We’ve all been there—putting our needs first and not realizing how it affects others. While taking care of ourselves is always important, some of our self-care habits may come off as a bit selfish to those around us. Let’s look at thirteen types of self-care practices that our friends, family, or coworkers may see as selfish. Just remember that we’re not trying to criticize anyone and you should always try to look after yourself.
Featured Image Credit: Koldunova_Anna /Depositphotos.com.
Taking Time Off When Work Is Crazy
Choosing to take a personal day right in the middle of a hectic workweek might help you recharge, yet it comes across as selfish to your coworkers, especially when projects are piling up & deadlines are close. Your absence adds extra stress to the team and it’s even worse if you’re the only one who knows how to do certain tasks. Those around you will likely struggle when you’re not there which could cause all sorts of frustration—and possible delays.
Using Shared Money for Pricey Wellness Treats
Spending your savings on expensive wellness retreats or treatments often feels like the best form of self-care, yet it seems selfish when those are joint funds. Booking a costly spa weekend without discussing it with your partner could disrupt your financial plans and it may affect your budgeting for other important expenses. Your spending habits may create tension & lead to financial strain that your relationship could do without.
Taking Over Shared Spaces for Personal Activities
Where you practice self-care is also important, as transforming common areas like the living room into your yoga studio may inconvenience others. Family members usually feel pushed out of spaces they usually enjoy because they’re unable to watch TV or relax. You’ve turned the room into a meditation zone that disrupts their routines.
Early Morning Noisy Workouts
Starting your day with loud workouts will likely make you more energetic yet it will also disturb other people in the household. They’re unlikely to appreciate you blasting music & jumping around when they’re still sleeping—it just wakes them up earlier than they’d like. Don’t be surprised if you have to deal with grumpy mornings and possible arguments over noise levels.
Enforcing Personal Diets on Everyone
While adopting a special diet for your health is great, insisting that everyone else in the house eat the same way is rather selfish, particularly when it’s a drastic change like going vegan. Deciding that meat isn’t allowed at home essentially ignores other people and their preferences, which could cause friction during meal times. Your attempts at self-care shouldn’t make other people feel restricted & unheard because that’s just plain mean.
Skipping Chores for “Me-Time”
Choosing to skip household chores to focus on self-care activities does benefit you—but it makes those around you pick up the slack. You shouldn’t regularly avoid doing your share of cleaning or errands because you’re taking time for yourself, as it will overwhelm those you live with. Eventually, you’ll make them resent you and you could even cause arguments over responsibilities & fairness.
Going Off the Grid Without Letting Anyone Know
Turning off your phone and disappearing for a while is only going to worry the people who care about you as they will likely fear something’s wrong. Maybe they have important news or just want to check in—but your silence leaves them anxious, even though you’re enjoying some peace & quiet. It’s great to take a break, yet giving loved ones a heads-up will save them from unnecessary worry.
Using Other People’s Stuff Without Asking
You might think borrowing someone else’s things for your self-care routine seems harmless but the truth is that it will cause issues as doing so without permission isn’t considerate. They might get upset if their items get used up, damaged, or misplaced and while you’re taking care of yourself, they’re annoyed. You should always ask first to make sure that everyone’s respecting each other’s boundaries, which is just how it should be.
Always Steering Conversations to Your Self-Care
When every conversation turns into a discussion about your meditation practice or latest fitness craze, other people are bound to feel left out. Constantly bringing the focus back to your routines makes friends think you’re not interested in their lives and creates a lopsided dynamic. Your loved ones don’t feel heard and that’s quite frustrating—over time, it could also strain your relationships with them.
Refusing to Bend Your Schedule for Others
Sticking rigidly to your own routine makes you seem inflexible and that’s why you should try adjusting your plans to make time for family dinners or social events. If you don’t, people might feel unimportant because you’re expecting them to work around your schedule, so they’ll naturally believe you’re excluding them. Your friends & family shouldn’t have to constantly accommodate you because relationships are a two-way street.
Always Choosing “Me Time” Over Socializing
We all need downtime, yet consistently choosing to stay in rather than join social events can distance you from others and make them feel rejected. They could start thinking you’re not interested in spending time with them, which will hurt them even if you don’t mean to do so. You have to balance relaxing alone with social interactions to maintain those valuable relationships.
Canceling Plans Last Minute for Self-Care
Likewise, canceling plans with loved ones at the last minute because you need some self-care is quite inconsiderate, especially when these last-minute cancellations happen often. Doing so disappoints them, which is even worse when they’ve been looking forward to spending time with you & gone out of their way to make arrangements. They’ll be less likely to include you in future plans because they think you’re flaky.
Demanding Silence for Your Meditation
There’s no denying that meditation is often a fantastic way to find calm, although insisting everyone at home stays quiet for you isn’t always fair—getting annoyed over normal sounds puts pressure on them. Family members might feel like they can’t relax in their own homes and that creates tension that you could all do without. Instead, work out a way to make sure you still get some self-care, yet it doesn’t negatively affect those around you.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
Like our content? Be sure to follow us on MSN.