Feeling burnt out? Overwhelmed by the busy week ahead? None of us can pour from an empty cup which is why it’s essential to keep self-care at the top of our priorities.
I’ve compiled the 15 best self-care ideas I think are perfect for a busy week. They can easily be integrated into your daily routine and don’t require money to be spent.
By the end of the week you’ll be feeling less anxious and more motivated to live and thrive in your beautiful life. Check it out below and then give it a go!
1. Self-Care from the Sun
As soon as your eyes open make it a habit to draw your curtains and view the sunlight from an open window. Just 2-10 minutes of sunlight after waking up is enough to trigger the timed release of cortisol (a healthy level) into your system. This will wake you up quicker, help you focus throughout the day and sleep better at night.
2. Avoid caffeine for 90 minutes after waking up.
As tempting as it is to wake up and sip on a freshly brewed cup o’ coffee, don’t! Having coffee first thing in the morning can stimulate the production of stomach acid. Why is this a bad thing? Well, increased stomach acid is linked to indigestion, bloating, and nausea.
Coffee also increases the stress hormone in the body, cortisol, which has negative impacts on our weight and hormonal balance. Imbalanced hormones can lead to a variety of issues, hence the importance of giving your body time to regulate after waking up before grabbing your first cup.
3. Try out a 10-minute yoga stretch on youtube
This self-care idea is one of my ultimate favourites. It will allow you to find some movement while bringing a sense of calm to your mind. I can attest to the anxiety-reducing effects it can have.
We live in an age where everything is at our fingertips, for free! Youtube is filled with amazing yoga teachers that offer all types of levels and types based on what you might want or need that specific day. If you’re not sure where to start, I recommend Yoga with Kassandra and Yoga with Adriene.
4. Do one good deed for the week (or two or three or four…)
This is something my mom always taught me. It can be as simple as buying a friend their favourite snack or paying for a couple of groceries for a stranger.
Ironically, self-care doesn’t only have to revolve around ourselves. In fact, It’s been proven that the act of giving or helping increases dopamine; a hormone that is important for our sense of feeling good. Therefore, by doing good for others you’re doing good for yourself, LITERALLY.
5. Declutter
When our surroundings are clean and organised we tend to have a sharper focus. Think about the last time you had to study in an untidy room or have a meeting in a cluttered office. It brings a sort of anxiousness and inability to concentrate on the task at hand. Now think about the weight that lifted off your shoulders right after you neatened up; ahhh feels good, doesn’t it?
Decluttering doesn’t only mean getting rid of the ‘’waste” in an area but also removing anything that no longer serves you. If you haven’t used something in the past 6 months it’s time to say sayonara.
By decluttering on the outside we will carry that habit inward and find it easier to cope with busy weeks.
6. Hug a loved one
Studies have found that physical affection like hugs, holding hands, or even a touch from a loved one increases our levels of oxytocin, the hormone which is responsible for causing a calm feeling and reducing pain.
Sometimes, all we need during a tough week is a tight bear hug and we get the feeling that everything will be alright. Moral of the story: get hugging!
7. Practice gratitude
Gratitude is a state of mind. When we operate from this state we’re able to appreciate the everyday things that we normally overlook. I’d like to share with you a couple of ways you can channel your inner gratitude:
- Dedicate a specific notebook or journal to being your “gratitude journal”. This will motivate you to write in it daily. Start by simply writing down 10 things you’re grateful for and slowly increase the number as time increases or search up some gratitude prompts.
- As soon as you wake up list out loud your reasons to be grateful. Say “I am grateful for….”. Doing this will instantly put you in a better mood and therefore help you cope better with a busy schedule.
- When you’re grateful for a person show it by treating them out or reducing the load they might have on their shoulders in whichever way you can.
8. Pamper Yourself
A large part of my blog is dedicated to making you, my reader, feel less guilty for wanting to live a beautiful life; whatever that may look like to you. You were not born to burn out.
I believe theres a way we can live in our feminine energy whilst simultaneously achieving ambitious goals. So this is your sign to destress with an at home hot oil hair treatment or maybe a full body massage.
One of my favourite self care treatments is the Alya Skin mask. I’ve been using it for about 3 years and not only does it control breakouts but it also leaves my skin glowing, with a capital G! I also loveeee Lush bath bombs. Those in a hot bath= *shoulder dropping sigh of relief*
9. Try something new
Experiencing something different brings a refreshed feeling to the day. There are also plently of benefits to it like improving your memory and motivation.
By doing something you wouldn’t normally do you’re stepping out of your comfort zone which will definitely make you feel like you’ve overcome a barrier. Here are some recommendations for a busy week:
- Try out a new recipe for dinner.
- Buy coffee from a place other than your usual.
- Start a conversation with a random person.
- Have a midweek date night.
- Visit a family member for a bit.
- Buy a cake and eat it!
- Swap around the order of your morning routine.
The list can go on but you get the gist, a little change up goes a long way.
10. Do a social media clean up
Got a couple minutes of free time throughout your day? Use it to unfollow accounts that have a negative influence on your mental health. Anything that makes you question your self worth…unfollow!
Everyday we subject ourselves to comparisons which harvests as insecurity and bitterness, especially towards other women. Make sure you’re giving your watch time and likes to people that are helping you become a better you.
11. Spend quality time with your pet
All pets want is our love and affection but on those busy days it can be hard to spend even a little bit of time with them without also being on our phones or laptops.
We all know though that any time we do spend with our pets we instantly feel happier and so do they. Take them for a walk or give them some belly rubs. Trust me, you wont regret it.
12. Listen to something you enjoy
A self care idea doesn’t need to be something you actively “do”. Listening to your favourite music or a super interesting podcast can be just as healing. Best part is that you don’t need to necessarily fit it into your busy schedule because you can do it in while you’re driving, eating, cleaning and in some cases working. So grab your earphones and get listening.
13. Be mindful of everything you do
The next time you eat a meal try to answer these questions in your mind:
- What does it smell like? Take a second to describe the smell to yourself
- What are the different colours on your plate? Is it like a rainbow or more neutral like pasta and white sauce?
- What is the texture like in your mouth? Crunchy, soft, chewy?
- What does it taste like? Savoury, sweet, spicy?
You can even practice mindfulness in your daily tasks or chores at home.
Mindfulness is a way of life, it will keep you in the moment and help reduce anxiety inducing thoughts.
14. Write out and aim to achieve 3-5 daily goals
We get a hit of dopamine every time we set goals which gives us more motivation to achieve them. The trick, however, is to write down tasks that are achievable with a good amount of effort (not extremely easy or impossible).
Setting goals also helps one remain more focused, productive and can bring about positive habits and higher levels of confidence when done consistently.
15. Care for yourself through sleep
Having quality sleep is one of the most important forms of self care for our bodies. However, being able to sleep well starts hours before hopping into bed. Here are a few ways you can set yourself up for a good night’s rest according to Healthline:
- Reduce blue light exposure in the evening (most phones nowadays have a blue light filter option).
- Optimise your bedroom environment ( minimise external noise/light and ensure your bedroom is well ventilated and clean).
- Take a relaxing bath or shower.
- Don’t drink any liquids 1-2 hours before bed.
And there we have it my internet besties, my 15 best self-care ideas for a busy week.
Whats your favourite self care idea? Let me know in the comments.
See you soon!
XOXO
Katelyn Izaks says
I already do some of these, but I never knew they were part of self-care, I assumed it’s just what you need to do, I love these recommendations, they will certainly help me, there’s a few that I’ll definitely take on board like the coffee tip 😉
Merilyn Subermoney says
Hi there, I’m glad you love the tips. Thank you for the comment.