24 Ideas for Self-Care to claim your power back
How are you doing, good looking?
I got a confession.
This lady is not good at self-care! Big time. If it was a profession I would be a pro at it.
So, if you’re like me who might have forgotten about self-care in the past few months (or possibly longer) for whatever reason, now is the time to make it up for ourselves.
It is time to make time for ourselves, because our future need us.
After reading this post you’ll learn 24 self-care ideas that you can implement immediately.
I do most of these self-care activities but I haven’t been consistent in a long time except for reading which is my most favourite thing to do.
These 24 ideas for self-care will help you (and me) nurture the mind, body and soul.
We have the power to be the best versions of ourselves so we can be at our best. When we’re at our best we can work, interact with friends and family, and do all the things we need to and want to in a day.
DISCLOSURE: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links of which I receive a small commission if you click through and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. See my full Disclaimer here for more information.
What is Self-care?
Self–care is the practice of taking action to preserve or improve one’s own health. It’s the practice of taking an active role in protecting one’s own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress.
UK Dictionary
As defined by World Health Organization, Self-care is “the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and to cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a healthcare provider”.
These 24 ideas for self-care are activities intentionally meant to care for our mental, physical, emotional, and even spiritual health and wellness.
They will help you take care of yourself so that you’re healthy physically, and mentally.
Why do we need Self-care?
The answer is simple. It’s because we only have ONE body and it’s so precious.
You probably heard that health is wealth. It’s true right?
We need self-care because….
We can have all the money in the world but if we’re unwell, that money is as good as nothing.
I’m not discounting the value of money, because money is important too. If used the right way it can be a wonderful tool that benefits not only ourselves but others too. However, health will always be a priority over money.
I’m blessed with a Mother who values self-care a lot and a Mother-in-law who is such an amazing model when it comes to health. She is 60+ and she is probably healthier than me. I love her exercise and wellness routine. She has the best practice and values when it comes to nutrition and exercise and everything about health.
I may never be as good as these lovely women in terms of self-care but I would like to improve my self-care routine. Just a little bit more. That’s the main reason why I’m sharing with you these self-care ideas. I want to encourage you to do it with. Let’s turn these self-care ideas into good healthy habits.
The core value of this blog is for me to become more intentional and I figured, now is a perfect opportunity to make myself get better at self-care.
I have been so good with setting goals (read my post on how to stay on track with your goals) and all this self-development stuff but I managed to mess up on Self-care for some reason.
In the last 2 weeks that I have been unwell, I realised how off-balanced I was. It was a shame it was only then I realised that self-care is important.
24 Ideas for self-care
These 24 ideas for self-care are organised into 3 main categories so that if you want to focus on one area at a time, you can also do that.
- The first group is: Self-care ideas for the mind
- Second group is: Self-care ideas for the body
- And the third group is: Self-care idea for soul
This way, self-care will be front and centre.
Related post : 7 tips to do self-care even if you don’t have time
Self-care for the Mind
Mental well-being is so important because our brain is where our thoughts are. I know it’s obvious and I didn’t have to say that, but hear me out for a sec. Everything starts in mind. The decision we make whether it’s big or everyday small decision starts up there.
That’s why it’s very important to keep a healthy mind. The kind of thought we keep in our heads influences our action and our action influences the result.
- Read
- Meditate (or journal, do brain dump, draw, or doodle)
- Define your goals
- Unplug for an hour or more
- Do creative activities
- Reframe your thoughts
- Learn something new
- Declutter and Organise
1. Read
Reading is a beautiful thing to do. It’s such a beautiful habit that not only enriches your mind but also makes you feel more confident because you learn something new every time you read.
Go to bed smarter than when you woke up.
Charlie Munger
2. Meditate
My dear Mother-in-law gifted me a book entitled: Be Mindful and Simplify your life by Kate James.
She said, ” Any experience that allows you to focus on one thing to the exclusion of all else, temporarily emptying your mind of all the clutter of your thoughts can be considered a Meditation”
Imagine my joy when I read this. I just cannot sit still that’s why and knowing that there are any other forms of meditation that don’t involve staying still made me hopeful.
3. Define your goals
Having well-defined goals is inspiring and it also gives us a sense of purpose. It doesn’t have to be big. A meaningful goal could be as simple as practising one of these self-care ideas. If you want to learn how to plan quarterly, read Quarterly Process in 7 Easy Steps.
If quarterly is too big for you, you can start with planning your week. I created A Week with a Purpose Planner to help you create an intentional week. Download a Week with a Purpose Planner here. It’s totally Free.
4. Unplug for an hour or more
This must be a challenge for a lot of people (including myself) because let’s admit it, technology is not just for leisure.
We need technology to do our jobs (at least for a lot of us). Imagine life without the internet, and phones and all the good things that make life so convenient?
But sometimes, we inadvertently give a bad rap on technology (and I’m guilty of this too). When in reality, technology is a wonderful thing and it’s probably more useful than harmful. Whether its useful or harmful depends on how we use it. It all depends on how we use it.
