Need to take a break from all your daily stresses? Here are the best self care tips you can try to get your glow back!
RELATED: 7 Tips For a Great Bedtime Routine
In this article:
- Loving Yourself by Taking Care of Yourself
- Mental Self-Care Tips
- The Social Aspect of Self-care
- Let’s Get Physical
Self-Care Tips to Make You Look and Feel Good
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Loving Yourself by Taking Care of Yourself
It’s not uncommon to feel like you’ve got an awful lot on your plate. Between work and social obligations, plus all of the emails, texts, pings, and dings that come with being a person, self-care doesn’t always make it onto the to-do list.
But letting our schedules get in the way of taking care of ourselves is a mistake. Neglecting nutrition, exercise, and emotional check-ins can take a real toll on our work, friendships, and mental health.
The thing is, we can’t function well if we don’t take good care of ourselves first. When time is at a premium, self-care can seem, well, self-ISH. But, it’s not.
It’s like that old adage: You can’t truly love someone else until you learn to love yourself.
So, what’s the solution? Well, it might take a little planning and a lot of creativity, but it doesn’t need to be hard.
Here are some self-care tips for reducing stress and making space for balance.
Mental Self-Care Tips
Self-care is the backbone of a healthy mind. Investing time in this area can help you prevent mental health problems like depression and anxiety from developing or progressing.
As you can see, this is such an essential part of well-being. Here are a few self-betterment tips you can try for yourself, so you can feel less stressed and more centered.
1. Unplug
Create spaces in your day where you can unplug from everything. We know this is a challenge, but sometimes we need a break from all the electronics. Let your mind and body a break.
Block off even an hour when you turn it all off. That means no emails, no Internet, and no calls.
Grab a book and curl up in your favorite robe. Make a hot cup of tea and settle into the quiet.
It might feel strange at first, but you’ll come to savor these little moments.
2. Try Mindfulness
Mindfulness, by definition, is the human ability to be fully present and aware of where we are and what we’re doing.
It’s about keeping a clear head and trying to stay in the moment.
Whenever you bring awareness to what you’re doing, you’re practicing mindfulness. There are countless apps available, too, in case you need a bit of guidance.
Calm and Headspace are a couple of popular options. Mindfulness is just one of the many self-awareness tips you can try.
3. Make Time for Personal Care
When you’re stressed out, sometimes it’s hard to force yourself to wash your face before going to bed or take care of your skin. Little things like taking a shower with your favorite body wash or getting dressed in clothes that make you feel good can have a significant impact on your well-being.
We also recommend setting some time aside, maybe once a week, for a more involved personal care routine or self-grooming tips. Things, like doing a face mask, taking a long bath, and just slowing down for an hour or so, gives you a chance to recharge your mental battery.
If you’re adding bath time to your routine, try using one of these wrap towels—they’re built to not fall down while you perform your DIY facial or take your time drying off. Or cuddle up in a waffle robe post-soak, and let yourself sink into comfort with a good book and a face mask.
The Social Aspect of Self-care
Though the term “self-care” sounds self-motivated, a significant aspect of taking care of your well-being is connecting with others. This doesn’t mean taking on self-help tips you don’t want to do or spending time with people who bring you down.
Instead, it’s being intentional about who you spend time with and trying to spread positivity.
Here are a few self-care tips to enhance your social well-being:
4. Help Others
It sounds cliché, but helping others helps us, too. Lending a hand to a friend in need or volunteering has a positive effect on self-esteem and overall well-being.
Simply picking up something from the ground that a person has accidentally dropped and giving it back to the owner already means a lot to that person. This, in turn, will increase your sense of being useful and helpful.
People derive a lot of self-worth from feeling useful, and as such, it’s a great way to reduce stress. Feelings like empathy and generosity can increase levels of oxytocin in the body, which makes us feel calmer and happier.
5. Ask for Help
Helping others is one side of the coin, but you also need to make sure you ask for help when you need it yourself. We forget that our network is there to support us and don’t always take advantage of our lifelines.
Learn to identify when you’re maxed out emotionally and call a friend for backup. Ask your partner to take the reins on getting the kids ready for school or cooking dinner when you’re feeling especially overwhelmed.
If you’re a parent, you can even ask your kids to do some light household chores to help you out. Sometimes, we need to be able to communicate what we need—other people aren’t mind readers after all, no matter how much they love us. You can consider this as one of the self-growth tips you can apply to your daily life.
6. Spend Time with the People You Love
You know that phrase, “Your network is your net worth”? Well, there’s some truth in that.
Make sure you set aside enough time to keep in touch with your family or schedule date nights with your partner. Having solid connections with our family and friends will have a positive effect on your well-being.
Friendships are just as important, and this is one of the self-worth tips you will always treasure. As we get involved in our careers and other obligations, our friends can take a backseat.
