Self-care isn’t about spoiling yourself; it’s about paying attention to your well-being and protecting your ability to show up at work, at home, and in your community. In rural communities, sometimes taking care of yourself can feel unrealistic or even selfish. When there’s work to do, people depending on you, and limited time, self-care can end up at the bottom of your to-do list — if it makes the list at all.
In this article
- What is self-care, and why is it important?
- Why does self-care feel tough in rural communities?
- How do you find time for self-care with constant responsibilities?
- How does rural culture affect self-care?
- What does self-care look like in rural communities?
- Who can you reach out to for help in rural communities?
- When is it important to consider extra support?
Key points
- Self-care can feel hard for people in rural communities, but it is a necessity, not a luxury. It’s about sustaining your well-being.
- Self-care for people in rural communities often involves simple, realistic, daily habits.
- Feeling burned out despite self-care may be a sign that you could use more support.
If self-care feels tough, that doesn’t mean you’re failing at caring for yourself or that your willpower isn’t strong enough. Often, the circumstances and responsibilities of day-to-day life can make it harder to prioritize yourself. Understanding barriers and finding tactics that work for you are important steps for making self-care a part of your life.
What is self-care, and why is it important?
Many people think of self-care as spa days, yoga classes, or time off work — but it’s much broader than that! The main point of self-care is to support your basic mental and physical health. It’s the small things that help you relax and reset.
Taking care of yourself helps you keep going and be there for the people who count on you. When you skip self-care, stress adds up and increases your risk for:
- Burnout
- Sleep troubles
- Physical health problems
- Anxiety or depression
- Being irritable or quick-tempered
Why does self-care feel tough in rural communities?
A lot of self-care advice assumes people have free time, access to services, and privacy. When you live in a rural community, these things aren’t always easy to come by, and the days often feel full before they even start. Rural living often means:
- Long work hours or busy seasons
- Caring for children or older family members (and sometimes neighbors)
- Long drives to see doctors or get other services
- Limited mental health providers
- Tight-knit communities where privacy feels complicated
These are just some of the aspects of rural living that can make self-care feel difficult. But just because it’s difficult doesn’t mean it’s impossible.
How do you find time for self-care with constant responsibilities?
In many rural households, the work never really ends. Farms and ranches don’t close. Shift work runs long. Caregiving starts early and stretches into evenings. On top of those things, there is even more pressure during specific times of year, like planting, harvest, and calving seasons. The financial ups and downs of farming, along with the effects of harsh weather, can add yet another layer of stress. When we’re dealing with non-stop responsibilities, making time for ourselves can feel like abandoning duties or falling behind.
That’s why self-care isn’t something you do only when you find time; it’s something you need to make time for.
Tips for making time:
- Create a short wind-down ritual (wash up, step outside, stretch).
- Take a purposeful pause between major tasks.
- Choose a consistent break time each day (even if it’s just 15 minutes) to tend to your needs.
How does rural culture affect self-care?
The strong, independent, service-oriented qualities of rural communities can also make self-care feel complicated. Turning to faith, putting in hard work, and “toughing it out” have helped families get through hard times for many years. But those same values and the pressure of having people (and maybe animals) relying on you can also make it hard to admit when you’re stressed out or stretched too thin.
You might think:
- “I’m supposed to be able to handle this.”
- “Other people have it much worse than me.”
- “I don’t need help.”
But that doesn’t mean that you don’t deserve some care, too.
What does self-care look like in rural communities?
Self-care doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive. It can be simple, everyday habits that help your body and mind.
In rural communities, self-care might look like:
- Sitting in your truck for some quiet time before starting or ending the day.
- Taking a walk around the property without checking your phone.
- Remembering to drink water every hour or so throughout the day, especially in the heat.
- Going to bed 20 minutes early a few times this week.
- Turning off the news when it’s stressful.
- Talking around the dinner table instead of eating in front of the TV.
- Taking time for daily prayer or reflection.
- Chatting on the porch with your spouse after the kids go to bed.
Self-care isn’t about spoiling yourself. It protects your ability to show up at work, at home, and in your community. Sometimes it also means asking for help.
Who can you reach out to for help in rural communities?
In rural communities, support can come from a number of places:
Friends and neighbors
Rural communities often have strong networks of people who look out for each other. Sometimes just reaching out to someone you trust can make a big difference. If you’re not sure how to get started, you could say:
- “Do you have a minute? I need to talk about some stuff.”
- “I’ve been feeling more stressed than usual. How do you handle this kind of thing?”
You can also check out this list of things to say when you’re not fine.
Extension offices
Extension services often connect rural residents to mental health resources, financial assistance programs, and community support. Use this search tool to find an extension near you.
Faith communities
Churches and other faith-based organizations can connect you with practical help to lighten the load you’re carrying and also provide emotional support.
When is it important to consider extra support?
Stress is part of life, and self-care is necessary for managing it, but stress may be getting out of hand if you notice:
- Getting easily annoyed or angry
- Having trouble sleeping
- Using alcohol or substances to cope
- Losing interest in things you used to like
- Feeling sick or worn out all the time
- Feeling like things are never going to get better
If these sound familiar, you can take a free, confidential test at mhascreening.org to help you understand what you’re experiencing and what next steps might help. Bringing the results to your primary care provider or family doctor is also a good place to start.
Remember, taking time to care for yourself doesn’t make you less dependable; it helps you stay dependable. Self-care protects your ability to work, care for your family, make level-headed choices, and feel steady through hard times.
If you end up needing more help, you’re not alone. MHA has affiliates across the country who can connect you with support.
If you’re in crisis and need immediate help, call or text 988 to reach a trained crisis counselor 24/7.
