100 Everyday Self-Care Ideas

When the average person envisions self-care, they often imagine laying back in a beach chair or sprawleId out on a massage table. These are wonderful ways to rejuvenate the mind, body, and soul. However, how often can we realistically afford these types of activities either due to time constraints, responsibilities, or finances? Also, individuals often confuse self-care with indulgence. More often than not, self-care is more along the lines of self-preservation. It involves a plethora of daily activities to ensure we care for ourselves.

I decided to pose the question to my audience across social media:

What are some basic, everyday self-care practices you engage in for self-preservation?

Check out the list below for some pretty neat self-care ideas.

  1. Writing in a journal
  2. Bullet journaling
  3. Expressing gratitude
  4. Meal prep for the week
  5. Cooking
  6. Scheduling appointments for myself
  7. Making my bed
  8. Drink a protein shake
  9. Getting prescriptions filled
  10. Taking a break
  11. Going for a walk
  12. Becoming self-aware
  13. Spending time alone
  14. Saying no to certain tasks or responsibilities
  15. Sleep/Naps
  16. Knitting
  17. Bilateral brain stimulation through the five senses
  18. Putting phone on “do not disturb”
  19. Disconnect from social media for a day or two
  20. Exercise regularly
  21. Mindfulness exercises
  22. Meditate
  23. Pray
  24. Setting aside time for reflection and contemplation
  25. Examining cognitive distortions and how to fix them
  26. Advocate for yourself
  27. Watching movies
  28. Watching a show on your DVR you have been meaning to watch
  29. Watch silly videos on YouTube
  30. Watching reality TV (without judgment)
  31. Drink your morning coffee
  32. Have a cup of tea instead
  33. Drink enough water throughout the day
  34. Or wine…if all else fails
  35. Unloading the dishwasher
  36. Wiping down the kitchen counters
  37. Washing your bedding
  38. Organize your space
  39. Catch up paperwork that has been sitting around for a while
  40. Eat a healthy breakfast
  41. Or eat some chocolate… up to you
  42. Read a good book
  43. Use an oil diffuser
  44. Turning on Himalayan salt lamps
  45. Take a shower
  46. Brush your teeth
  47. Make it to work
  48. Finish a full day of work
  49. Make a soul collage
  50. Practice yoga
  51. Setting reminders on your phone
  52. Taking a step outside even if just for a few minutes
  53. Tracking your nutrition/diet
  54. Enjoy a “cheat meal” or comfort food
  55. “Cat on lap” time (or with the critter of your choice)
  56. Take the dog for a walk
  57. Have dinner with a loved one
  58. Call up an old friend
  59. Talk to someone about your day
  60. Make a new one
  61. Go to a sports event
  62. Go to the movies
  63. Paying off bills
  64. Budgeting your money
  65. Retail therapy (hopefully after budgeting your money)
  66. Window shopping
  67. Time management
  68. Staggering appointments/meetings to have time in between
  69. Leave work “stuff” at work. Leave home “stuff” at home.
  70. Aim for ten thousand steps in a day
  71. Tend to a garden
  72. Setting aside a minimum amount of “me time” each day
  73. Prioritizing expectations
  74. Putting on makeup
  75. Staying busy
  76. Making a checklist
  77. Martial arts/karate (to kick some self-care butt obviously)
  78. Taking deep, purposeful breaths
  79. Coloring
  80. Washing your face
  81. Draw a picture
  82. Start a painting
  83. Bead a necklace
  84. Write yourself a compliment on a Post It Note
  85. Go cloud watching
  86. Watch the sunrise
  87. Or sunset
  88. Listen to your favorite song or band
  89. Sing
  90. Dance
  91. Stretch your body
  92. Have a good laugh
  93. Help someone
  94. Ask for help
  95. Donate to a charity
  96. Pay attention to something on your way to work you never noticed before
  97.  Do five minutes of research on an interesting topic
  98. Reminisce about a fond memory
  99. Brainstorm ideas for your next vacation
  100. Catch up on your favorite blog 😉

– The Caring Counselor

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.