Warm Up: What is Self-Care?

Take a moment to think about what 'self-care' means to you. Share one word or a short phrase that comes to mind when you hear the term 'self-care'.

Self-Care Discussion Guide

Introduction: What is Self-Care?

1. What comes to mind when you hear the term "self-care"?
2. Why do you think self-care is important, especially for teenagers?
3. What are some common misconceptions about self-care?

Exploring Dimensions of Self-Care

Physical Self-Care

1. What are some simple ways you already take care of your physical body?
2. What challenges do you face in maintaining physical well-being (e.g., getting enough sleep, eating healthy)?
3. How does your physical health impact your ability to learn or your mood?

Emotional Self-Care

1. How do you currently manage stress or difficult emotions?
2. What are some healthy ways to express your feelings?
3. Why is it important to acknowledge and process your emotions rather than ignoring them?

Social Self-Care

1. How do your relationships with friends and family contribute to your well-being?
2. What does a healthy social boundary look like to you?
3. How can you ensure your social interactions are supportive and not draining?

Academic Self-Care

1. What are your biggest stressors when it comes to schoolwork?
2. What strategies do you use to manage your time and academic responsibilities?
3. How can prioritizing your well-being actually improve your academic performance?

Self-Care Brainstorm: My Well-being Toolkit

Think about different ways you can take care of yourself in each of the following areas. Brainstorm as many ideas as you can!

1. Physical Self-Care (Caring for your body)

• What activities help you feel energized and healthy?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

2. Emotional Self-Care (Nurturing your feelings and mind)

• What helps you cope with stress, sadness, or anger in a healthy way?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

3. Social Self-Care (Connecting with others and your community)

• What kinds of interactions make you feel supported and happy?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

4. Academic Self-Care (Managing school and learning stress)

• What practices help you stay focused, organized, and avoid burnout?
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

My Self-Care Blueprint: Building My Routine

Now it's time to design your own personalized self-care routine! Look back at your brainstorming ideas from the Self-Care Brainstorm Activity and choose 1-2 realistic and sustainable practices for each dimension that you can commit to.

My Self-Care Commitments

1. Physical Self-Care

• What specific actions will you take to care for your body? (e.g., "Go to bed by 10 PM on school nights," "Drink 4 bottles of water a day," "Take a 20-minute walk 3 times a week")
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

2. Emotional Self-Care

• What specific actions will you take to nurture your feelings and mind? (e.g., "Journal for 10 minutes every evening," "Practice 5 minutes of mindful breathing when stressed," "Listen to music when I feel overwhelmed")
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

3. Social Self-Care

• What specific actions will you take to connect with others in a healthy way? (e.g., "Call a friend once a week," "Spend quality time with family without distractions," "Limit social media to 30 minutes a day")
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

4. Academic Self-Care

• What specific actions will you take to manage school stress and support your learning? (e.g., "Plan out my homework schedule each Sunday," "Take a 10-minute break for every hour of studying," "Ask a teacher for help if I don't understand something")
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Reflection

1. What is one challenge you anticipate in sticking to your self-care routine?
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. What is one benefit you hope to gain from consistently practicing self-care?
   
   
   
   
   
   

Cool Down: My Self-Care Commitment

On a scale of 1-5 (1 being not at all, 5 being absolutely), how committed are you to trying out at least one new self-care practice from your blueprint this week? Why?

Self-Care Check-In Quiz Answer Key

1. Which of the following is an example of physical self-care?

• Correct Answer: B) Getting 8 hours of sleep
• Explanation: Physical self-care involves actions that nourish your body, and getting adequate sleep is a fundamental aspect of this.

2. Setting healthy boundaries in relationships falls under which dimension of self-care?

• Correct Answer: C) Social self-care
• Explanation: Social self-care includes managing your interactions with others to ensure they are supportive and do not drain your energy. Setting boundaries is key to maintaining healthy social relationships.

3. Explain in your own words why self-care is important for high school students.

• Possible Answer: Self-care is important for high school students because it helps them manage the stress of academics, social pressures, and future planning. By practicing self-care, students can improve their mental and physical health, build resilience, and develop healthy habits that will benefit them throughout their lives. It helps prevent burnout and allows them to perform better in school and in their personal lives.

4. Taking regular study breaks and managing your time effectively are examples of which type of self-care?

• Correct Answer: C) Academic self-care
• Explanation: Academic self-care focuses on strategies to manage school-related stress and responsibilities, such as effective time management and taking breaks to avoid burnout.

5. Name two specific emotional self-care practices and describe how they can help manage stress.

• Possible Answer 1: Journaling. This practice allows students to express their feelings, process thoughts, and gain perspective on their emotions, which can reduce stress by externalizing internal turmoil.
• Possible Answer 2: Mindfulness or meditation. These practices help students focus on the present moment, calm their minds, and regulate their emotional responses, leading to reduced anxiety and improved emotional well-being.

My Self-Care Journey Project Guide

Objective: To apply and reflect on your personalized self-care routine over a period of time, observing its impact on your well-being.

Project Overview

This project invites you to actively implement your "Self-Care Blueprint" for one week and document your experiences. This will help you understand what practices are most effective for you and how to adjust your routine as needed.

Deliverables

1. Completed My Self-Care Blueprint Journal: Ensure all sections of your journal are filled out, including your chosen commitments and initial reflections.
   
   
   

2. Self-Care Log (Daily): For one week, keep a daily log of the self-care practices you engaged in. Note down:

   • The practice (e.g., "drank 8 glasses of water," "journaled for 10 min," "went for a walk")
   • How long you spent on it
   • How it made you feel (e.g., "more energized," "calmer," "less stressed")
   • Any challenges you faced or adjustments you made.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

3. Reflection Essay (300-500 words) or Presentation (3-5 minutes): Based on your experience over the week, write a reflective essay or prepare a short presentation addressing the following:

   • Which self-care practices were most effective for you and why?
   • Which practices were challenging to maintain? What did you learn from this?
   • How did consistently practicing self-care impact your physical, emotional, social, and academic well-being?
   • What adjustments would you make to your self-care blueprint moving forward?
   • What is the most important take-away from this project?
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

Timeline

• Day 1 (After lesson): Begin implementing your Self-Care Blueprint and start your daily Self-Care Log.
• End of Week 1: Complete your Self-Care Log.
• Day 8: Submit your Reflection Essay or deliver your Presentation.

Assessment

This project will be assessed using the Self-Care Journey Project Rubric. It will be based on the completeness of your journal and log, the thoughtfulness of your reflection, and your ability to connect your experiences back to the concepts discussed in class.

Self-Care Journey Project Rubric

Project Objective: To apply and reflect on your personalized self-care routine over a period of time, observing its impact on your well-being.