Self-Care Isn’t Selfish: Practical Self-Care

​We are now hitting the time period where everyone starts to slip on their over ambitious New Year’s Resolutions. If you happen to be one of those overzealous resolution setters and are finding your goals starting to slide a little, we have the perfect resolution tweak that is very achievable and rewarding at the same time - Daily Practical Self-Care.

Practical self-care includes any actions you take to fulfill your core needs and reduce stress. Yes, even normal, everyday activities. Think about how good you feel if you make your bed in the morning. Or even remembering to brush and floss before bedtime. One activity we love is taking about 5 minutes to do some basic stretching upon waking. These forms of self-care are typically less exciting than others, but don’t underestimate them. They are huge sanity-savers and help create a greater sense of calm and control in our busy lives. Plus, they are all activities that are simple and only take a couple minutes. 

Practical self-care can be especially helpful for college students or young professionals, caregivers, stay-at-home parents, or anybody that struggles to stay organized. 

Examples of Practical Self-Care Activities

• Organizing your email inbox
• Tidying your living space
• Meeting with a financial advisor
• Setting out your clothes for the week in advance
• Meal prepping

You can also use practical self-care as a way to create sustainable, healthy habits. This might be limiting your screen time, implementing a better sleep schedule, try walking 10 minutes daily, or regularly decluttering your living space. These small, day-to-day tasks can help ground you in your own space. They can give you a sense of control when you’re struggling with something. 

What about some genuinely fun practical self-care activities? We’re talking about activities that literally put a smile on your face, make you laugh out loud, and remind us that there are practical parts of life that are light-hearted. Plus, they are fantastic for your overall wellness. These activities also may open up creative parts of your mind to see your situation from a different perspective.

Here are our Top 3 Self-Care Activities that will bring some joy into your life as well as improve your overall quality of life.  

1. Get creative
Getting those creative juices flowing can help to work the part of our brain that often gets neglected as we grow older. Working our creative muscles can help with future problem-solving and adapting to situations! Here are some ideas –  get creative and think of more!

• Doodle and let your imagination take hold
• Write a poem or a short story
• Sing your favorite song in the shower
• Create a Pinterest board full of creative inspirations for a favorite hobby

2. Literally Laugh Out Loud
Ever had a bad day suddenly turn around after a good laugh? Here are some ideas to induce a good chuckle:

• Put on your favorite music and dance it out
• Watch some of those funny videos you can find online on every platform
• Watch a comedy movie you loved as a kid
• Fake laugh and see how long it takes to turn into actual laughter

3. Learn Something New
It doesn’t have to be monumental either. Trying out new activities or finding a new hobby is a great way to feel accomplished and it keeps your mind active too. It also can be another source of laughter as you move from a beginner to an expert noting hiccups as you progress. Here are some new things to try:

• Test out a new recipe
• Enroll in a free online educational class
• Watch a do-it-yourself or home hacks video and then try it out
• Read a book from cover to cover

Which practical self-care activities will you try to implement this year?

Don’t overthink self-care. Do something to meet your needs and prioritize yourself. ​

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