sworthit,soschedule the time. Inkitin;don’t
pencil itin.Disconnect:yourbrainneedsfocusedrest. Toomuchtechnologyleadsto
overstimulation.
 Keepaccount : Journal.Personal.Guided(published).Apps
Mindfulness:AQuick Guide
 One of the bestacts of self-care
 Exercise forthe brain
 Three typesof mindfulness practice:
o Mindful moments (completeconcentrationonthe taskat hand; if youare goingto wash
the dishes,justwashthe dished.)
o Mindful self-care (see below)
o Meditation (see below)
 How to make self-care mindful?
o Becomesmore impactful withfocusonwhatyouare doing,regardlesswhatitis
o Easy one:affirmations:use one formyoucomplimentsfile.These canbe usedin
meditation.

3. o Yoga incorporatesbreathing
o Sayingno: keepingwiththe taskathand“I can do whatI needtodo better,if I am
allowedtoconcentrate mytime andefforts.”
o “In the zone”hobbies
 Meditation:“Tomeditate withmindful breathingistobringbodyandmindback to the present
momentsothat you donot missyourappointmentwithlife.” –ThichNhấtHahn
o Usingthe breath : “Breath isthe bridge whichconnectslife toconsciousness,which
unitesyourbodyto yourthoughts.” – Thích NhấtHạnh
o Bodyscan : Checkinginwithall partsof your body.(painmanagement)
o Visualization :Contemplationonthe attributesof anotherobjectorlivingthing(tree,
mountain,river,pebble inthe stream)
o Walking
o Guided : recorded
Mindfulness:Tipsfrom Reality
 All the Same as Self-care
o Pay emotional attention.
o Rediscoveryourjoy!
o Have an anchor –: a mindful anchor;mine isthe bodyscan.
o Wise venting.Probablyfindyou’dhave lesstoventabout.
o Read/listentoadvice (books,articles,apps,etc.)
o Make the time.
o Keepaccount
 PLUS:
o Moments,not monuments. One thingat a time.time ;one breathat a time;practice,
practice,practice and start againevenwhenyoustop,evenfora longtime.
 “The future isbeingmade outof the present,sothe bestway to take care of the
future isto take care of the presentmoment.”Thich NhấtHahn
o Recognize,accept,and continue.Acceptyourfeelings andfaults.Acknowledge them
and love them. Forgive yourself first. It’sokto feel whatyoufeel. Evenregret. It’s
much easiertomake peace once youacknowledge yourownemotionsfirst. And
sometimes,yourealize the problemisratherone sidedornot worthworryingwithat
all.
o Be a Tension seeker. Findthe tensioninyourbodytoletitgo (Bodyscan meditaion)
o Sound escapes: Soundscapes:white noise;soundbaths;music
o Stay Mindful. Yourproblemwill be there later,andyourmindwill notbe sofatigued
fromworry that youwill be able tohandle itmore easily.
o Let go. There isan art to lettinggo.Practice andit maytake more thanonce to succeed.
Visualizelettinggo: Breathe in:pull ittowardsyou. Breathe out: pushit away
 “To letgo meansto give upcoercing,resisting,orstruggling,inexchange for
somethingmore powerful andwholesome whichcomesoutof allowingthings

4. to be as theyare withoutgettingcaughtupinyour attractionto or rejectionof
them. It’sa akinto lettingyourpalmopentounhandsomethingyouhave been
holdingonto.”--JonKabat-Zinn
o Just breathe
Additional Resources:
If you readjust a few,I recommendthe titlesbelow. All are available onaudio.
 Wherever You Go, There You Are: MindfulnessMeditation in Everyday Life by JonKabat-Zinn
©2005 (10th edition)
 Wisdomfroma HumbleJellyfish: and otherSelf-CareRitualsfromNatureby Rani Shah ©2020
 The Miracle of Mindfulness:An Introduction to thePractice of Meditation by Thich NhấtHahn
©1987