Ahhh self care… so easy to proclaim its importance for others, even easier to overlook for ourselves. Contrary to popular belief, self care is not always bubble baths and wine nights –though I believe it can be sometimes. In fact, I wrote a whole blog post on the difference between self care and treating yourself and it’s one of my favorites. Self care is described as “mindful taking of time to pay attention to you, not in a narcissistic way, but in a way that ensures that you are being cared for by you” by Psychology Today.
If you’re not actively pursuing self care, you might be missing the opportunity to fill your own cup first and therefore show up better for your life and those you love. Spa days and long evenings alone might not be so easy to come by so, I wanted to share some simple self care ideas to add your daily routine.
All illustrations were created by illustrator Felicitas Maggi. Check her out and get your own here
11 Easy Self Care Ideas:
1. Shower or wash your face at the end of your work day.
Whether you work from home, in an office, or stay at home mommin’, when it’s time to switch from work mode in to home mode (I know moms, the work never ends but hear me out), take a shower if you can or at the very least wash your face.
When you walk in the door from work, close the home office door, or before you start cooking dinner, take 10 minutes and “wash off” the day. It’s a physical activity to trigger your mind to switch from work to home mode. I found this really helpful for me since I work from home and don’t have a commute to make that switch. A nice, hot shower is even better if you can swing it. And lighting some candles is always a nice touch too! I find that it helps me shut off the work tasks running in my mind and switch to cooking dinner and being present with my husband.
2. Daily gratitude
If you hang out with me here on the blog or my Instagram, I am sure I sound like a broken record with this one but it’s only because I believe in it so much. Pour in to yourself by prioritizing gratitude. What you look for, you will find. Whether that is little moments of bliss to be grateful for or constant stresses to be frustrated with, the choice is yours.
I use a Start Today journal for my gratitude but it doesn’t need to be that fancy. Write it down in a regular old notebook or even a note in your phone. Find 3-5 small things to be grateful for over the last 24 hours and watch how you start looking for those little things every day. Maybe you even share them with your husband or family over dinner. It’s such a simple and easy idea to add to your self care routine. And when life gets particularly hard, it’s really amazing to look back on all these little things that brought you joy.
3. Plan for joy
I wrote an entire blog post on this very topic too! I think we can make happiness a habit in our lives by planning for moments of bliss. What you choose to do with the time you set aside for yourself is entirely up to you. My “planning for joy” would look something like planning to watch an hour of Tik Tok uninterrupted on Friday night. Or getting a favorite meal and starting a new show. I don’t hope there will be time for it. I plan for it.
Perhaps a better example for my busier readers would be, if I want to lay out by the pool with some drinks all day, I bust my butt throughout the week to make sure those plans happen. I know myself. I won’t enjoy laying by the pool if I know I have laundry and dishes that need done or a house that really needs cleaned. So, I will put in the extra effort during the week to plan for my own personal form of joy and self care.
4. 10 minute tidy
Or 30 minutes if you have the time. Set a timer and just go to town. Tidy and clean your environment. It goes such a long way to improve your mental state when your physical environment isn’t bringing you disorganization/chaos. You’ll be able to relax more deeply when the day is done. If you work from home, you’ll be working from a place of organization and peace. It’s a simple and easy self care idea to start or end your day.
5. Brain dump your to-do’s
Journaling as a form of self care isn’t a new concept. And even though I haven’t personally journaled my feelings, I have realized that brain dumping all of my to-do’s for the next day or even few days is extremely freeing. It’s just like tidying quickly to fully enjoy your evening, empty your brain so you can fully relax and stop worrying about forgetting things.
6. Take a long walk
Change your physical state to change your mental state. Taking long walks with a podcast or music is a simple way to unwind and pour into yourself. Walks while listening to a comedy podcast was my saving grace during the peak of quarantine.
7. Find or practice a hobby with no screens
Reading, puzzles, adult coloring books, gardening or anything else. Find something that you enjoy that allows you to completely disconnect from your phone. I even recommend reading from physical books as opposed to ebooks. I believe the majority of our stress and anxiety comes as a direct result of our screen time. These hobbies allow you to be completely alone with your thoughts while also providing a healthy distraction to focus on.
8. Take a nap
Take a mid day or after work nap and remember we don’t have to earn rest. Sleep cures all in my book. And chances are, you don’t consistently get enough sleep. Most of us don’t and it certainly can’t hurt. I know this one is not always the easiest to fit in but just like planning for joy, I plan for naps. Remember, we can only be our best for others when we take care of ourselves first.
9. Tell someone you love them
Or do something thoughtful for someone you care about. Send a text to your best girlfriend or your mom and remind them how much you love and appreciate them. It’s perhaps the easiest and simplest self care idea on this list and it has almost immediate gratification. Warm your own heart, remind yourself how blessed you are to have this person, and spread some joy all at once!
10. Affirmations
This would go perfectly with your daily gratitude! Write down the affirmations you need for the day. Some examples, I have plenty of time to accomplish what I need to do today. Or, my worth is not dependent on how much I can cross off my to-do list. I am capable of anything so long as I just keep going. I deserve time for myself to prioritize my health. These are positive reminders, written as if they are fact/you have already accomplished them. Pick one or two that you know will be applicable and helpful for the day ahead.
Self care is something we often let fall by the wayside especially in today’s hustle culture. If you need to hear it, this is your permission to prioritize yourself and your mental health. So many of the self care ideas you read online are just not feasible to add to a daily/weekly routine. So I hope you found these to be more realistic and helpful. It may not be as Instagram worthy as a face mask and a glass of wine, but you’ll thank yourself for them later.
-The Relatable Red
