Chances are you’ve heard of self-care and how important it is to practice. In a world that’s endlessly busy, it can be hard to carve out intentional time but armed with this list, you’ll have several ways to engage in self-care and have the knowledge of just how crucial and beneficial it is to your health.
so, what is self-care?
Self-care is simply the idea that we must take action to preserve & improve our health, be that mentally, physically or emotionally.
For some, self-care can be a yoga class to decompress. For others, it can be setting healthy boundaries with the people in their lives. The great thing about self-care is that it doesn’t have to be anything extravagant, expensive or grand. It can be simple and small, as long as it’s intentional. If you’re looking for simple ways to practice self care, keep reading ahead to find some inspiration to bring some calm and care to your life.
benefits of self-care
Of course, we all know self-care can bring the instant gratification of just making us feel good. When we take time to love on ourself and do kind things for ourselves, we flood our brains with good-for-us chemicals that not only benefit the mind but also the body. Seven (7) benefits of self-care include:
1 stress reduction
Building time into your schedule for self-care has the potential to help you manage your stress & anxiety. Reducing your stress can help you improve your quality of life as well as improving your mental and physical health.
2 improved mental health
Finding healthy self-care habits like meditation, breathwork, therapy or mindfulness is not only a great way to build routines that bring stability into your life but habits like these can lead to improved emotional well-being.
3 enhanced physical health
Self-care extends to all realms of our lives and our physical health is no exception. Finding activities that encourage movement coupled with a balanced diet and getting the right amount of sleep do wonders for improving out physical health.
4 improved productivity
Taking care of your mind and body ensures that you’re fully rested and focused for the days ahead, in your personal life or work life. Not only will you be more productive, you’ll be making better decisions and thinking more clearly.
5 self-esteem boost
Treating yourself with kindness and care is a great way to start the journey to increasing your self-worth and confidence. This, in turn, leads to you seeing your value more and more.
6 stronger relationships
When you spend intentional time with yourself, it makes it that much more easy to show up fully for those in your life. Not only does this make you more emotionally available with friends and family, it allows you to consciously build healthy relationships with healthy boundaries.
7 increased resilience
Making sure that you’re at your best helps to increase your emotional and psychological resilience making it easier to deal with daily stressors. All in all, when you insert self-care time into your routine, you’re able to bounce back from hard times more effectively.
how to practice self-care?
The wonderful thing about self-care is that it is totally unique to you. It can be whatever thing that helps you to fill your cup and bring joy and intentional care into your life. If you like painting and it fills your cup, try scheduling a weekly painting date with yourself. Like to move your body around? Trying finding a walking group or fitness studio! This list of 29 self-care activities will inspire you to find your thing.
27 ways to practice self-care
- Taking a long, relaxing bath with epsom salts, candles, and your favorite essential oils
- Go for a scenic, leisurely walk through nature
- Write down your thoughts and feelings, try doing it at the beginning or end of the day (or both!)
- Practice breathwork
- Spend time organizing & decluttering your living space
- Pick a feel-good movie or tv show to watch
- Call or spend time with a loved one
- Take a 15-30 minute power nap
- Find a new hobby or interest
- Do your skincare routine
- Book a massage or learn how to give yourself a massage
- Have a picnic in the park
- Practice progressive muscle relaxation
- Make a hot cup of herbal tea to sip on
- Do something creative like paint, draw or craft
- Find a physical activity you enjoy like yoga, swimming or walking
- Seek therapy or counseling
- Spend some time away from tech
- Volunteer time for a cause you enjoy
- Order or make your favorite meal/treat
- Craft a playlist of relaxing music to listen to
- Find a good book to read or listen to the audiobook version
- Set some achievable goals to work towards
- Make a gratitude list for the day or the week
- Use calming essential oils like lavender, sweet orange or rosemary oil for aromatherapy
- Write down your worries on a sheet of paper and tear it up
- Spend time with your pets or animals
Always keep in mind, self-care doesn’t have to be super involved days full of massages and face masks and shopping sprees. It can be simple. The key is to make sure that you find intentional ways to refresh and restore your mental, physical and emotional health in the ways that works best for you. Here’s to hoping you find the self-care tools that work for you. Good luck!