This post is all about answering the question what are self care activities.
When your life is busy and you can’t possibly get it all done, the first thing you give up is self care. You forget to take care of yourself because you can let yourself down a lot easier than you can let everyone else down.
This is a normal experience and you should never feel shame because of it. But, you can also work on that. These fifteen ideas have been curated to get you started back on the path of taking care of yourself and prioritizing your needs.
This post is all about answering the question what are self care activities.
SELF CARE ACTIVITIES:
1. Mindful Breathing
Ground yourself in the moment. This starts with deep breathing, all the way into your diaphragm (put a hand on your stomach to notice when it reaches your abdomen). Then, breathe out slowly and feel the way your body contracts.
Something as simple as noticing the way you breathe and being intentional about it can calm you. This is great tool to use when you need an in-the-moment stress or anxiety reliever. It’s quick and doesn’t require much practice to work well.
2. Journaling
Challenge yourself to five minutes a day for five days. You can start your day off right by journaling to clear your head or you can end your day with some reflection.
Figure out what works best with your schedule and habits.
If you’re struggling to get something down on paper because you don’t know what to write, start with your thoughts. Consider what has been on your mind recently. Start there and just write it down.
If that’s not working for you, you can try journal prompts. One of our favorites, at Knockoff Therapy, is the gratitude prompt. Write down three things you can be grateful for that happened today (or yesterday, depending on when you journal) and get specific.
3. Short Walks
Go for a walk when you get a chance. That can be between classes, on your work break, or right after you finish the last scheduled item for your day.
Even if you have a lot going on, a short walk can help you reset. Try to get out of the house or building and walk around the block or a local park. If this feels overwhelming with how exhausted you are, challenge yourself to a five minute walk and see what happens.
You’ll be able to find a five-minute block of time to fit in a short walk. And, as a bonus, you get to see how it helps break up your day and refresh your mind.
4. Listening to Music or Podcasts
Sometimes, it’s important to sit with your thoughts as uncomfortable as they might be. Other times, you just need to feel inspired or get a mood lift.
This is when you pull out your favorite playlist or you queue up a podcast on your phone. Put your earphones in and listen to your heart’s content. Do this while you’re on a walk, laying on your bed, or sitting on the couch.
You could even do this on a quick break at work or while you wait for class to fill up. It’s a quick way to unwind and give yourself a little of what you want and deserve.
5. Reading
Read an article, pull a book off yourself, or grab an audiobook off Libby. Whatever it is for you, dedicate some time to reading. Get an eBook in your favorite genre or visit your local library for a copy of the newest book in your favorite trilogy.
By spending some time reading, you’re telling yourself it’s okay not to be present right now and that’s an answer to the question “what are self care activities?” in its own right.
6. Expressive Art
Have some fun. Grab paint from your local craft store and start slapping it onto a canvas. If you’re more into writing, write the poem that comes to you.
Let yourself engage in a creative activity that taps into your artistic side without the pressure of producing for an audience or making a sale. This is your opportunity to create something for the sole purpose of enjoying the process.
If you happen to create an artwork you like, then you get something cool to hang around your home.
7. Stretching or Yoga
Work that tension out by stretching in your office chair or getting up and bending over until your head dangles. Move your body in ways that feel good and relieve tension for you.
You can even do a quick yoga routine. There are tons of resources on Youtube for you to use that will help you reset, connect with your body, and release some of that stress in your muscles.
Plus, you can work on incorporating small stretching or yoga routines into your day. Not only does this give you a higher chance of actually doing them, but you get to look forward to them throughout your day.
8. Digital Detox
Take a break from the socials for a bit. Get off your phone and set a timer to make sure you actually track how long you stay off your phone.
Social media is a crucial part of our lives. There’s no escaping it, and, honestly, very few things in this world are all bad. Social media is an example of that.
It’s a tool that can go too far, get us too invested in that short-term rush of dopamine, and suck up way too much of our time. Plus, we can end up feeling bad about ourselves and the world without spending much time on it.
So, keep an eye on your usage and take breaks when you notice it’s not serving you to be on it.
9. Guided Relaxation
You can find guided meditation everywhere nowadays. There are plenty of apps dedicated to meditation (Calm, Headspace, etc.), videos on various social media platforms, and classes you can take in your community.
If you’re looking for something accessible and easy, try a free trial on a paid app or a video on some social media app. If you’re new to meditation, you’ll want to tailor your search to something for beginners.
Meditation seems easy, and it can be. But, it can also be a challenge if you’re never tried quieting and releasing your thoughts. So, give yourself some grace to learn and improve so that you can enjoy the self care that comes from meditation.
Guided meditations are a great place to start because they’ll help you understand how to meditate, what to expect, and how to be kind to yourself while you learn.
10. Connect with Loved Ones
Set up a video call or phone call with your friends and family. Text someone and ask if they’re busy. You can plan ahead or do it in the moment if you don’t want to wait until you’re asking “what are self care activities?”
Choose people who leave you feeling energized and understood. Avoid calling people who feel like they take your energy rather than give you energy. Tell them what you’re struggling with, if anything, and ask how they’re doing.
Catch up with them but not at the expense of your wellbeing. This is only self-care if you’re honest with your support system and give them the chance to support you.
11. Positive Affirmations
We all have things we need to hear people say. Honestly, most of the time, we have to accept that we’ll probably never hear the people say it who we need to hear it from the most.
That’s a fact, even though it doesn’t feel good. The good news is that, first of all, we can give that gift to ourselves, and, second of all, we can help the people in our lives love us better.
We all have that negative voice in our heads that tell us what we’re doing wrong and how we’re failing and we all around suck as a human being.
The people who love us would never want us to think that way. This is when we get to take those negative statements and make them into affirmations, both for our own use and for other people to reinforce.
12. Cooking or Baking
You need to eat. So, you might as well make it an enjoyable process. There will be days that make you want to do anything but slow down and cook. Other days, you’ll be ready to go grocery shopping and make it into an all-out solo date.
Regardless, remember that cooking can definitely be a form of self-care. There’s no better feeling than making yourself some delicious food that feels familiar and hits you just right.
Baking is no different. It’s pretty cool that you can take random ingredients and produce a beautiful, delicious cake from them. So, take some time for yourself and go all out with time in the kitchen.
13. Spend Time in Nature
Whenever you get a chance, go outside. Whether you live in a rural area where you can walk through the woods on a whim or you live in the city and green spaces are sparse, get outdoors.
You can do as much or as little as you want outside. Even if you go for a five minute break, you’ve given yourself time to rejuvenate and broken your day into different parts. You could even try to create a garden for yourself wherever you live.
Sunshine, rain, or snow, you will feel better after spending time in nature. Do yourself the service of leaving your home or building to experience fresh air.
14. Minimalism
Get rid of the stuff that you don’t need. If it gives you anxiety because you don’t know where to put it, reconsider the way your organize your home. Add storage bins, labels, and create rules that help you put things away.
Figure out where the scissors go, where you can find extra shampoo, and where the wrapping paper goes after you use it twice a year. By developing systems, you can eliminate the guess-work, searching, and stress.
In other words, you help out your future self and there’s no bigger form of self-care than that.
15. Prioritize Sleep
Sleep the eight hours. If you wake up naturally from less sleep, then do that. But, you should prioritize it and give it the same effort and time you give to other necessary projects.
When something has to go from your busy, stressful schedule, keep sleep off the list of possibilities. No matter how many people you do or don’t take care of, you need to prioritize your own health.
If you don’t want to prioritize sleep for any other reason, keep in mind that you can’t be your best self if you’re not taking care of yourself. Sleep is one of the basic needs you can’t miss.
