Self Care
Self care is so important that planning an entire self care day is something that can yield immense benefits. But how to do that and where do you start?
That’s why we put together this list of 25 simple ideas that you can do on any day! Whether you need a mental health break or just want to take some time for yourself, these self love tips will help you relax and rejuvenate. And don’t forget: self care is not a luxury, it’s essential!
How to Practice Self Care
Self care can mean different things for different people. For some, it might be taking a bubble bath or weight training for three hours. Others might find peace in making a gratitude list or spending time outdoors. No matter what form it takes, self care needs to be an essential part of our lives.
Here are a few tips on how to get started:
-Start small. Don’t try to do everything at once! Choose one or two activities that you can realistically fit into your day.
-Set aside time for yourself. Whether it’s 20 minutes or two hours, make sure you have some dedicated time to focus on self care.
-Find what works for you. Not everyone enjoys the same activities, so experiment until you find something that makes you feel good.
-Make it a habit. Just like any other important part of your life, self care should be a regular practice. Set aside time for it every day, or even multiple times a day if you can.
25 Self Care Day Ideas
Here is a list of simple things to do on a self care day. Pick and choose the ones that work for you.
- -Take a relaxing bath to help reduce the stress hormone cortisol.
- -Get outside in nature. Perhaps go for a picnic at the local park.
- -Write a gratitude journal of the blessings in your life.
- -Practice meditation or mindfulness.
- – Exercise for 30 minutes. Maintaining physical health is a self care essential.
- -Call an old friend or family member. Avoid toxic people.
- -Read a good book in a comfy chair with a cup of herbal tea.
- -Organize your space. Reducing clutter will reduce anxiety.
- -Take a nap or go to bed early.
- -Make yourself a fancy meal but still healthy.
- -Go for a long walk
- -Stretch or do some light yoga
- -Spend time with a pet
- -Listen to your favorite music while doing absolutely nothing.
- -Get enough sleep.
- -Use your favorite essential oils in your bubble baths.
- -Practice a good breathing technique and some positive self-talk.
- -Plan a fun activity for yourself
- -Do something you enjoy but don’t usually make time for
- -Pamper yourself with a manicure or pedicure
- -Watch the sunset or even better the sun rise
- -Create a natural skincare routine
- -Set goals for yourself and your well-being
- -Start a new hobby
- -Indulge in a spa day
Set Up Your Own Self Care Routine
Now that you have some easy self-care ideas you can do, it’s time to create your own self care day! Bear in mind that really every day should be a self care day. Effective self care means it is a part of your daily life. Now go create y our to do list and have some me time.
Here are a few tips to get you started:
-Choose a time of day that works for you. If you’re a morning person, try implementing some of these self care ideas as soon as you wake up. If you’re more of a night owl, set aside some time before bed.
-Make it realistic. Don’t try to cram too many activities into your routine! Start with one or two and build up from there. There are so many ideas here and you need to create your own list.
-Find what works for you. Just like with the activities themselves, not everyone will have the same self care routine. Experiment until you find something that works for you.
– Stick with it! Like any other habit, self care takes time and effort to build. But the more you do it, the easier it will become.
Great Tips to Develop Your Personal List
Daily rituals inspire you to continue on a path to overall health. They are a daily reminder of what is important to your life and allow you to unwind or prepare for the arduous work ahead. Rituals are much deeper than habits. While on the surface, they are pretty similar, a ritual has more depth and meaning.
When you perform a ritual, you should practice mindfulness and remember the ultimate reason you are doing it. On the other hand, habits are tasks done without much thought and easy to perform, even if important. Often to change a bad habit, you have to catch yourself in the act. Rituals are completed with extra thought to achieve more, which is why they are vital to your self-care plan.
Here are some rituals to consider adding to your daily routine:
Create a Skin Care Routine
Your skin is your body’s largest organ and if your skin looks and feels good that is an important self care step you can take for yourself. Choose natural products that you enjoy using and make it quick and easy enough that you will stick to it on a consistent basis.
Here are three products that I use every day!
-
Natural Lip Balm in a Tube$7.50 – $9.00 — or subscribe and save up to 10%
-
Anti-Aging Serum for a Glowing Complexion$22.00 – $36.00 — or subscribe and save up to 10%
-
Bodacious Body Oil with Essential Oils$15.00 – $30.00
Clean Up Fast for Thirty Minutes
Without thinking about it, get moving and clean up your space. Raising your heart rate while also getting things done around the house is the goal. The less you think about what needs to get done and more about it being a physical activity, the more fun you can make it. Creating a large cleaning list will discourage just about anyone. Make it short and sweet and stay in the present moment.
Unplug During Breakfast and Dinner
Intentionally break away from society while you eat. Think about your food and be aware of how you feel. Use this time to be thankful for the food you have and the life you are currently living. Forget about the outside world and be in tune with your surroundings. Making sure that social media does not have too large a part of your life overall is yet another of those good care ideas.
Skip the Morning Coffee and Try Lemon Water
Caffeine is known to increase stress even if it gives you a nice productivity boost. However, warm lemon water in the morning can do that too, as it promotes proper blood flow with its inflammation decreasing properties. It also keeps you hydrated, maintaining both your brain function and physical health.
Start Your Day with a Five-Minute Meditation
Guided meditation can allow you to better prepare for the day ahead. However, jumping right into your busy day is stressful and can make it harder to manage your emotions and mental clarity throughout the day.
Create Short To-Do Lists
Start each day with a clear intention. This can be done by creating a concise priority list. Think of one major thing you need or want to accomplish and break it down into three to five small tasks. Be sure your list is scannable and clear to make it easier to accomplish. You don’t need a large to-do list to be productive.
End Your Day with Reflection
This is by far the best self-care ritual you can establish for long and happy life. Without evaluating and reflecting on your past self, you will have a harder time recognizing the areas you need to do better in order to feel optimal.
Get Walking or Jogging
Movement is your best friend. Research shows that incorporating at least forty-five minutes of exercise a day can increase your life span. It also decreases stress hormones and sends dopamine to your brain which makes you feel better and happier longer.
Remember, to get the most out of these rituals, you must practice mindfulness. Be aware of your emotions, how you feel and what you need to do next each step of the way. As you add these rituals and do them more each day, they will become a habit and take less effort from you to be aware and more conscious. Being more aware of your actions ensures safety, ultimate health, and happiness.
Self Care Tips Wrapup
Perhaps the key points to remember about creating your self care day routines are that the activities should increase your self esteem and positive thinking. They should help you feel calmer and reduce you feeling stressed and improve your overall health. Bottom line is your self care routines should make you feel good and enhance proper functioning of your mind and your body!
FAQs
When is National Self Care Day?
July 24th is both National Self Care Day and International Self Care Day. They bring awareness to how important self care is to us being productive and intentional about our own health.
What is a self care day?
A self-care day is a day when you set aside time to do things that help you maintain your health and wellbeing. Self-care can look different for everyone and should be activities that work for and benefit you.
What are some ideas for a self care day?
Start with some simple activities like taking a walk, reading a book, taking a nap or even meditating for 10 minutes. Pick activities that you will enjoy and make you feel good. Start a checklist of activities that work for you and try to incorporate one or two every day. Try to make your self care a daily actitivity.
Did you like this post? Sign up for our newsletter and stay in the loop!
Other Posts You May Find Helpful.
Thank you for explaining how a skincare routine can be a good way to do some self care. My therapist and I were talking about adding more self care to my daily routine. I’ll be sure to look into skincare more to see how I can go about doing this. https://www.privatelabelselect.com/clean-product-organic-skincare-collection