5 Self-Care Tips

Who doesn’t love self-care? Nothing feels as good as unwinding after a long day! But we shouldn’t wait until we’re feeling tired to give ourselves that TLC. 

“Hustle Culture” teaches us we constantly have to be on the go and when we take time for ourselves, it can make us feel like we’re being unproductive (guilty!). This is a reminder that it’s okay to take a break every once in a while because you deserve it and your body will thank you for it! 

Here’s a quick list of self-care tips you can incorporate in your life to feel refreshed and recharged as you begin to navigate the world again post-pandemic: 

1. Get Organized 

The first step to de-stressing yourself is getting organized! Our mind is often a reflection of our outer environment. If you have a cluttered space, you will have a cluttered mind – it’s inevitable. You know that feeling you get when you finish cleaning your whole room, step back and take in how beautifully arranged everything looks? How awesome does that feel? It feels great because not only can our room breathe again, but so can our minds. We know exactly where everything is and the next time you need something you won’t create a tornado in your room looking for it (spoken from personal experience hehe). 

A tip we love and stand by is creating a To-Do List. It reminds you of what you need to get done and checking off the items chemically rewards your brain through a dopamine release. These “quick wins” keep you motivated throughout the day to continue being productive. Keep your To-Do lists detailed and task oriented. For example, don’t write out “clean my room”, instead add “do my laundry”, “organize desk”, etc. 

2. Prioritize Sleep

We recently listened to a Jay Shetty podcast in which he talks about how much he prioritizes getting “deep rest”. We fell in love with this idea because we are consistently taught to believe that “sleep is for the weak”, so it was nice to get a reminder for a basic need that is often overlooked. 

When you have a lot going on, sleep may seem like the least of your worries. However, sleep is essential, your brain simply cannot function properly without it, and getting those uninterrupted 8 hours can do wonders for you! If you’ve been having a hard time sleeping, create a bedtime routine. Say you want to sleep by 11 pm, for example, you need to start winding down by 9 pm. Limit caffeinated drinks (coffee in the morning only), don’t schedule any activities too late into the night (this includes eating and working out) and put your phone on Do Not Disturb so you’re free of distractions. 

These tips help you get a full night’s sleep which not only rejuvenates your mind & body, but has you waking up feeling ready to conquer the day! 

3. Move Your Body

You’ve probably heard it a hundred times – get in at least 30 minutes of exercise everyday. But it really does make a huge difference! In fact, exercise can instantly lift your mood and make you feel good. 30 minutes a day might seem like a lot at first, but it doesn’t necessarily mean you have to hop on a treadmill or run a mile (unless that’s your jam of course!). You can get creative with this and do activities you enjoy. Split it up into 2 quick 15 minute walks a day (especially as the weather starts to get nicer), hit the gym, join a yoga or pilates class or put on a YouTube workout video. Switching it up and having fun is keys! 🙂  

4. Calm Your Mind

Just as it is important to be physically healthy, be sure to check in on your mind too. Three easy tips to instantly calm your mind are:

• Journaling – you can do this in the notes app on your phone or buy a dedicated journal. Simply taking 5 minutes to write down how your day went helps declutter your mind and allows you to take a moment to reflect and express gratitude. It’s also nice to look back and read previous journal entries a few months later to see how much you’ve grown! 
• Breathing Exercises – Something you can implement right away (which doesn’t require much effort at all!) is taking some deep breaths (inhale 3 seconds and exhale 5 seconds) throughout the day to feel instantly calmer, especially if you’ve been anxious.
• Meditation is another great practice that can help you stay grounded, regulate your mood and alleviate stress. The Calm app has some quick 5 to 10 meditations that you can do anytime during the day or you can also find guided meditations to follow along on YouTube.

5. Treat Yourself 

If you’ve been working hard, don’t forget to treat yourself to a fun self-care activity! Schedule a massage, book a facial, have a spa day, get a mani-pedi – do something that makes you feel good! You can take a bubble bath, pour yourself a glass of wine, read a book or binge that Netflix series you’ve been meaning to watch (Bridgerton Season 2!) 

Basically, during this time no work, school or any responsibilities are allowed. It’s simply me time to get in that R&R (#donotdisturb). If you haven’t done any of these activities in a while, this is definitely your sign!

Remember, self-care isn’t selfish! Think of it like a cup of tea. The more your cup is full, the more you can pour yourself for those you care about. We hope you find these tips useful! Go on and fill up your cup ☺️

TL;DR Take care of yourself (if you scrolled past and didn’t read all of that, although we hope you did!) 

How do you practice self-care? Let us know and comment below for other topics you would like us to discuss ♥