Bonds are really important to our health. They boost our sense of belonging, self-worth, happiness, and may reduce our risk of developing significant health problems.
So, get the girls together for happy hour every now and then, call a friend to go on a hike with you, or whatever else is up your alley. Just don’t be a stranger.
7. Don’t Be a Doormat
While being nice and being helpful are two elements that can make us feel good, there’s a difference between spreading kindness and joy and being a doormat.
When our defenses are down—due to a lack of rest or low self-esteem, it can be hard to set boundaries.
Be strong and don’t let people walk all over you. Communicate when you don’t have time to take on that extra project or plan the birthday parties at work. Learn to say no to things that don’t do you good, or undermine your own personal goals and successes.
8. Limit Your Time Spent on Social Media
Social media can be fun—and it’s an excellent way to keep up with the people we don’t always get a chance to see.
But, regularly spending too much time on it can leave us feeling negative.
It’s hard not to compare ourselves to the seemingly perfect lives of those we follow—even though we know deep down that images are filtered and curated. People tend to put their best face forward, sharing vacations and the happy milestones without any of the tough stuff.
As such, it can make you feel even more alone when you’re struggling. We’ve already said it, but taking a break from social media or limiting checking in to perhaps once or twice a day can help you focus on and cherish what is immediately around you.
Self-help tips like this can save you from the negativity festering in the social media community.
9. Spend Some Quality Self Care Time With Your Furry Friends
If you already have a pet cat or dog, then you already know the joy they bring into your life. If you don’t or can’t adopt one, consider volunteering at your local rescue or shelter.
Your animal friends effortlessly ease your loneliness, and lighten your mood, especially if you are too tired from work. Their funny antics and cuddles are natural stress-relievers.
Of course, pets don’t just exist to be your living stress balls. You need to genuinely care for them and return the love and affection they show you.
Let’s Get Physical
Finally, self-care also means literally taking care of your body. We sometimes forget the importance of sleep, exercise, and nutrition, so let’s take a look at these basic functions as self-care tips and how important they are to a healthy routine.
10. Make Sure You’re Eating Well
Food plays a huge role in how we feel. Go too long without food, and chances are, you’ll start to get hangry.
Nourishing your body with the right food is one of the most basic ways to take care of your body. It’s time to rethink how you’re approaching your diet. Investing in high-quality ingredients and learning how to cook simple, but healthy meals, instead of always relying on processed foods, is an excellent place to start.
Limit your intake of sugary foods and processed carbs. Opt for fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean proteins.
11. Move Around
Getting your sweat on can do wonders for the mind, body, and soul. The next time you find yourself stressed, frustrated, or emotionally overwhelmed, head to the gym or go for a run.
Exercise boosts mood, increases energy, and it’s good for your heart.
Even if the gym isn’t for you, there are plenty of other options. Going for a walk, doing some yard work, or riding your bike to work can all improve your well-being.
Learning to love the capable body you’ve been given, and honoring it by keeping it strong and healthy—regardless of shape or size—is definitely a major component of self-care.
12. Get Enough Sleep
This is one of the most important tips for self-care you can have for your well-being.
Most people require about eight hours of sleep, give or take, depending on your body’s needs. While it may be tempting to stay up late with a few extra episodes on Netflix or answering a few last-minute emails, it’s not worth it.
Chronic sleep deprivation can contribute to depression, anxiety, and poor work performance.
To ensure you get a good night’s sleep on a regular basis, you’ll want to develop a routine. Make sure you hit the hay around the same time each night.
Avoid using electronics too close to bedtime. The backlit screens can interfere with your sleep cycle.
Instead, try reading a physical book before nodding off.
Additionally, you should take some time to unwind before heading to bed. Some people like doing light stretching, breathing exercises, or taking a warm bath.
You’ll also want to avoid spending too much time in your bedroom outside of sleeping hours. Your bed is for sleep and relaxation, and as such, it’s smart to train your body to think of this space as sacred.
Invest in soft sheets, earplugs, and maybe even a sleep mask.
Add an extra element to your sleep routine and get some pajamas you love—we’re partial to these lightweight nightgowns. The point is, you need to create a comfortable, quiet, and dark space for yourself to get the best possible sleep.
Don’t forget to download, save, or share this handy infographic for reference:
Want to know more about how you can look good and feel good? Watch the video below and check out the self-care tips to rejuvenate your life!
Look, we can’t commit to all of these self-care tips every single day, but taking a few minutes here and there to decompress is a great starting point. Make self-care a goal like anything else, and you’ll start to feel more in control of yourself and your life.
The better we feel, the more prepared we are to tackle all items on our to-do list and do more for the people we love.
Which of these self-care tips and tips for self-confidence are you following? Let us know in the comments section!
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Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on October 18, 2018, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.