30 Simple Self-Care Ideas

Feeling a little stressed? Anxious? Overwhelmed? Uncertain? Self-care is important in the best of times. It’s certainly important now. And it’s not selfish- it’s good for you and it’s good for the people you love. You know that saying about pouring from an empty cup right? So try one of these 30 simple acts of self-care each day…

♥set boundaries♥ setting boundaries on your time is 100% necessary or you will feel spent and overwhelmed in no time. Especially if you’re a mom. Make it clear that you need time for what’s important to you and don’t feel guilty for sticking to it. Love them up and give them what they need and then set them up for an independent time while you have your time. (Read the post I wrote about it- Setting Boundaries to Save Your Sanity)

♥do nothing♥ sometimes you just need to do nothing. Sit and stare out the window. Lay in bed and stare at the ceiling. Gaze into space. No phone, no noise, no external stimulation. Just you and your thoughts. It’s good for your brain, and it’s kind of like a precursor to meditation without feeling all meditation-y.

♥take a nap♥ rest is so important for your body and your brain. If you feel tired, take a nap. Even if you get a good night’s sleep you might need a little rest during the day. And how often do we get a good night’s sleep? So look at taking a nap as an act of self-care rather than being indulgent or lazy. Cozy up and enjoy it.

♥get some fresh air and sunshine♥ getting outside is good for your body and your mind, too. So try to get some outside time each day. Vitamin D is good for you and there’s also something about looking out at an unconfined space that’s good for your brain.

♥get creative♥ creativity often gets pushed aside in favor of other life stuff. But it’s good for you! So, even if you think you’re not creative try something creative. Draw, paint, color, play an instrument, sing, dance, craft, make something, take pictures. Make time to express yourself.

♥do a face mask♥ sometimes you need to pamper your body a little. Whip up a natural face mask in your kitchen and give yourself a mini spa night. (See this link for homemade mask ideas!)

♥fancy up your water♥ we know how important drinking water is for our bodies, but it’s sometimes hard to do it. It can get boring, too. So one simple act of self-care is to make your water a little fancy. Add some lemon slices, cucumber, and mint. It’s delicious and refreshing. If you don’t have lemons and cucumbers around, try adding ice cubes, a splash of lemon juice, and a straw. Maybe the novelty will help you drink more and it feels so good for you!

♥relax and watch something♥ sometime it’s nice to just sit back and watch something. Something silly or funny or frivolous or suspenseful. It’s not healthy to zone out in front of the tv too much, but it sure is nice to give yourself some guilt-free, responsibility-free time to just watch something stupid.

♥do yoga♥ doing yoga is the ultimate mind-body self-care. There are soooo many benefits. If you’ve tried yoga and hated it, try it again! There are different kinds of classes. I love gentle, restorative yoga. And while I prefer to do yoga at a yoga place, there are tons of at-home options. (Read this post for more on the benefits!)

♥call a friend♥ this is a simple act of self-care that can do so much to boost your mood and reaffirm your faith in humanity. How often do we talk on the phone these days? Texting and social media have made phone calls less necessary and our busy lives often keep us from calling friends just to chat. But there’s nothing like a 45-minute phone call with a girlfriend.

♥practice gratitude♥ being actively grateful is one of the best things you can do for your mindset and your life. And it’s so simple. While I’m grateful for all the big things- family, health, home- I find that being grateful for small things brings up that feeling of gratitude that is really life-changing. In my gratitude journal, I write things like: I am grateful for the gap in Danny’s front teeth. Because that makes me smile and brings genuine, tangible joy.

♥smell the flowers♥ literally and figuratively. But for this list, I intended it literally. Cut some pretty flowers or buy a cheap bouquet and put them in a mason jar. They are good for your brain. Make time to stop and look at them, smell them, enjoy them. And when you’re out and about notice all the pretty blooms out there.

♥make it a priority♥ if you want to practice self-care you have to make it a priority. Schedule it into your days. Do what you have to, but make self-care like showering or brushing your teeth. It’s a necessity.

♥write♥ even if you don’t especially like writing, it can be a surprising act of self-care. Getting your thoughts down on paper can be freeing. It can lessen anxiety, help you process your thoughts and feelings, help you make decisions. You can just free-write or do a “brain dump” where you write down everything that’s running through your brain. Or you can use it to be creative!

♥think about the good stuff♥ there’s lots of bad stuff we could be thinking about, and our news feeds and what we see on TV is so often negative. The news, the politics…if we don’t actively look for the good stuff we might not find it. So look for it. Read books that are positive, follow inspirational people on social media. Put yourself in a place to receive good news and good messages. My Little Messages post talks about this; you can read it here.

