71 Self-Care Ideas
Are you ever at the top of your priority list? Or does everyone and everything else always come first?
Do you have ‘me-time’ scheduled in your calendar?
Do you ask for help? Or are you the one helping others?
A healthy you means taking time to focus on yourself, so your mental, emotional, and physical self thrive.
Should you feel guilty for these times of pleasure? No. Self-care is not selfish. In fact, allowing yourself time to rejuvenate and heal will give you what is needed to handle another day.
The best part, self-care is not a one-shot deal; it’s an ongoing process, which means you get to allow yourself to take time to relax and enjoy the things that bring you happiness.
Pamper Yourself:
- Take a nap
- Get a body or head massage
- Enjoy a leisurely bubble bath
- Manicure
- Pedicure
- Facial
- Acupuncture
- Self-soothing techniques
- Deep breathing exercises
- Aromatherapy
- Relaxation techniques
- Meditation
Get Your Body Moving:
- Stretch
- Pilates
- Yoga
- Dance
- Walk
- Run
- Ride a bike
- Hike, camp, backpack, kayak, canoe
- Self-defense class
- Use the stairs instead of the elevator
Engage Your Brain:
- Read inspiring stories
- Listen to podcasts
- Listen to audiobooks
- Listen to TED Talks
- Do crossword puzzles, sudoku, word search, jigsaw puzzles, strategy games, find fun apps on your phone
- Mindful exercises
Use Your Ears to Connect with Your Inner-Self:
- Meditative music
- Monks chanting
- Nature sounds
- Create a Spotify playlist that is spot on with your current mood
- Listen to the sounds of the city
- Listen to nature
Socialize:
- Karaoke
- Poetry reading
- Comedy club
- Call a random friend and catch up
- Lunch date
- Date night with a significant other
- Family movie night
- Spend time with your parents or an older relative
- Meet up with friends or family
Enjoy the Little Things:
- Buy/pick yourself a bouquet of flowers
- Light your favorite candle
- Place solar lights around your patio or balcony and enjoy them when the sun goes down
- Clean, fresh-smelling sheets
- Smile
- Watch the sunrise and set
- Take a picture of the sunset/sunrise every day from the same place – after a year, create a photo album
- Decorate your room with Christmas lights
- Enjoy a thunderstorm
- Find animals in the clouds
- Swing on a swing set
- Watch a loved one sleep
Do for Others:
- Compliment someone
- Pay for the people behind you in the drive-thru
- Volunteer
- Share your strengths – what are you good at?
- Help someone
- Pay-it-Forward
- Secret Santa – But on a random day!
A Little Bit Off the Beaten Path:
- Watch YouTube videos of cute animals, homecomings, flash mobs, kids doing funny things, etc.
- Lose track of time on Pinterest or TikTok
- Do something your mom told you never to do
- Enjoy the smell of books in a library or bookstore
- Use the talk-to-text feature on your phone – speak quickly and don’t edit the text before sending it
- Communicate old-style – send a letter, postcard, or care-package by mail
- Do something that in 50 years you’ll be glad you did – like dancing in a water fountain
- Paint fluorescent stars on your ceiling and watch them glow at night
- Watch nature shows
Believe it or not, taking care of you should be the most important thing on your to-do list.
