Real Self-Care Over Reading Week

You’ve finally made it to Reading Week- a break that always seems to arrive right when you need it most. Maybe your first instinct is to sleep in, binge your favourite show, or let assignments wait a little longer. That kind of comfort feels good in the moment, but real self-care is what makes you proud later.

We often mistake comfort for care, calling avoidance “self-care” when really, it’s just relief dressed up in nice language. The truth is, skipping the hard thing rarely makes you feel better for long. What looks like rest can sometimes leave you more stressed and disappointed when the week ends.

Real self-care isn’t about bubble baths or “treat yourself” moments. It’s about doing what your future self will thank you for: keeping small promises, doing what matters, and choosing what builds you up instead of what lets you off the hook. It might mean tackling the assignment you’ve been avoiding, getting outside for a walk, or eating something that actually fuels you.

That doesn’t mean pushing through exhaustion. Rest absolutely counts as self-care, but it should be intentional, not avoidant. Take breaks that restore you: a quiet morning, time with friends, a walk by the lake, a nap because you’ve earned it not because you’re hiding from your to-do list.

This Reading Week, try asking yourself: At the end of the week, what will I be proud I did? That small shift turns self-care from something that numbs you into something that strengthens you. Because the best kind of care isn’t about comfort, it’s about becoming someone you can count on.

-Lindsey Wachter, R. Kin, Health Promoter