“Self-care” is very important. But is there a better way to say this phrase when you’re at work or in a formal setting?
We’ll address these pressing questions below! Stick around to see some alternative ways to say “self-care” in a plethora of circumstances.
Self-Care Synonyms
- Behavioral health
- Personal care
- Personal wellness
- Self-love
- Self-help
- Self-preservation
- Personal upkeep
- Mental wellness
- Self-management
- Well-being practice
- Self-maintenance
- Self-support
- Looking after oneself
- Mindfulness
- Self-acceptance
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- “Self-care” is a correct phrase, but it wouldn’t suit all professional settings.
- “Behavioral health” is a more formal alternative that you can use at work.
- In a more casual situation, you can say “personal care.”
Keep reading to see how we use our top synonyms for “self-care” in some helpful examples.
Thereafter, we’ll discuss whether the term “self-care” is correct and whether it should always be hyphenated.
Behavioral Health (Formal)
“Behavioral health” is essentially another way to say “self-care” in a more formal setting.
This broad term refers to how one maintains one’s physical and mental health. Additionally, how they practice self-care through their diet and habits.
“Behavioral health” is a better phrase to use than “self-care” if you are in a professional setting.
After all, this formal synonym comes across as more impersonal and clinical than the original phrase.
You would likely use this phrase if you are a health professional of some kind.
However, you can also use it in a corporate setting. Particularly, when you’re trying to encourage your employees to take care of their mental and physical wellness.
It’s important to create an environment in which your staff feels supported.
After all, a lack of self-care or poor mental health among your employees will no doubt decrease productivity in the long run.
Have a look at this example to see how you might use this phrase in practice:
We encourage all our employees to attend our monthly seminar on behavioral health.
You can also use this phrase in an email to your staff. Consider this sample email:
Dear all,
We will be creating a new online portal filled with resources to assist with behavioral health.
Sincerely,
Monica Levigne
Personal Care (Informal)
If you’re looking for another word for “self-care,” try replacing “self” with “personal.”
This is a good example of how to say “self-care” professionally without coming across as too formal or stuffy.
This positive synonym will also come across as less detached and clinical than the phrase above.
This is helpful if you are trying to connect with your staff or coworkers to form stronger relationships at work.
It’s also a good phrase to go with if you work in a smaller business or simply want to create an open and supporting culture in the workplace.
See how we’ve used this phrase in an email example:
Dear Samson,
It’s important that you take time for personal care, so I would understand if you wanted to take a few more days off.
Kind regards,
Skyler
“Personal care” is not a better phrase than “self-care” per se. However, it never hurts to alter your phrasing from time to time.
In fact, this alternative may help in making you sound more sincere when speaking to your employees or colleagues.
After all, if it sounds like you are repeating the same mantra about mental health or physical wellness in the office, you may come across as disingenuous.
Let’s see another example making use of the phrase “personal care.”
I think it’s important to prioritize my personal care so that I am able to produce the best possible output at work.
Is It Correct to Say “Self-Care”?
It’s perfectly correct to say “self-care” when you are speaking about behaviors and habits people undertake to preserve their physical and mental well-being.
This phrase is best suited for life coaches or anyone who works to advise others on how to keep healthy and happy.
Therefore, you can use it professionally if your industry is centered around self-care.
However, in a corporate or office setting, you would be better off using a more formal synonym, like the ones we have provided above.
If you’re wondering whether it’s always necessary to hyphenate the term “self-care,” we’ll discuss that next!
In short, “self-care” with a hyphen is the way it is written in the Oxford Dictionary and other English dictionaries.
However, it is also suitable to write this phrase as “self care,” without a hyphen. Essentially, this is a stylistic choice.
However, since “self-care” is the most common way to write this term, we would recommend that you always hyphenate it in practice.
If you think you might need some creative ways to say “self-care” in the future, feel free to bookmark this page so you can return whenever you like!