♥get dressed up♥I am a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl…maybe even more of a PJs and sweatshirt kind of girl during quarantine. So while this self-care tip applies during “normal” times, it’s even more important now. Day in and day out of nowhere to go and no one (new) to see can get old. Spruce yourself up a little sometimes even if you are in quarantine. Play with new makeup, curl your hair. Or at the very least get showered and dressed and dry your hair. It just might perk up your mood and make you feel a little more normal. At a very not normal time.

♥read a good book♥ there’s nothing like a book to take you away from reality! I love my reality, but I also love a good break from it. Read something that sucks you in and makes you stay up too late.

♥run♥ running is a great act of self-care. Make time for it. If you think you’re not a runner, maybe you’re just not a runner yet! Start with a walk. Or a walk/run program. It’s easy to do – you don’t need a lot of gear. Just throw on some sneakers and get out there. If you doubt running can be for you read this post: 5 Tricks to Make Running Easier.

♥nourish your body♥your body needs nutrients, not just calories. Make time to put together healthy meals that you know are good for you.  Look at is as self-care, not just eating. Fuel your body with good stuff; sit down and eat your meal and enjoy it.

♥create a bedtime routine♥ we hear more about morning routines, but a good bedtime routine is important too. It can signal your body it’s time for bed and get you into a better rhythm, meaning better sleep. Use some of the simple self-care ideas here as part of your routine. Start simple and add things as you get used to them.

♥light a candle♥ chances are you have a lovely smelling candle around the house that you’re saving…for company or for another season or for a special occasion. Light that good smelling candle you’ve been saving. Just because.

♥lift weights♥ exercise of all kinds is self-care, but lifting weights sometimes gets overlooked. It’s important for bone health as we age, it’s good for toning, and it’s fun. If you think you hate exercise, you might just love weights. Start with little dumbbells- 3 or 5 pounds and give it a go! Read my post “The Best Beachbody Workouts A to Z” for some ideas!

♥create a morning routine♥ how you start your day can have such a big impact on how the rest of your day goes. Read my post “6 Essential Parts of a Morning Routine” for more about my routine.

♥meditate♥ mediation has sooooo many benefits, too, and it’s right up there with exercise as a must-do life-changing thing. There are lots of free apps to get you started- Insight Timer and Headspace are both great ones. Or just sit and breathe deeply for a minute or two. It doesn’t have to be cross-legged, chanting, hour-long mediation to count. A minute of stillness and breath is still good for you.

♥sleep♥ sleep is so important for everything! Yet most of us skimp on it. Do your best to get close to that 8 hours we hear is ideal. If you think you don’t need that much sleep, make sure you really don’t need it- that it’s not just what you’re used to. Sleep is important for your physical health and your mental health. Make it a priority…even when Netflix is so, so tempting.

♥get a massage♥ this goes beyond simple self-care, but it’s worth including. Schedule time now and again to get a little extra pampering- a massage, a mani/pedi, acupuncture, reiki. Even if you can’t get out to get those things right now, buy yourself a gift certificate. Treat yourself. And it will be helping out a local business too!

♥put it in a God box♥ a God box is a simple little box where you can put those worries you have no control over. Write down what you’re worrying about, fold it up really small, and put it in a box. The act of releasing something you can’t change can be very powerful. It’s powerful for you to acknowledge it’s out of your control. And it’s powerful for you to give yourself some freedom from it. This is especially useful when you’re worried about someone else, something someone you love is going through when you’ve done all you can do. It’s ok to let it go. (You’ll still worry, but this will help.)

♥listen to music♥ good music is amazing for changing your mood! It’s so simple but so easy to forget. Just put on some music that you like for a quick mood boost and you might turn your whole day around.

♥make yourself a cup of tea♥ making a cup of tea for someone is a simple way to show you care. To nurture them a little bit, to dote on them. Show yourself some care with this simple act. Make yourself a nice cup of tea, maybe throw in a little milk and sugar for old times’ sake. Sit and drink it quietly.

♥grow♥ the most important act of ongoing self-care is to grow. Keep growing as a person. Nurture your body, nurture your mind. Read, try new things, do things that are a little uncomfortable but you know are good for you. Practice self-care each day and always look to keep growing and evolving. It’s very easy to get stuck and stand still. But that’s also not what this life is about…So keep growing.

How do you practice self-care? What’s your favorite from this list? I’d love to hear from you! Comment here, send me an email (mary@stayathomefit.com) or connect with me on Facebook or Instagram.

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