Our Favorite Ways to Practice Self-Care
“Place your oxygen mask on yourself before assisting others,” is the oh-so-familiar announcement we hear from flight attendants regarding what to do in case of an emergency. The logic behind this is quite simple: if we take care of ourselves, we’ll be able to care for those around us.
The same sentiment applies to self-care and our mental health. There’s a common misconception that practicing self-care is selfish, self-indulgent, and self-centered. When the reality is, practicing self-care and taking care of yourself is crucial for your mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health, as well as your overall sense of well-being.
You may be thinking: “I don’t have the time for a self-care day” or “How do I even begin creating a self-care plan?” Prioritizing yourself doesn’t necessarily have to be costly or tremendously time-consuming. Create a self-care routine that fits your lifestyle. Start small and set attainable and realistic goals when curating your personal care plan at home. We’ve curated a few simple and wallet-friendly ideas that are easy to acclimate into your day-to-day so that you can become an active participant in managing your mental health.
Here are 5 tips to help kick-start your self-care routine:
Get your blood pumping
You’re always 15 minutes away from a better mood, and as Elle Woods once said, “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy.” Moving your body is good for the soul and physical movement is one element of taking care of yourself holistically. And, no, a gym membership isn’t required! There are countless full-length workout videos that can be found online. From yoga to HIIT to line dancing, the options for free exercise classes are almost limitless.
Moving your body can also be as simple as going for a walk. As we transition from the summer heat to the cooling fall temperatures, grabbing some fresh air in nature will do wonders for your mental health.
Create something
Is there a new recipe you’ve been meaning to try? Or perhaps you’ve neglected to practice what you learned in those art classes you took in college. The ability to create is within us all, even though activating that side of our brain isn’t something most of us do regularly. Get those creative juices flowing for a unique and fun way to settle your busy mind.
Spending time alone
Alone time doesn’t necessarily have to be a solo trip to a cabin in the woods. Spending time with yourself (especially for all you introverts out there) provides you with a moment to refresh and reset from the hustle and bustle of life. This could be sitting in your car for 15 minutes before going inside the house, reading a book for a few minutes during your lunch break, journaling for 5 minutes before bed, or taking a stroll through your neighborhood.
Unplugging
Taking a break from technology is another way to show self-care. We spend most of our days behind a cell phone, computer, iPad, or some kind of electronic device, and then we end our day scrolling on our phones or watching tv to relax (or to escape). Give your mind and eyes a break from staring at a screen and experience the world outside of the digital age.
Treat Your Self
Keeping finances in mind, treating yourself can be one way to practice self-care generously. Having an at-home spa day with a facemask and a bubble bath, getting a pedicure, seeing a movie, or treating yourself to coffee and a pastry are simple ways to show a little bit of kindness to yourself. Not to mention, it feels good to splurge on yourself every once in a while!
There are a thousand ways for you to act on providing care to yourself.
By: Ashton Rush, Candidate for Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy
