Self-care is an intentional activity meant to support your emotional, mental, and physical well-being. It is often overlooked, but is vital for a healthy relationship with yourself. Self-care strengthens self-esteem, the experience of positive feelings and self-confidence, and allows you to maintain openness to positivity from others. Self-care will also help you to have the energy to get through work and personal commitments. It can look a lot of ways, like asserting boundaries, saying “no”, asking for help, forgiving yourself, and taking a break. Self-care does not require grand effort or lots of money; below are some examples of what you can do to take care of yourself:
5 minutes-
- Drink a glass of water or a cup of tea/coffee/cocoa
- Text a friend
- Stretch/take deep breaths
- Meditate or say a prayer
- Listen to a motivational song
- Watch a cute animal video
15 minutes-
- Write in your journal
- Make a grocery list or menu
- Go for a walk
- Have a dance party in your jammies
- Change your sheets
- Phone a friend
30 minutes-
- Take a bath
- Exfoliate/apply a face mask
- Engage in a hobby
- Take a nap
- Cook/enjoy a favorite snack or meal
- Exercise
1+ hours-
- Give yourself a mani/pedi
- Watch a favorite movie/show
- Curl up in a blanket, and listen to music
- Read a book
- Attend a therapy session
- Have a video call with family/friends