15 Amazing Self-Care Activities to Add to Your Routine

Making time daily for self-care activities is important for your mental, emotional and physical wellbeing. Society tells us that being overly booked and burnt out is a great thing. In fact, it’s a competition. That’s no way to live your life. Who wants to spend every waking hour of the day at work or stressed out?

It’s time to start taking care of yourself and putting yourself first. If you’ve been looking for a sign to start focusing on self-care this year, here is your sign.

Stop wasting so much time and energy on things that make you unhappy. Let’s start taking the time every single day to focus on self-care. Self-care isn’t just treating yourself every once and a while or going on a vacation. Self-care activities are the daily things you do to make your quality of life better. Everyone can make progress by adding a few new items to their routines.

Do you focus enough on self-care. And what are your favorite forms of self-care. Tell us in the comments what works for you!

1. Writing

Writing is the best form of self-care in our opinion. Writing can mean anything from working on a novel, planning a blog post or journaling. It can be creative writing or writing about your feelings. Anything goes!

The reality is that people use writing to help them in different ways. For example, we like to put how we’re feeling in our books. We take our emotions and turn them into creativity. However, we have friends who prefer to express themselves in their journals. They write about thoughts, feelings, ideas and emotional pain.

To add writing to your routine, we recommend taking between 10-15 minutes a day and figure out what best works for you. Be patient and let yourself be truly vulnerable.

2. Reading

Reading is a great way to escape reality for a while and live in another world. It’s a great way to clear your mind and relax. While we usually prefer to read fiction, this can be done with nonfiction books as well. As long as it’s something that you enjoy and helps you unwind.

One way to make this an even better experience is to set up a reading corner in your home. It doesn’t have to be big or fancy. Just have a comfortable chair, a warm blanket and a good light source.

In the warmer months, our favorite form of self-care is sitting on our patio and reading outside in the sunshine. Top off a cool refreshing beverage and it’s the perfect day.

3. Drinking Water

Drinking plenty of water each day keeps your body healthy. The last thing you want is to spend your day dehydrated. The human body requires a lot of water because, well, we’re mostly made of water. Make sure to take time to have water, no matter how busy your schedule is at the time.

If you’re not the biggest fan of plain water, try to mix it up a bit. Try sparkling water or even add some flavor to it, like fresh lemon or lime.

4. Stretching

Like drinking water, stretching is good for your body. It doesn’t matter how flexible you are, stretching can help your body feel better and less tense. Start with some simple stretches for a few minutes a day and then work your way up.

For those who work out regularly, stretching is a must because it improves your range of motion. Runners need to stretch, especially before big races.

5. Focusing on Body Care

Body care can come in many forms. For us, body care means taking baths, using face masks, moisturizing our skin and getting massages. Listen to what your body needs and what would make you more relaxed. It doesn’t matter what you choose, just try to make time to take care of yourself.

It can be as simple as using a bath bomb every week or as luxurious as having standing spa appointments. Focusing on your body care is something that can be done at home or done by professionals. Treating yourself is highly encouraged by us.

6. Getting Enough Sleep

Have you ever heard someone brag about how they can function on little sleep? Yeah, that isn’t healthy. Actually, getting enough sleep is linked to success. Having a clear brain and feel well rested is so important for those in creative fields.

If you’re a blogger like us, you want to feel like you’ve gotten enough sleep in order to think of great post ideas, write well and brainstorm ways to improve. However, feeling well rested is good for any profession.

Don’t believe the propaganda that less sleep leads to more productivity. You want to be able to function at your absolute best.

7. Going for a Walk

Going for a walk is one of the absolute best ways to clear your mind. It’s an easy way to get exercise and helps improve creativity. We highly recommend that writers go on walks when they have writer’s block. use the exercise to get a clear head to inspire creativity or use nature as your inspiration.

Walks can be a solitary activity to have time to reflect on life or something in particular. Or you can go on walks with friends, family or a partner. With others, you can take the time to talk and get updates on each other’s lives or confide in them in a private space.

8. Eating Comfort Food

Listen to what your body needs when it comes to food. Does it need healthier options? Does it need fuel to function, leading you to pick yummy carbs? Figure out what your body needs to function better and feel good.

For us, charcuterie night is the bets comfort food. We have breads and cheeses to feel energetic, while also eating delicious fresh fruits.

9. Listening to Music

Listening to music allows us to just enjoy living in the moment. Music sets the mood for whatever you need to convey to the world. Do you need a dance party to feel alive? Play something that makes you feel happy. Do you want quiet reflection, then a calm instrument sets the tone.

Music can also help you feel more relaxed when doing activities, such as working, writing or even cleaning. We know that background music lifts our mood.

10. Spending Time with People Who Make You Happy

We all have those friends or family members who can instantly cheer us up. Part of self-care is taking care of your social well-being. To do this, prioritize being around people who make you happy. Quality is so much important than quality. Don’t waste time with people who make you miserable.

Instead, do activities with the people who you want to spend time with. Even if it’s a s simple as staying in and watching a movie, prioritize your social self-care.

11. Unwinding in Front of the TV

Make time to watch TV shows and movies in the evenings and on weekends. Like reading, a great show or movie is an escape. Don’t let yourself feel guilty because some people say this isn’t productive. We disagree. Anything done to feel relaxed is productive. You’re taking time to do what’s best for your mental health and that is productive.

We love taking time each week to find something new to watch. We love discovering something that can capture our attention and make us excited to see what happens next.

12. Decluttering Your Space

It can be hard to think if your home is a mess or filled to capacity. Everyone falls into the trap of buying stuff because it’s a god deal…and then never using it. If you need to declutter, start with the room you spend the most time with. If you work from home, choose whichever room you work from first.

Donate anything that you don’t use or need anymore and make your home feel organized. Clean homes where everything has a place is more conducive for productivity and serenity.

13. Discovering a Creative Outlet

Allowing yourself a creative hobby is an important outlet. Remember that this isn’t something you have to master, just something that makes you happy. Art is a popular hobby. Buying a sketch book and some pencils is a cheap and easy way to let out your emotions. There’s also painting. We love sip and paint classes because it allows our minds to go truly blank.

If art isn’t for you, cooking is another great outlet. Cooking is something you can be completely creative with, even if you want to use a recipe for guidance. Other ideas are learning a musical instrument, signing for a local language class or becoming a DIY master.

14. Sharing Your Feelings with Someone You Trust

Everyone needs to vent at some point. Make sure you have at least one close person in your life that you can talk to about anything. Letting your feelings out is a great release. Find someone you trust and have a conversation about everything on both of your minds. This can be done as often as you need.

15. Meditating or Deep Breathing

Whether you love meditating each night or just take a few moments to take a deep breath/enjoy some peace and quiet, it’s important to have uninterrupted time to just be. There are plenty of resources for those just starting to meditate as a daily practice.

If meditating isn’t your cup of tea, try to find a few minutes a day to be completely quiet. Take the time to reflect, relax and breath. it’s a nice reprieve from the day-to-day grind.