My self-care checklist

For years, I was the person who had basically a full day every week to do all the self-care things. I'd do a hair and face mask, moisturise, watch something I enjoy, read, the lot. But then 2020 happened, and all idea of time left. With no structure, no sense of an outside world and every day feeling like Sunday, that habit went away, along with my mental health.

Self-care has evolved immensely for me. When I previously only thought of the physical part of it, now I incorporate a lot more mental care in my pamper days. And because I was in desperate need of a day all to myself, I thought I'd share the things that help me in the hopes that you'll also be inspired to take a day or an afternoon off.

1) Sleeping

The biggest thing that helps and that I constantly struggle with is sleep. I am the biggest night owl and will go to sleep incredibly late every day. When work makes you get up early, that leads to quite a lot of sleep deprivation. So on my self-care days, I allow myself to have a lie-in, or even an afternoon nap if I really need it. It's the first thing that makes me feel refreshed and stop me from going crazy.

2) Drinking water

Let's get another thing I struggle a lot with and make you hear it once again: DRINK WATER. Yes, everyone says this, and I hate hearing it as much as you do because I never remember to drink water, even if I have a huge cup right next to me. But it's something that helps me so much. I like to have plain chilled water, but if flavouring it helps you, then do it. Water wakes me up, makes me feel like I'm taking care of myself, and it's the best thing for your body. So that's something I tend to focus a bit extra on these days.

3) Having a pamper

I do associate self-care with pampering my body, and I like to do the whole thing. Hair mask, moisturiser, painting my nails, shaving my legs, taking proper time with my skincare, doing a face mask (maybe even multiple if I'm feeling extra fancy). It's the most basic form of self-care but it makes me feel human again, especially now that I've been neglecting those things and my skin's making me feel sorry for it.

4) Listening to music

Music is my favourite thing in the world, and I have some go-to chill playlists that make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. You can go to your favourite artist, or album, or even some soundtracks (I love those). Anything that makes you feel calm and blissful. If you want some ideas I can share some of my favourites with you.

5) Reading/watching something

This year my reading has been all over the place, so there's nothing I've been loving more than having a few hours to sit down with a good book. But sometimes all I have the brainpower to do is watch a TV series or rewatch one of my favourite films/shows. Anything that makes me feel cosy and like I don't have a single care in the world. If you're looking for some series recommendations, I have a blog post with some of my favourites right here. Although most of them are quite heavy, they're all very entertaining and will keep you hooked.

6) Drinking tea

I'm a coffee person most of the time, but tea is my comfort drink. Nothing calms me down like taking the time to drink a warm cup of tea, preferably black. It's soothing and it's my favourite reading companion. Whether you're a tea, coffee, or hot chocolate kind of person, I truly believe no self-care day is complete without a hot beverage. I also think that's the time to make something more elaborate than your regular drink, making it feel like a treat.

7) Tidying my space

I realise the idea of tidying might make a lot of people run, but I'm a Monica through and through and I need a tidy and clean space to feel sane. If my space is messy it's usually the first sign that my mental health is spiralling, so it's also the first thing I do to combat that. If you're not a naturally organised person, I'm not saying you should declutter your entire house (that will probably only make you feel more stressed) but I do recommend that you put away your clothes and just clean your area up a bit. It'll make you feel much better and allow you to enjoy your day off without getting annoyed by the mess.

8) Taking care of my plants

This is also something that might not apply to everyone, so think of this as doing a hobby you don't do every day and that lets you completely focus on it. It could be drawing, painting, dancing, playing video games. For me, that's caring for my plants. Nothing makes me happier than taking the time to water them, check them for bugs or mist their leaves. Taking care of plants is so rewarding and it grounds me like nothing else.

9) Spending time outside

Similarly, spending some time outside is invaluable when it comes to slowing your thoughts. I'm a huge homebody, so my outside tends to just be my balcony. But you could go to a park, maybe go to your garden if you have one. I believe even opening windows to feel the fresh outside air is a big help. My balcony is also my designated reading space, and although I make use of it pretty much every day, I stay extra long when I need a breather.

10) Doing yoga

And finally, yoga. I feel like I'm a broken record at this point. I've been doing yoga every day since December, so this isn't a novelty for me, but I tend to have longer sessions on my self-care days and follow up with a bit of meditation. Even if you're not a yogi yourself, just stretching your muscles and moving your body in a way you like is a huge help.

Those are all the things I do when I need to resettle. I hope this gave you some inspiration to have a pamper day or even some ideas if you're struggling with how to best care for your mental health. Let me know in the comments your favourite way to take care of yourself.

Love,

N.

Xx