Between work, home, and social responsibilities, do you often feel that all your time is spent taking care of others? Neglecting self-care is easy in a busy world, but the consequences can be serious. Adding self-care practices to your daily routine can greatly strengthen your health and well-being. Plus, experts share that the happiest and most successful people regularly focus on self-care!
Self-care looks different for everyone, and it is important to find what you need & enjoy. It may take trial & error to discover what works best for you. Here are 14 simple self-care strategies for you to consider.
✨ Block out time for self-care in your schedule: It’s not enough to occasionally stop your busy lifestyle and take a walk or indulge in a hot bath. Self-care is an ongoing process. Just as you reserve time in your schedule for other appointments, set aside time to take care of yourself, too. It’s important to adopt self-care habits that you can enjoy on a regular basis. They’ll help you avoid burnout, increase your productivity, and allow you to enjoy life.
✨Zone out for a while: Need permission to just turn your brain off with a movie or series? Here it is. No, you don't want to get sucked into episode after episode (being sedentary as a way of life is the opposite of self-care) but getting caught up in a narrative can give the busy brain a break.
✨Enjoy your favourite hobby: Whether you love to experiment with new recipes in the kitchen or paint pictures of sunsets, your favourite hobbies can be part of self-care. Hobbies and activities that you already enjoy are easy to select and put into practice. You just have to find room in your schedule to do them. This is an important step and shows your commitment to self-care.
✨Create a 'Yay' list: Every night, write down anything that made you say "Yay!" during the day. Think finding hidden money in your pocket, a surprise call from a friend, sunny skies, or discovering a new local restaurant. This will help you recognise things going right in your life instead of focusing on the negative.
Snag a fun new journal to motivate you. It will get you thinking with daily prompts about what inspired you, times you felt strong, and more.
✨Make sleep a priority: Stick to a schedule, and make sure you’re getting enough sleep. Blue light from devices and screens can make it harder to fall asleep, so reduce blue light exposure from your phone or computer before bedtime.
✨Refill your water bottle regularly: This simple habit can ensure that you’re drinking enough water. Your body needs fluids to maintain proper functioning, and dehydration may lead to constipation, dizziness, confusion and low blood pressure. Be sure to constantly refill your water bottle every one to two hours.
✨Breathe: You often tend to put your own needs on the back burner, so it's important to have even just a few minutes some 'me time'. This will help you reboot. Pausing to savour your favourite hot cuppa and taking a few deep breaths enables you to warm your hands an unwind. Diffusing a few drops of your go-to essential oil in distilled water can add a calming effect. Choosing to be alone for even 15 minutes can help you feel more relaxed n less stressed.
✨Make note of the compliments you receive: You can enjoy this self-care practice even as you work or run errands! Start taking notes of the compliments you receive. You can keep them in a journal, diary, or online folder. Your compliment folder can also include emails, notes, thank you cards, and other things that make you smile. This self-care practice can help you fight negative thoughts. Compliments can serve as reminders that you matter, your existence is important, and someone appreciates you.
✨Remove clutter: Whether you decide to declutter your closet or clean out the fridge, removing clutter will uplift you. Clutter can drain you physically and mentally. It can also make you unhappy as you try to move through your day. Eliminate the things that no longer serve you. For example, if you’re keeping clothes in your closet that you hate each time you open the door, replace them with clothes that you love.
✨Set goals and priorities: Decide what must get done now and what can wait. Learn to say “no” to new tasks if you start to feel like you’re taking on too much. Try to appreciate what you have accomplished at the end of the day.
✨Unfollow people who bring you down: Check your Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and so forth, and stop engaging with anyone whose content doesn’t make you feel good. It's thought you spend around 45 minutes a day on social media sites, your feeds should be full of people and brands that lift you up. If you can't disconnect entirely, at least work to restrict how much time you interact with these brands in the first place.
✨Take a lunchtime stroll: Research shows that a 15-minute midday walk boosts concentration and energy throughout the workday. Being in nature, especially in motion, boosts mood, sharpens thinking, an makes you feel calmer and more generous.
✨Do one selfish act: Living selfishly all day isn’t recommended, but doing one selfish act that makes you happy can do wonders. You can enjoy just that one thing without feeling guilty about it! If you struggle with self-care, it’s often because you spend all of your energy and time taking care of others. There’s nothing left in your well for yourself. By taking the time to do one selfish act, such as reading your favourite book or ignoring a boring phone call, you’ll be restoring your own importance.
✨Make something: The act of being creative or artistic can leave you feeling more enthusiastic and happier that day and even the next. Try singing, drawing, playing an instrument, crafting, even creating a new recipe. Don’t worry about quality: Simply find an outlet you like, have fun with it & reap the rewards.
Self-care often takes a backseat to work, family, and other obligations. However, without stopping to take care of your mind and body, you’re at risk of burning out an suffering from serious health issues.
One thing to keep in mind is that self-care as important as it is, may not feel easy or comfortable, especially if you're not used to it. If this sounds like you, expose yourself to it a little at a time, and it will start to feel good eventually.
One thing you don't want to do, however, is make self-care a chore. Eating less sugary food can be self-care; obsessively cutting it out so you feel deprived is not. Meditation is amazing self-care, unless you sit cross-legged telling yourself you suck at it. When it starts to feel punishing, even if on the surface it's good for you, that's when it stops being self-care.
In saying this, after reviewing my list of simple self-care practices, hopefully you find something that suits you and you can start making time for your self-care today.