In the past few years, the term “self-care” has been everywhere – and this is a great thing! I’m personally thankful to be living in a time where we as a society, women especially, are learning to prioritize taking time to care for our wellbeing amidst wrangling home life, parenting, family obligations, careers, and everything else that ends up on our plate.

Self-care is taking time to make sure that your mental, physical, emotional and spiritual needs are being met. It is taking time to decompress when you are overwhelmed or stressed. It can also mean implementing daily routines that honor your well being, which when done on a consistent basis, can help decrease stress brought on by neglecting your needs.

Self-care is something I am focusing on this year as one of my goals. Even before I became a mom I had a tendency to neglect my needs whenever life got stressful. Then, becoming a mom made it all the more difficult to make myself a priority. But motherhood is also what woke me up. I realized that I want my daughter to have a good mom who takes care of her child/rens needs but one who is also a good example of self-care too. I want her to see me taking care of myself so she can one day learn to do the same. We are our children’s first teachers – not only by what we preach but how we actually live.

“Caring for your body, mind, and spirit is your greatest and grandest responsibility. It’s about listening to the needs of your soul and then honoring them.”

Kristi Ling

While self-care can most certainly be, taking a bubble bath with a glass of wine when you’re stressed,  or binge-watching your favorite Netflix series (two of my personal favorites ?), today I want to discuss practical self-care habits that are also beneficial to your health. The things I’m talking about today don’t require a ton of prep and can be done if not daily, then for sure regularly, and easy to implement into your routine.

1. Take your vitamins

Taking your vitamins is a simple but powerful way to take care of your health. When I was pregnant, taking my vitamins daily was something I was committed to, for my baby. But the day she was born this practice went out the window in the stresses of early motherhood and being shaken up from her birth experience.

I have started taking my vitamins every single morning as an act of self-care. This simple change in my lifestyle has provided me with more energy, and a little nudge to be more mindful of my daily habits. I want to live a full life! So I need to take care of myself in order for that to be possible.

 

2. Stay Hydrated

This is another one of those things that I was so good at when I was pregnant but totally dropped once my daughter was born. Staying hydrated is SO IMPORTANT.  The benefits of drinking enough water are endless from healthier skin to more energy (by avoiding dehydration which drains your energy). When I’m well hydrated I find that I am in a better mood, and more productive. Drinking water truly is one of the simplest things you can do to improve your overall health. How much water to drink varies based on a couple of factors but here is a simple guide.

15 Benefits of Drinking Water

3. Discover A New Hobby

I feel as though we all have a laundry list of things that we would like to learn to do “someday”. But what if you decided to make someday, today? Do something for you! Learn that skill you’ve talked about wanting to learn since forever.

I know that nowadays it’s pretty common to look at hobbies as things we could eventually make money off of (like selling crafts on Etsy) but I think it’s important not to let that mindset stand in the way of starting something just for the fun of it. I’m not a skilled painter, but I really do enjoy painting. It takes my mind to a quiet and concentrated place which allows me to relax.

Even if the hobby you’re trying to learn takes some skill, such as knitting or drawing, the time you take to learn is an investment in yourself. You’re learning this skill for you! That is a great form of self-care. We’re never too old to learn something new.

4. Get Enough Sleep + A Nighttime Routine

I cannot stress enough how important sleep is for your overall well being. I never had a true test of this until I had a baby. While prioritizing sleep as a new parent can be very difficult because babies wake up a lot, once your baby or child is on a schedule make sure you get yourself on a sleep schedule too. There will always be things to do around the house, internet to scroll, books to read, but if you are putting off getting enough sleep to indulge in these things you will pay for it the next day. How much sleep you need each night varies for each person but the general consensus is about 7.5-8 hours each night.

Sleep and Mental Health

In addition to this, having a nighttime routine is also a great way to make time for self-care. It could be whatever you feel that you need, a nightly skincare ritual, meditation, stretching or tea. Here are a few ideas!

5. Move Your Body

For some people exercise can be a huge stress relief, and for other people, like me, exercise, at least in a regimented form, is a chore. What I’ve come to learn though is, if exercise isn’t something that you enjoy doing but still want to reap the benefits of, maybe you’ve been doing the wrong kind of exercise. In addition to this, if your reason to exercise is only to losing weight that might be the wrong mindset. I have been trying to reframe how I see exercise. I’m looking at exercise as, an opportunity to move my body in new ways, for my health – both mental and physical.

An exercise routine doesn’t necessarily have to involve a gym, complicated equipment or home DVDs. Going for walks or hikes are a great alternative for people who struggle to stay focused on regimented activities. It also doubles as a way to get fresh air and vitamin D.

When you can’t get outdoors, there are workouts on Youtube and infographics you can follow on sites like Pinterest. One of my favorites on Youtube is Bodyfit by Amy because she has a positive attitude and doesn’t shame you during the workout (unlike some people….looking at you Jillian Michaels ?).  Indoor workouts that I’ve enjoyed dabbling in are yoga and pilates. Both of which I hope to take up more this year.

Those are my 5 Practical Self Care Tips. I hope this post is helpful to you! What are some self-care activities that you do? Let me know in the comments below!

Sending love & light,