Top 10 Ways for Daily Self-Care

Practicing daily self-care is different for everyone-––as it should be. There are simple things we can do to enhance our day to day. Learn more about how we do this at Ultimate Well-Being.

Too often, though, harmful practices are labelled as self-care in the name of relaxation or productivity. Like… sitting at your desk all day and not taking breaks. Here’s a somewhat ridiculous example of daily self-care: face mask skincare management! It’s easy to slough some cream on your eyelids and pretend that you’ve checked the box on taking care of ourselves. In doing so, though, we’re often covering up (read: avoiding) our complicated emotions or situations, and failing to assess the core causes of our need for “self-care.”

 What if we redefined self-care to be more holistic and healing––taking it beyond the hot bath or boutique chocolate bar? Self-care is not a series of sporadic and isolated “treats”; rather, it is a continuous, ongoing process that plays a major part in our Ultimate Well-Being. Let’s start by redefining the term “self-care”.

The following is a list of things we can do daily to practice daily self-care.  

1. Self-care is saying NO! While FOMO is real and anxiety-provoking, constantly agreeing to do things for others just to people-please is not just exhausting, it’s wrongly motivated. Stop being afraid to hold space, and try on how simple and satisfying it can be to say no to something superfluous.
2. Self-care is consistent! Taking care of ourselves cannot be something we set aside one week or a month out of the year to remember to do; it has to become part of the way we structure and move through our day. EVERY. DAY. Daily self-care is more than just looking good.
3. Self-care is ANALOG! Take a break from electronics. Really! Start with just a few minutes per day, even per week. Time away from our devices is proven to clear our heads and promote positive mental health.
4. Self-care is wearing a face mask and socially distancing: To keep yourself and others safe and healthy
5. Self-care is calling a friend you haven’t heard from. This is especially important during the current times where our lives are increasingly social distance.
6. Self Care is greeting a stranger, thanking an essential worker, and recognizing them. This is part of our social connections.
7. Self-care is taking time for yourself to savor the moment, “stop and smell the roses” or stop and watch a sunset
8. Self-care is exercising! Try doing 10 minutes of exercise 3 different times a day. Daily self-care is consistent self-care.
9. Self-care is being grateful. Try writing down or thinking about 2-3 things you are grateful for every day
10. Self-care is reciting your daily mantra. A daily mantra is something that inspires you to be your best deal

Bonus:

Yes, it’s true a bit of shopping or buying a treat does help your well-being. But, just because something is a “self-care” does not mean it has to look like material excess; rather, make it a practice of indulging every day in treating yourself (and others) with dignity, respect and love. And also doing your part, like wearing a face mask, to make sure Covid wanes.