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Self-Care Bingo Challenge
by Erlene Grise-Owens, EdD, LCSW, MSW, MRE, lead co-editor of The A-to-Z Self-Care Handbook for Social Workers and Other Helping Professionals
Awareness of the crucial importance of wholistic self-care is growing! It’s being seen as an integral aspect of competent, ethical practice—for example, as evidenced by NASW’s inclusion of self-care in its revised Code of Ethics. Taking self-care seriously requires explicit attention, accessible resources, and ongoing integration. But, taking self-care seriously does not mean we can’t have fun, too.
International Self-Care Day on July 24 offers a timely opportunity to (re)set our self-care commitments. And, our Self-Care BINGO adds a bit of play to the day. In celebration, let’s have some fun, while fostering the importance of self-care. Join in the Self-Care Day BINGO CHALLENGE and invite your colleagues to participate and promote Self-Care 24/7!
International Self-Care Day was initiated in 2011 by the International Foundation for Self-Care to promote “a focus and opportunity to raise the profile of healthy life-style self-care programmes around the world.” Selecting July 24th “symbolizes that benefits of self-care are experienced 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!”
We invite you to take the Self-Care Day BINGO Challenge! On July 24th, engage in self-care in at least 24 ways! Since a Bingo card has 24 squares, it’s ideal for our fun 24/7 challenge.
Use the Bingo card below to play. Invite your colleagues to participate! Share this challenge with your organization and other networks. Have a team challenge/competition.
Self Care Bingo Card
(Click here to download the Self-Care Bingo card in PDF format.)
Use our Bingo card provided, make substitutions that fit your lifestyle, OR design your own. Here’s a previous blog post on low-cost self-care to spark ideas. Here are some ideas for professional self-care. Remember that self-care is not always fun - here are some ways to engage in self-care that doesn’t always feel good.
We’d love to hear about your Self-Care BINGO experience. Share how your challenge goes in the comments below!
Happy International Self-Care Day! If you would like further resources to develop any of these areas of your self-care, please check out previous Self-Care A-Z blog posts and The A-to-Z Self-Care Handbook for Social Workers and Other Helping Professionals.
Remember: Self-care is life-long, not just one day. Self-care is a wholistic lifestyle. And, it starts when? Today! BINGO!
Peace, Love, & Self-Care,
Erlene
Erlene Grise-Owens, EdD, LCSW, MSW, MRE, is a Partner in The Wellness Group, ETC. This LLC provides evaluation, training, and consultation for organizational wellness and practitioner well-being. Dr. Grise-Owens is lead editor of The A-to-Z Self-Care Handbook for Social Workers and Other Helping Professionals. As a former faculty member and graduate program director, she and a small (but mighty!) group of colleagues implemented an initiative to promote self-care as part of the social work education curriculum. Previously, she served in clinical and administrative roles. She has experience with navigating toxicity and dysfunction, up-close and personal! Likewise, as an educator, she saw students enter the field and quickly burn out. As a dedicated social worker, she believes the well-being of practitioners is a matter of social justice and human rights. Thus, she is on a mission to promote self-care and wellness!