At home, we started treating technology as a bad thing. We have 5 and 11 years old children and they need technology for home learning. So, what we have been trying to be intentional with tech use. I will talk about this more in one of the Monthly Reviews.
There are a lot of things you can do while you do unplug. Read a book. Rest or Nap. Doodle or Journal. Do something creative or do nothing.
5. Do creative activities
Creativity nurtures the mind and warms our hearts. When it comes to creativity there are a lot fo activities we can do. When I want to unleash my creativity I cook, I doodle in my bullet , I write on my journal and I also do clouring with my M ( my 5 years old daughter).
6. Reframe your thoughts
This simply means consciously shifting our mindset or perspective. It’s so useful when challenging negative thoughts.
Reframing our thoughts is an important part in keeping a healthy mindset. Learn how to cultivate a healthy mindset where I talked about reframing negative thoughts.
7. Learn something new
Learning something new can be a self-confidence booster. So go ahead and do something that you have been meaning to try.
Think of something you want to learn but never got a chance to try. Now is the time to go for it.
8. Declutter and organise
This can be a short term or ongoing commitment. It’s also helpful to remember that decluttering is not only for physical space. We can also declutter our mental space. Need a hand doing this?
Download Brain dump sheets here. It’s also for FREE
Self-care for the Body
- Develop a healthy sleep hygiene
- Exercise regularly
- Take regular rests (or nap)
- Enjoy your favourite food
- Hydrate
- Maintain good personal hygiene
- Take vitamins
- Have a beauty routine
9. Develop a good sleep hygiene
Sleep can boost our immune system, help us be in a better mood and it can improve memories.
10. Exercise regularly
According to Better Health Channel Exercise may change levels of chemicals in our brains, such as serotonin, endorphins, and stress hormones, and may block negative thoughts or distract us from daily worries.
11. Rest/nap
I found a good article/post about napping at SleepFoundation.org. If we want to improve learning or aid memory formation, as well as regulate emotion, napping may help.
12. Enjoy your favourite food
This is good in so many levels. Good food is always good. Making food is also a great week for self-expression, family/friend connection and makes the bellies happy too.
13. Hydrate
It goes without saying. Hydration is very important.
14. Maintain good personal hygiene
This is given. Having good personal hygiene not only makes us feel so good but may also help us avoid illness.
15. Take vitamins
I’m not a health professional but I believe that taking vitamins is important because no matter how good we are with meal prep and cooking, I don’t think we will all get all the essential nutrients we need to have healthy bodies. Just my opinion. That being said, I always forget to take my vitamins. I look up to Kuya (my 11 years old son) who has a good habit of taking his vitamins.
16. Have a beauty routine
A beauty routine doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be simple and minimalistic too. We just need to pick a routine and products that work for us.
Self-care for the Soul
- Be present
- Connect
- Practice gratitude
- Be kind
- Listen to music
- Cook or bake
- Focus on what matters
- Reward yourself
17. Be present
“Presence is the Best Present”
Being present has so many layers. Being present whether we are resting or doing something and being with loved ones.
Every time, I think about being present I always remember what I’ve learned from David Allen who wrote Getting things done.
I learned from him that getting things done (gtd) is not only about ‘getting things done”. GTD is about being present. Being present means is being proportionally engaged with what we are doing at the present moment.
18. Connect with a friend or a loved one
Connection can be on different levels but no matter what level our connection is with another person, it increases the level of happiness, It can make us feel loved and connection builds trust.
19. Practice gratitude
Gratitude is the best attitude and gratitude is everything really. It can help us maintain positive emotion, it can make us feel content. When we practice gratitude, we feel we have more than what we actually needed.
Want to try Journaling while creating an attitude of gratitude? Download your 7-day Gratitude Journal here. It’s totally free.
20. Be kind
A little kindness can go a long way. When I think of kindness, I think of Kuya. He is not a perfect kid but he is such a kind person and sometimes I wish I could be a little be more like him.
21. Listen to music
Music is good for the soul. Listening to music can help us relax, it can improve our mood, it can inspire us. When we are going through something music can help and can temporarily make us feel better to a certain extent.
Music can bond people too. I remember how good I felt back when R and I could still go to rock concerts. Every one was nice and kind to each other and it felt as if we all knew each other for a long time.
22. Cook or bake
Cooking and baking is a good practice to connect with people in the family and it is sort of a mindfulness act if we are doing it on our own.
But whether we do it on our own or we do it with someone the benefits are always going to be there. Well, aside from having happy bellies, we get to be creative and it can create a relaxed atmosphere.
I remember when we were still living with my in-laws. Every dinner time was exciting. One person would be assigned to cook and every one would just be in the kitchen laughing and chatting. (and helping). It was one of the best memories I have when we were in Queensland.
23. Focus on what matters
This is such a simple idea but it has a huge impact on how we deal with our agendas and it can be applied in any area of our lives. Something that a lot of people miss (including me) but once put into practice, it turns out to be beneficial.
24. Reward yourself
Yes, We have to reward ourselves. Because we are worthy.
Conclusion
Now that you’ve learned about the 24 ideas for self-care, I encourage to do one a week. You future need you and you need to start now if you haven’t done this.
Start somewhere.
