Self-care. This is a word that I feel has been thrown around a lot lately, but I’m sure you will probably agree that self-care is important for our overall well-being. Self-care means doing things and developing habits that help you feel at your best and help you function at your best. When some people think of self-care, they think of buying themselves something expensive or luxury but the thing is, self-care doesn’t have to cost any money at all.
The most important thing about developing simple self-care habits is just sticking with it.
In this post, we will explore just that. The simple habits that lead to sustainable self-care so you can feel at your best.
What Long-term Self-Care Actually Looks Like
Self-care is something that you commit to long-term so that you can see great results. There are different types of self-care which are broken down into these four categories: mental, emotional, physical, and digital self-care. Let’s explore each of them.
- Mental self-care is about being intentional about your thoughts, cognitive thinking, and your overall mindset. It looks like limiting negative talk, setting healthy emotional boundaries, and learning how to take control of your thoughts.
- Emotional self-care is about understanding your emotions and respecting them. It’s about learning how to process your emotions in a healthy way such as responding to situations instead of reacting. Some examples are journaling, talking to a supportive friend or family member, and trusting yourself.
- Physical self-care involves taking care of your physical body so it can perform at its best. Getting proper exercise, eating healthy, and staying hydrated, all fall into this category.
- Digital self-care is about having healthy relationships with technology. It involves setting limits on how much screentime for have a day, setting limits on the amount of negative content you watch, and limiting screentime before bed.
It can be very easy for us to slip up and neglect ourselves, which can easily lead to burnout and many other consequences. Studies have shown that individuals who neglect their self-care are more likely to experience psychological distress, emotional exhaustion, and stress.
Self-awareness plays a big role in understanding which area of self-care you need.
For me, I love to write things down. Maybe you can write down the areas of self-care that you are doing really well in and which ones you may need to work on a little bit.
Morning Habits That Set the Tone for the Day
Start Your Day Without Your Phone
It’s something about waking up and not getting on your phone. It can be so easy for us to be glued to our phone which is not the best for us. When you don’t get on your phone the first thing in the morning, it helps to reduce anxiety and stress.
When you wake up without being on your phone, you can be intentional about your day. Maybe you want to write down your goals or your to-do list for the day, do some stretches, or maybe go for a short walk and enjoy nature. Whatever it is try to challenge yourself and not be on your phone the first thing in the morning.
Create a 5–10 Minute Morning Ritual
Decide how you want to start your day. There are many self-care routines to choose from, and we can pick one that aligns with your schedule.
Everyday Mental & Emotional Self-Care Habits
Set One Daily Boundary
This one doesn’t have to be a huge boundary, but just setting one can make you feel so much better. Maybe it’s saying no to a toxic family member, maybe you turn your phone off during your “me time,” or maybe you don’t respond to that work call after business hours. Whatever it is, just set one boundary every day and assess how you feel at the end of the week. This can help prevent emotional exhaustion and giving too much of yourself to others.
Clear your Mind and Make Space for What Matters
When you have a lot on your mind, it can be so easy to have racing thoughts and overwhelm your mind with clutter. Eventually, your mind will become stopped up very similar to a drainage system. Clearing your mind is the process of unclogging the drainage system.
You can do this by creating your to-do list the night before and releasing all of your emotions in a healthy way.
Speak to Yourself in the Third Person
I get it. This one sounds super silly, but hear me out.
When you talk to yourself in third person, you are creating emotional distance. In other words, you are almost separating yourself from the situation or emotion that you are experiencing. It also opens the door for self-compassion instead of self-criticism. So for example, instead of saying, “This is too much for me right now,” say, “Ashley, you are going through a difficult moment, but this will pass.” Of course, insert your name in there.
Set Simple Routines to Unwind at the End of the Day
Most people focus on morning routines, but what about having a nighttime routine?
Of course, this is going to look different for different people but let me give you some ideas.
Meditation music is great way to settle down and relax. Personally, I love to listen that to mediation music while I’m sleep. Another thing is essential oils. Some essential oils have relaxing and calming properties like lavender and jasmine oil. Another idea is a release ritual like deep breathing before going to bed. This will help to slow down your breathing and it could help you release anything that was weighing heavy on you. There are so many options for you.
Easy Physical Self-Care that Fits into your Schedule
Simple Ways to Support a Good Night’s Sleep
It is no secret that getting good quality sleep and rest is important. But sometimes that can be easier said than done. As I mentioned earlier, set a good night time routine. Maybe this could look like going to bed by a certain time or making sure your routine stays the same everyday. If you are having trouble getting some ideas, here are some ways to support your sleep:
- Stretch before bed
- Read a book or story
- Take a warm bath
- Reduce the noise
- Dim the lights
Fuel your Body with Care
You don’t have to be on some strict diet to do this. But nourishing your body is a great way to feel energized and just another way of taking care of yourself. It’s something about eating healthy that makes you feel good.
See the thing is eating healthy is it doesn’t have to be expensive. I love to shop at Aldi’s. Their produce is fresh and you can get good quality meat without breaking your pockets. If you are having trouble with making healthy meals, honestly, you can use Chatgpt. You will be surprised how good the food comes out with the recipes it creates and of course, you can always use Youtube.
Find Fun Ways to Move Your Body
The best thing about getting movement every day is you don’t have to go to the gym or have any expensive equipment. You can literally get your steps in or turn on Youtube and dance. There are so many ways to go about it but definitely choose the best option for you and of course, have fun while doing it. The most important part is just making sure you have a routine and you stick to it every day.
If you have having trouble coming up with some ideas here are a few more:
- Boxing workouts on Youtube
- Go for a beach or nature walk
- Ride your bike around the neighborhood
- Jump on the trampoline
- Stretch while watching TV
Create Healthy Digital Habits
Set digital boundaries
Are you someone that is glued to social media or the TV? I get it. It can be addicting. No one says you have to give it up completely, but try limiting the amount of screentime you have a day. One thing I love to do is social media detoxes about 3 times a year. I will delete the apps and not be on social media for 30 days. I find that my mental health is always better when I’m not scrolling for a long time.
Turn on “do not disturb”
I love this feature, especially during meditation sessions, reading time, and study time. If you are someone that always answers the phone no matter what this may be a good option for you. Maybe you have toxic family members that are always calling you to solve their problems or maybe you are always getting work calls, whatever it is maybe you might have to hit that do not disturb button.
Final Thoughts
Self-care is something we can all benefit from, Look, just like we discussed here, self-care doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming. Self-care is about being intentional about the things that you do to take care of yourself.
Choose one self care habit that you enjoy and that you know you will stick with to start.
