How To Create a Kick-Ass Self-Care Routine

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What is self-care? 

Dictionary.com defines self-care as the practice of taking action to preserve or improve one's own health. 

Having a self-care routine isn’t just about incorporating bubble baths and face masks into your weeks. It is so much more than that. It can be an extra 10 minutes in the morning to enjoy your coffee or a mid-day walk to reset your day.

Why you need a self-care routine. 

Self-care is super important to an individual’s overall health. You could be in peak physical health but if your mental health is not so great that can lead to some pretty nasty internal thoughts. When it comes to your mental health, having a self-care routine can help you manage stress levels, keep you motivated (even when you don't want to do anything) and fight off illnesses. 

Mental clarity and a clear headspace can do absolute wonders to your everyday life. Having a self-care routine can also help reduce anxiety and depression. 

How do you create a self-care routine?

Creating a self-care routine can be overwhelming at first. It doesn’t require you to have tons of things included. You need to find what works best for you in the season of life you are in. It can simply be a 5 minute journaling session while drinking your coffee in the quiet morning. Or it could be an entire routine that includes working out, journaling, etc.

Start out slowly and incorporate more things as you get more comfortable. Self-care also doesn’t have to be done all at one time, you can sprinkle it in throughout the day.

Below are some great ideas on how to incorporate self-care throughout your day. I’ve included both mental and physical ideas to give a more rounded self-care experience.

Ways You Can Improve your Mental Health

Start and end your day with gratitude and reflection. Snag The Five Minute Journal if you struggle with doing it on your own. This journal has daily prompts that make it super easy to stay consistent.

At the beginning of each week, take a few minutes and sit down to plan out your week. I love using this weekly planning notepad from Jessica Massey. It also comes in a digital version as well. Planning out your week helps keep your focused and gives you the opportunity to see where you have openings to sprinkle in little bits of self-care. 

Take time to recharge, even if it’s just for 10 minutes a day. Scheduling in time to rest throughout the week can work wonders on your mental state. If you work from home, have your lunch outside (if weather allows) and play some lo-fi music. If you work in an office, try and have your lunch away from your desk.

How to Improve Your Physical Health

Drink 8 oz. of cold water first thing in the morning - this helps wake up your body from the inside out. It gets all those internal processes going. Get an insulated tumbler to keep by your bedside.

Move your body - this could be a full fledged workout or a simple yoga routine. As long as you move your body for at least 15 minutes per day. There are benefits to working out in both the morning and evening so try and find the best time for you. If you’re feeling unmotivated, grab some cute workout sets (this one comes in so many colors) to get yourself excited. 

If you work at a desk all day, and find that you can't pull yourself away try some seated stretches, like these found in the video here. 

Tidy Up Your Space - Choose a space per day to tidy up. Choosing to do one space per day leaves you less work on the weekends. I created a cleaning schedule that I use to keep me organized throughout the week. While I know some may not see cleaning as a form of self-care but truly it is. If your physical space is tidy & clean that clears up space in your mental headspace to focus on other things.

Create a daily and weekly skin care routine. Make sure to include those face masks and bath nights. Throw in a bath bomb that smells divine and let the hot water & aromatherapy melt away. Grab this awesome bamboo bath tray to hold all of your goodies that'll make relaxing super easy.  

The bottom line is having a self-care routine helps your overall heath and outlook. But it requires a commitment to yourself to want to do and be better. I've created two FREE printables to help you figure out your ideal self-care routine. Grab them through the link below. 

Now go and enjoy your brand new self-care routine and thanks for stopping by!