Self-care doesn’t only have to be lavish spa days and weekend retreats. You can find small ways to treat yourself and feel refreshed. Feel better with these small bursts of self-care to feel restored and invigorated.
Getting a good night’s sleep
Getting in those 40 winks has a larger impact on your life and your mental well-being than you would think. Not only does sleeping boost our productivity and focus, but getting enough z’s also promotes a good mood, and improves your memory and cognition.
But how do you intentionally sleep more? Don’t think of sleep as something you have to do but as something you want to do. Create a sleep schedule and stick to it. “Our circadian rhythms love regularity and keeping a regular sleep-wake schedule can be helpful for mapping circadian rhythms onto the 24-hour day and promoting healthy sleep,” explains clinical psychologist Jennifer Kanady.
@keltielambert Getting to bed earlier so you can wake up & make the most of your mornings🌙☀️ #earlybedtimeroutine #winddownwithme #sleeptips #howtowakeupearly #becomeamorningperson #healthyhabits2023 #sleepscheduleruined ♬ original sound – B R I E L L E
Also read: Good night, sleep tight
Cut doom-scrolling on social media
Although social media apps like Instagram and Facebook are great for keeping abreast of what’s happening in your loved ones’ (and celebrities’) lives, you can find yourself doom-scrolling for hours on end. Not only can it be a time sink, but it also often triggers feelings of envy, anxiety, loneliness and low self-esteem.
Reducing the time spent on your phone may be easier said than done, however. Handy tricks to limit screen time can include disabling the push notifications of your most beloved apps or hiding them in a folder that’s not on your home screen. Over time, that FOMO (fear of missing out) you feel when scrolling will be replaced by JOMO (joy of missing out).
Get outside
During the hustle and bustle of every day, it is easy to spend most (or often all) of our time indoors – with the only time stepping outside is when we are travelling to and from work every day. Make spending time outside in nature a priority. “When we spend time in nature, we can quite literally disconnect from the everyday stressors, technology, and social interactions,” explains psychologist Ernesto Lira de la Rosa. “Nature can help us ground and recharge our bodies and minds, especially if we take time to observe our surroundings.”
Schedule time outside and do, well, anything, whether it is to take a walk or sit and bask in the sunlight. Whatever you are doing, ask yourself: Could I do this outside?
Organise your space
Wait, how is organising considered a form of self-care and not another chore? Like taking that walk for your mental health or soaking in a warm, relaxing bath, cleaning your space should form part of your self-care routine. “Cleaning and organising are also mindfulness exercises,” says clinical psychologist Neha Khorana. “These activities force you to focus on the present, clearing your mind of any thoughts other than the task at hand. This, in turn, can help you avoid thinking about other responsibilities or appointments, ultimately improving your mood and decreasing your stress levels, she explains.
@thecontainerstore Watch until the end to learn secrets to becoming the organized person you’ve always wanted to be! 💙 Video: @horderly #TheContainerStore #decluttering #professionalorganizer #organizedhome #organizingtips #tidyhome #organizehacks ♬ original sound – The Container Store
Also read: How to prioritise self-care
