It’s time to talk about the privilege of self-care

Promoting “me time” with pedicures and bubble baths has become very popular. The first publication on self-care was in 1946, and since then the topic has exploded. In 2015 alone, 2,457 articles were published on the subject. Using the Instagram The #selfcare hashtag is numbered in the millions. Unfortunately, advice to promote wellness is unrealistic for many people.

Just take a look at the suggestions mentioned in my previous job based on resilience research. Although I have advocated finding areas we can control and following this advice, what if the majority of stressors are beyond our influence? This is the reality for many people living in poverty, who cannot simply take a break stressful jobs, change their diet and exercise routines, or rely on reliable social support networks.

Stressors out of control

People in lower-paying jobs experience work-related stressors at higher rates than people in higher-paying jobs. Stress at work may include workers’ perceived sense of control over their tasks, psychological demands of the workload, safety concerns, work structure and atmosphere. Their schedules often include compulsory or voluntary overtime, correlated with lack of sleep and fatigue.

Marginalized populations face more than just workplace stress. Compared to other economic classes, poor people are more likely cope with exposure to crime, drug-saturated neighborhoods, overcrowded residences, interpersonal relationships, and residential segregation to name a few. Eating healthy, quality sleep, and exercising can help marginalized populations recover from stress in the short term, but it does not address the causes of stress. Like an article declared:

The ongoing stress associated with poverty, or the stress of living with less than one need, creates constant wear and tear on the body, dysregulating and damaging the body’s physiological stress response system and reducing the cognitive and psychological resources needed to combat adversity and stress.

Although taking a break from stressful work is a suggested way to be more resilient, it can be difficult to achieve for many workers. There is evidence that taking a vacation can have positive long-term effects. A study found that taking vacation days improved work-life balance, reduced time pressure, and improved mental health. Unfortunately, low-wage workers are less likely to have paid sick leave, paid family leaveOr paid vacation days. These breaks are missed opportunities to recharge, and it shows in their subsequent performances. Preliminary research shows that the four-day work week is increasing productivity and life satisfaction – a schedule that is just a pipe dream for most blue-collar workers.

Obstacles to the essential

It seems simple enough to prioritize sleep, nutritious foods, and exercise, but that’s not the case. Research discovered that stress reduces slow-wave sleep, REM sleep and increases awakenings. One of the symptoms of Burnout himself is sleep disturbanceswhich reduces the ability to manage stress.

Stress leads to higher rates of engagement in harmful coping mechanisms such as smoking and unhealthy diet, especially for those who blue collar jobs. Nutrient-dense foods are often too expensive for those in low-wage jobs. The American Dietetic Association estimates that low-income families should spend 43 to 70 percent of their food budget on fruits and vegetables to meet dietary guidelines. Low-income communities also have fewer grocery stores than higher-income neighborhoods. This causes residents to turn to gas stations and convenience stores more often, decreasing the quality of their food. Loss of essential nutrients can lead to deterioration of moodand increases the risk of anxiety And depression. Not to mention the repercussions on physical health.

Despite the elasticity effects of exercise, people from low-income households generally engage in less physical activity than those of high-income households. Reasons may include lack of transportation, fewer parks, health clubs and sports centers, poor infrastructure such as poorly maintained sidewalks and insufficient lighting, higher feelings of depression and sadness and lack of funds to support exercise, to name a few.

Missing social support

Another important buffer against burnout and distress is welfare– something that economically disadvantaged people are less likely to have. Researchers find than those with low income and low education are at increased risk of being “structurally isolated and receiving inappropriate support.” They report having fewer close ties, have a higher risk of having no confidant or partner, of not participating in any clubs, in other words of being socially isolated.

Sociologists Massey and Denton postulate that the physical deterioration of the environment influences the social behavior of its inhabitants. For example, the occurrence of hazards such as abandoned houses can lead to visible deviance such as public drunkenness. In turn, residents retreat and spend more time indoors, focusing social interactions on close friends and family. Involvement in the wider community then diminishes. Researchers suggest that this autonomic cycle decreases social control and leads to greater social disorganization.

Additionally, social support is a weaker health buffer against the stress of marginalized populations compared to privileged populations. Although social support is more vital for marginalized populations because they are more exposed to stressors, their social networks are often made up of other people deprived of resources.

Where do we go from here

All of these barriers to wellness are daunting. Self-care and stress resilience tools can be a life-saving way to cope, but many stressors can seem out of our control. So what do we do when we’ve tried to persevere through adversity, but fail to develop the resilience we want?

The first thing to do is to take a break and practice self-compassion. If we don’t deal with stress in a healthy way, let’s practice patience and kindness. Not everything will be within our control, so let’s be generous in our assessments of how we handle things. Next, let’s be aware of the barriers that impact the well-being of marginalized people. Support companies that prioritize the health of their workers. Stay informed about policies and legislation that aim to promote the mental and physical well-being of workers, especially those in low-wage jobs.

While we rarely have to face these obstacles, we can use our privilege to advocate on behalf of those who do.