Taking care of yourself is instrumental in navigating daily life. It’s how you overcome struggles and make good times even better. However, with new self-care options popping up all the time, it’s hard to keep up.
That’s why creating a sustainable routine is so important. If you want to find something you can stick to, you’re in the right place. Here are a few ways to approach self-care in a manageable way.
While bubble baths and walks in nature are effective forms of self-care, they’re not everything. You can take all of the “right” steps but if your mental health isn’t in a good spot, it’s a moot point. That’s why prioritizing taking care of yourself from the inside out is so important.
Before diving into creating a full self-care routine, you want to be honest about where you’re at mentally. If you’re going through a tough time, talk therapy may be worth exploring. If you’re struggling with substances, you may want to look into options like inpatient treatment for substance abuse. Professionals in the mental health space can guide you and provide the tools you need to succeed. Of course, it’s not easy to be vulnerable and seek out help. But doing so creates a more solid foundation upon which you can build a true self-care routine. And that’s critical for the longevity of your routine and your headspace alike.
Self-care has taken the internet by storm. Rest assured that there’s always a new must-have product or necessary skin-care regimen you have to try. In reality, though, participating in every microtrend is the furthest thing from sustainable.
That isn’t to say you can’t try out new fads you’re interested in. The opposite is true — you should give self-care trends that pique your interest your time and energy. What you want to avoid is testing out products or activities simply because you see them everywhere.
So, practice discernment to discover what self-care means to you. Check in on how you feel when practicing self-care and after. If you don’t feel better, know it’s probably not the routine for you. But don’t fret, that just means you can prioritize other, better options instead.
It can be overwhelming when you see a new self-care necessity every other day. The self-induced pressure to add another step to your routine proves unreasonable when it’s several each day. Instead, focus on slowly but surely adding to your regimen.
Say you want to incorporate five new steps into your skin care routine. Start by picking one or two instead of forcing all five at once. If you do the latter, you’ll likely feel unable to keep up, leading you to do even less.
So, prioritize what truly makes you feel rejuvenated and see how they fit into your daily routine. Then, you can add new steps when you’re confident you can keep up. Before you know it, you’ll have a robust routine full of self-care you love.
Self-care looks different to everyone. So, don’t feel pressure to compare your routine to someone else’s. Some people may enjoy a relaxing bath whereas others may fill that need with a grueling workout. You might not enjoy either and just want to light a candle and build a puzzle.
Of course, that isn’t to say you shouldn’t take inspiration from other’s routines. Maybe hearing about a great book your friend read encourages you to take up reading. Learning about the newest spa in town may entice you to see what it’s all about.
These ideas aren’t meant to overtake your go-to routine steps. But they may add to what you already have in your repertoire. Who knows, you may even find something you love and can’t live without.
With work, school, families, and social obligations abound, spare time is anything but plentiful. However, if you’re dedicated to your self-care routine, it’s critical that you allot time to it. Otherwise, all of your preparation and planning is for nothing.
That doesn’t mean you need to spend an hour each day practicing self-care. It may be finding a five-minute window between meetings where you can meditate or practice square breathing. Or it could be tacking on extra time in the shower to exfoliate with your favorite body scrub. These aren’t time-consuming steps, but they still make a difference.
Evaluate your schedule and see where there’s wiggle room. Find pockets where self-care can be accomplished without sacrificing other needs. While it’s not easy, you’ll likely find that your other responsibilities don’t feel as heavy when you’re proactively caring for yourself. And that is something worth investing in.
Self-care falls by the wayside when life is chaotic and you’re struggling to keep up. It’s important and could help you manage stress, but spending time on yourself can be guilt-inducing. That doesn’t have to be the case, though. With careful planning and some strategy, you won’t have to compromise.
One way to do everything, including self-care, is to put micro acts of self-careto use. When you brush your teeth, relax with a podcast or audiobook. Watch your favorite show while folding laundry or tidying your home. Be camera-off for a meeting and enjoy a face mask or undereye patches. Self-care doesn’t have to be all or nothing. It does, however, need to be done for you to feel the full effects. So, find small ways you can do two things at once and reap the benefits a bit of calm can offer.
It’s a maze trying to figure out what you want to do and what you can do without when it comes to self care. But testing the waters and exploring options is a great way to identify what works for you. In the end, you’ll create a routine you love and can’t wait to do.
Byline: Tom White