By now, we all know that self-care activities are important. We know that it’s essential to pause and relax, to spend some time on yourself. However, when you’re juggling work, family, hobbies, friends, and content creation…it doesn’t feel like self-care.
But when done right, creating content is an essential part of your self-care checklist. In this article, we’ll tell you why content creation should be one of your self-care activities and how it can help you recharge. But first, let’s get one thing straight.
Can Social Media Be Part of Your Self-Care Activities 🤔
Short answer: yes, and no.
Yes, creating content and connecting with people online can be part of your self-care activities. It can be enriching and exciting to create, dive into your passions, and meet like-minded people.
But no, going on social media should not be one of your self-care activities. Scrolling is not a sustainable or effective way to self-care. We know that social media can increase feelings of anxiety, depression, and inadequacy. From a constant stream of bad news to unrealistic expectations you feel compelled to meet, to literally killing your attention span, social media isn’t the best thing to have on your self-care checklist.
In this article, we’re specifically talking about creating content. Not consuming it, not doom-scrolling, but creating and sharing content. Because, despite what you might think, creating videos can be a powerful self-care activity.
What Can Be Considered Self-Care Activities? 💖
Self-care activities are anything that lets you relax or recharge. Typically, they’re activities that help you improve your physical, mental, and emotional health. Common things on a self-care checklist might include taking a walk, spending time with loved ones, engaging with hobbies, and even meditation.
For many of us, content creation is a hobby. Taking part in it can be self-care. But what exactly makes it a good self-care activity?
Diving Into Your Passions 🥽
Creating content lets you explore and dive into your passions. You’re giving yourself space to do something you love. That can be so refreshing, even if you’re not just doing it for fun.
Prioritize content about things you love when you start creating a content schedule. Drawn to horror movies? Start a series that recommends or recaps your favorites. Love trying local spots? Try vlogging the experience. Really enjoy being in your garden? Start creating content about it.
Letting Yourself Play 🤪
Creating content lets you experiment and get creative. It’s literally in the name. And when you create, you usually end up totally focused on the activity and get a little lost in it. Your brain relaxes, and you’re less critical of your ideas, making it easier to try new things. In short, creativity gives your brain a break and allows it to explore new ideas.
And when do you get the chance to do that?! We’re so concerned with productivity and doing everything the “right” way that we don’t have the opportunity to play around. You can use content creation as an opportunity to play and explore. Even if it’s something you have to get done, let yourself be creative and play around with the content.
Learning (and Trying) New Things 🧠
Being a content creator means you’re constantly learning new skills and trying new things. This can be great for self-care. To learn something, you have to completely shut out everything else. You’re using your brain for something outside of the norm and giving yourself a (doable) challenge. Plus, it feels like you’re being productive while doing something you love.
You’re using your brain to literally develop something new, like a painting or writing. As we said in the last point, your imagination can find new ways to create content, new styles to try, and more. And at the end, you have something new to show off and be proud of.
The Ultimate Distraction 😮💨
One of the most important things self-care activities can do is distract you. It gives you a break from the more stressful or draining parts of your day and makes you focus on something else. You “turn your brain off” and get to put your energy toward something that’s just for you.
Content creation, in all its forms, does exactly that. Even if you’re vlogging or creating lifestyle content, you’re not worrying about what’s going on outside of editing a video. Scripting and recording can also distract you. Getting some mental and emotional space can help you process the day. And it breaks up what might otherwise be a dull or frustrating situation.
Third Spaces and Community 👯
An underrated self-care activity is spending time with your community and loved ones. It can be hard to do that in our busy world, and some of us might not even have a community in-person. Content creation helps bridge that gap.
Successful content creation requires you to also create a community. You connect with other creators about shared interests and passions. Which can be a really powerful form of self-care. Getting to nerd out with other people who just get it is so refreshing! It’s the ultimate recharge. And, whether or not you think you need it, having a community to vent with, celebrate successes, and just belong to is necessary.
Conclusion ❤️🩹
Whether you’ve been creating for years or are trying to start now, content creation can be a great self-care activity. From exploring your passions to distracting you to helping you find community, content creation can take care of a lot of things on your self-care checklist. Next time you create your content calendar, think of it as an act of self-care. How can you make it fun? How can you use it to recharge?
