As busy women, it’s easy to put ourselves last, but it’s so important to prioritise our own needs too so that we can show up as our best selves in all areas of our lives.
Because it’s National Self Care Day on the 24th of July, in today’s article we’re putting the spotlight on the importance of self-care in your daily routine.
Plus, if you’re wondering what are some self-care activities that you can easily be doing at home, then you’re in luck! We have nine suggestions for you!
Firstly, what is self-care?
Self-care is all about looking after yourself, not just in the physical sense but in relation to your mental health too. An act of self-care is one that is focused on helping you feel good.
Self-care activities can contribute to your overall health and wellbeing, boosting your confidence and mood and helping to ensure that you are well in all senses of the word.
Related reading: Essential self-care tips for a healthy mind and body
Nine quick and easy self-care activities for women to do at home
1. Chill out!
Try to find just half an hour in every day to relax and focus on yourself.
Find a comfortable place to sit or lie such as your bed or a sofa, put your feet up, your phone on silent and turn any background music off. Close your eyes if you want to.
Become aware of your breathing and how your body feels – is it heavy, tired or are you in any pain? Use the time simply to relax and calm your mind and body.
2. Deep breathing
At any time when you are feeling anxious or need to slow things down, try some deep breathing exercises. You can quickly give both your mind and body a boost by consciously breathing more slowly and more deeply.
Apps such as ‘Calm’ and ‘Headspace’ can be useful as they feature breathing exercises and guided meditations that you can follow. Or, many smartphones now have in-built health tools with breathing prompts that you could use.
3. Sleep
One of the best things that you can do for your mind and body is to rest and get sufficient sleep. Adult females are recommended to aim for between 7-8 hours of shut-eye per night.
We know that when the to-do list is never-ending, it’s easy to fall into a routine where you head to bed late. Doing so, though, means that you can’t get those precious hours of sleep that your body not only craves but needs.
If you aren’t getting enough sleep could you make an early night a priority this evening, or perhaps even take a quick nap right now?
4. Journal
Keeping a diary or journal can be helpful as it encourages you to articulate how you’re feeling and take the time to reflect on your emotions and any fears or worries.
The act of writing things down can be therapeutic, and it can also help you begin the process of working through any challenges you’re facing.
5. Dance
Another quick and easy self-care activity that you can do at home is to dance. Dancing is a sure-fire way to boost your mood and make you feel good.
So, turn on your favourite, uplifting tracks, switch the volume up and dance like no one is watching!
Related reading: Lost your mojo? Four ways to make yourself feel better
6. Limit your social media use
Something we are perhaps all guilty of is spending a lot of time on our phones.
Social media can become addictive, and it’s not necessarily a good thing for our mindset to be viewing images and videos of other people. This is when the comparison game can kick in.
So, try to stop the endless scrolling. Perhaps give yourself a time limit per day to spend on social media and resist the urge to take your phone everywhere. Out of sight, out of mind, right?
7. Hit the unfollow button
Similarly, if you are triggered by a particular person online then unfollow them pronto! It isn’t serving you to keep in contact with people who annoy you or make you feel anxious or insecure about yourself.
Whether it’s a so-called friend, family member or someone you don’t even know in real life but who you follow online, if what they share on social media sends you into a tailspin, now is the time to do something about it.
Related reading: Five tips to boost your confidence and mindset
8. Stretch
Stretching your body is another easy self-care activity that has many benefits and can be done in just a few seconds.
Particularly helpful if you spend prolonged periods of time sitting or in the same position during the course of your day, stretching gives your muscles some welcome TLC!
Related reading: Yoga and mental health: Five benefits of practising yoga for self-care
9. Bathe
Finally, a long hot soak in a bathtub full of bubbles is a classic way to have some unadulterated time to yourself. A glass of wine and a book are optional!
Or, if showers are more your thing, why not take your time to savour the experience for once? The warm water will ease and soothe your body.
Candles and fragrances in the bathroom will make the experience even more luxurious. You could also pamper yourself by using scrubs and facemasks to make your skin glow, and perfumed body washes for a sensory boost!
Related reading: What is the importance of self-love and confidence?
Which of these quick and easy self-care activities will you do first?
We hope that this list of self-care activities has inspired you? Could you find some time in your busy schedule today to try one or more of these out?
Let us know in the comments below which of these self-care activities you already do to prioritise your physical and mental health, and which you’re keen to try. We’d love to hear from you.
Love Johanna, Ange & Evie
~x~
