Self care is all about activities that contribute to your overall wellbeing. It could be something big or small, and it could be a regular occurrence or just happen occasionally. It's about the intention behind the action or activity, to soothe and look after yourself, that makes it self care.
It's vital that when you're feeling run down, overwhelmed, or you're just having a tough day that you have things you can do to practice self care, but it's also important to try and keep it in your regular routine. You wouldn't only look out for your physical health when you're ill, so do the same for your mental health. Here are some ideas to get you started:
1. Say no to events or favours that stretch you too thin
It's so easy to burn out and to keep saying yes to things, but sometimes the best thing we can do for ourselves is saying no. Make sure that you have time for yourself to practice self care and don't let the needs of others take over.
2. Play with your pet
If you don't have a pet of your own, offer to walk someone's dog for them or head to a cat cafe. Interacting with animals is a great way to look after yourself and have some 'you time' without being alone!
3. Cook yourself a healthy meal
Cook something comforting, but healthy. Self-care isn't an excuse to develop unhealthy habits, but treating yourself to a home-cooked meal can be really soothing.
4. Have an early night and wake up without an alarm
Getting enough sleep is really important for our overall health, but it can be so easy to fall into bad sleeping habits and so difficult to get out of them. Settle yourself into bed nice and early with no pressure to fall asleep and don't set an alarm. You'll get the sleep your body needs and wake up feeling much more refreshed.
5. Get rid of some clutter
Declutter your space, declutter your mind!
6. Reach out and do something kind for someone else
Send a card to someone you haven't heard from in a while, or if you have some time to spare then volunteer for a cause you care about.
7. Ask for help
It doesn't have to be big. Just reach out and let someone help you.
8. Immerse yourself in nature for a while
Go and find a space with lots of greenery, where you can see the sky, and hear some wildlife. Let nature take over your senses for a little while and let the beauty of it take over.
