Everyone tells you to take some time for self-care when you are feeling low. But what exactly do they mean by that? Let’s look at what self-care is, why it is important and then I’ll give you 75 simple self-care ideas you can try!
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What does self-care do for you?
Self-care is, like the word suggests, the act of taking care of yourself. It turns your focus away from all the things you feel you should do for others or for money. And it reminds you that your needs are important as well.
Self-care keeps you healthy, fit and mentally balanced. Through it, all your basic and not so basic needs get fulfilled.
No idea which things to do for self-care? Well, it includes seemingly simple things, like making sure that you get enough sleep. Or eating a balanced diet. But it can also mean planning some alone time into your schedule every day where you can meditate, journal, or simply follow your thoughts.
Why is self-care important?
But self-care is more than simply checking the necessities off a list. Self-care is the tool to make sure you can have a happy and balanced life.
By taking care of yourself you work on the relationship with yourself. You increase your self-esteem, confidence, and self-love – all super important parts of a fulfilled life!
Related: How to build confidence in 3 straightforward steps
As a grown-up, self-care also means taking a parent-role in your life. Think back to your childhood. Who told you to eat? Or to go to sleep? Or to do your homework so that you don’t get in trouble tomorrow? Probably some adult person, right?
Once you become a grown-up yourself, no one tells you that stuff anymore. Other people only tell you what they want from you. So the very important role of making sure you are alright needs to be filled by yourself.
75 self-care ideas
Alright. If you weren’t before, now you should be convinced that self-care is a crucial part of your life. Let’s finally get to those 75 ideas for self-care, shall we? I broke them down into the following lists:
- 10 self-care ideas when you simply need some fun
- 23 Mental self-care ideas
- 22 Physical self-care ideas
- 10 Self-care ideas for depression
- 10 Self-care ideas for anxiety
10 self-care ideas when you simply need some fun
Oftentimes self-care seems synonymous with relaxation. And don’t worry, I’ll give you plenty of relaxation ideas as well. But sometimes all you want is to have some fun. And you should!
So let’s get started with 10 ways in which you can take care of yourself by simply having some fun!
- Play a board game
- Get back to your childhood by unpacking some childhood classics like Monopoly* or Scrabble*. Or try something new like the “Exploding Kittens Card Game*”. No one around to play with? There is still good old online Solitaire!
- Try a new recipe
- Find some great new recipes and knock yourself out in the kitchen! Bonus points: You get to eat it afterward as well!
- Rearrange your furniture
- Rearranging your furniture can do wonders for the way you feel at home! Simply move a few chairs and plants. Or move everything. But then you’ll probably need some help.
- Do a jigsaw puzzle
- Jigsaw puzzles*
are the perfect pastime for rainy days. And if you pick a real challenging one, you have quite a task ahead of you.
- Jigsaw puzzles*
are the perfect pastime for rainy days. And if you pick a real challenging one, you have quite a task ahead of you.
