Sometimes we talk about self care and focus only on feeling comfortable, rested, and calm after a difficult day. Self care is so much more than that though, and includes areas like our physical self care practices, access to knowledge, good hygiene, and even spiritual self care.
Even if you’re here mostly for self care ideas, journaling prompts, and positive affirmations, knowing about the wider scope and impact of self care can be super useful. This guide helps explain the 7 pillars of self care and how they can help guide you through your own self care or self love journey.
What are the 7 pillars of self care?
The seven pillars of self care is a framework developed by the International Self-Care Foundation (ISF). It breaks down the notion of “self care” into seven different areas, or pillars. Each of these pillars plays a role in helping you take better care of your mind, body, and life.
The 7 pillars of self care are:
- Knowledge and health literacy
- Mental wellbeing
- Physical activity
- Healthy eating
- Risk avoidance
- Good hygiene
- Rational use of products and services
We talk a lot here about self care as a great tool to help us with our mental health and wellbeing, but this 7 pillars of self care framework shows you that there’s so much more it can do beyond mental self care. Self care involves not just making ourselves feel comfortable, but about taking care of our body and knowledge too. It also includes emotional self care, social self care, environmental self care, and recreational self care.
A closer look at the 7 pillars of self care
The 7 pillars of self care framework is a great introduction to the subject. It’s a reminder that self care for health and wellbeing encompasses so much, and also that almost everything we do can be a form of taking care of ourselves.
Here’s a closer look at each of those 7 pillars of self care and what they’re all about.
Pillar 1 — Knowledge and health literacy
Before we can look after ourselves, we first need to know what that involves. The World Health Organization (WHO) has defined health literacy as: “The cognitive and social skills which determine the motivation and ability of individuals to gain access to, understand and use information in ways which promote and maintain good health.”
In simple terms, health literacy and healthcare knowledge is all about understanding what good health looks like and how to achieve it. It’s about knowing good information from bad, using trusted sources for knowledge, and having the means to find this information in the first place. Having overall health literacy means you’re more likely to make positive choices, because you have an idea of what that means in daily life.
Pillar 2 — Mental wellbeing
The second pillar looks at mental wellbeing and also having the self awareness and agency to put that into practice. This involves understanding yourself, adding context, and using this to help you make good decisions based on your own needs, abilities, and energy levels so you can avoid burnout and future health issues.
Mental wellbeing is a major part of your self care journey. Self awareness is the foundation that allows you to start tackling challenges and celebrating successes. Knowing your situation, and what you want to change or celebrate about it, means you can move forward with confidence and a plan.
Pillar 3 — Physical activity
This pillar might sound simple, and that’s because it is. A key part of self care is physical activity in some form. The type of physical activity you do, where you do it, and for how long are all completely individual — but moving a little every day is a great self care activity.
Spending time on physical activity helps us feel better and has been shown to help our health, fitness, and mood. Moving our body, even if it’s through a gentle walk or cycle, can help us manage illnesses and also bring benefits in areas like sleep, mental health, and reduced stress.
Pillar 4 — Healthy eating
Thanks to health literacy, we know that healthy eating can help us live better and it’s one way that we can embrace self care and wellness. An unhealthy diet can be a contributor or risk factor for illnesses and poor health, so having a healthy diet can help us feel better and take care of our mind and body.
Having a healthy diet means something different to everyone, but the WHO’s guidance on a healthy diet is a useful place to start. I know that for lots of us eating “healthy” foods can be challenging, which is why I think it’s important to balance this healthy mindset alongside any sensory needs you might have. Aim for something that feels manageable for you and your self care routines — maybe that’s eating more vegetables, reducing additional sugar intake, or eating less salt.
Pillar 5 —Risk avoidance
Part of taking care of ourselves is about protecting ourselves from risk and harm. Engaging in risky behaviors is often a sign we’re not looking out for our best interests, so risk avoidance is a sign that we’re investing in our own self care. This also includes setting boundaries and maintaining them.
There are risks in almost every area of life. When we talk about risk avoidance it’s often things like not smoking, wearing sunscreen, and driving carefully. It also includes other risks too though, like avoiding extreme spending or leaving everything until the last possible minute. Being mindful of risks and taking steps to make ourselves safer is a healthy habit to adopt and fits well with the simple formula for living.
Pillar 6 — Good hygiene
A key part of self care is managing good hygiene, but it’s often one of the first things we drop if we’re feeling low in mood, energy, or motivation. Maintaining good hygiene helps us avoid the spread of disease, and is especially important if you’re involved in food preparation or working in spaces with others.
Much of the focus on good hygiene talks about water sanitization and hand washing, but personal hygiene also plays a role. Taking the time to shower, brush our teeth, brush our hair, and put on deodorant are all things that promote good hygiene. They can have a knock-on effect on things like our self esteem and healthy relationships too. They’re hard to do at times, but make for an approachable first step in your self care journey.
Pillar 7 — Rational use of products and services
The last of the 7 pillars of self care is all about using products and health services in the way they’re designed. This includes things like using products as prescribed, avoiding unsafe products, and being mindful when using gym equipment.
Using self care products and services carefully and appropriately is a great investment of our self care energy. If we don’t follow an expert’s instructions or ignore the packaging, we could end up further away from our goal. Reading and following advice and using things properly means we’re looking out for our best interests and taking positive steps forward.
Invest in all areas of yourself with the help of these 7 pillars of self care
Self care touches almost every aspect of our lives. It includes everything from crossing the road in a safe place to brushing our teeth. Use these 7 pillars of self care to help you understand more about what investing in your self care looks like, so you can plan your daily routine and goals around improving your experience of life a little more every day. If you’re not sure where to start, try the 12 steps to self care as a useful introduction.
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