Self Care Checklist - www4

Self-Care ChecklistThis assessment tool provides an overview of effective strategies that you can do to maintain yourresilience and promote personal sustainability. After completing the full assessment, choose one item fromeach area that you will actively work on to take good care of yourself.Using the scale below, rate the following areas in terms of frequency:5 = Frequently4 = Occasionally3 = Rarely2 = Never1 = It never occurred to mePhysical 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 counselor or coach if you need one___ 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 is 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 workload 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___ Have a peer support group___ Develop or explore other areas of professional interest___ Other:Balance___ Strive for balance within your work-life and workday___ Strive for balance among work, family, relationships, play and restAdapted from: Saakvitne, K.W. and Pearlman, L.A. (1996). Transforming the Pain: A Workbook on VicariousTraumatization. New York: Norton.