Life is busy; we all have so many things on the go at once, and sometimes it’s the biggest challenge in the world to just take some time for yourself. We’re all so quick to push our self-care to the side to get stuff done, but what if I told you that you’d be more productive, healthier, and happier if you just took some time to yourself? Here are 10 easy, virtually free ways you can practice self care this week.

  1. Go for a walk
    Let’s start with an easy one. With nice weather around the corner, enjoy your neighbourhood by going on a peaceful walk. Even if it’s a 10 minute walk around the block, you’ve given yourself the space and time to do something for yourself. You’d be surprised what you see when you stop to smell the roses (literally and figuratively).
  2. Take a bath
    If you’re anything like us, a hot bath completely resets our mood. Something about bubbles, a good bath soak, and some candles just screams self care. Keep your phone out of reach (or at least on silent), breathe in the essential oils, and relax for even 30 minutes! P.S. we have a few products for you to elevate your bath here.
  3. Read a few pages of a self help book
    We know a chapter of a book can be too much of a commitment when you’re a busy bee, so dedicate a few pages each day. Something tells me once you get to the third page, you’ll just keep going! Not sure what to read? Check out  this helpful list. The blog gives you a rundown so you don’t have to read the books yourself, but we still say read them and interpret the message for yourself!

  4. Drink some tea
    It’s not the drink, but the action. Just taking the time to drink something warm, cozy, and soothing without thinking “this will fix all my problems” (*ahem* green tea) will have you feeling relaxed, nourished, and ready to take on the day.

  5. Take a fitness class.. for fun!
    Yes, working out is important. But what if you treated your workouts as something you WANT to do rather than something you HAVE to do? It’s all about perspective. I promise if you go in with the mindset of “this is fun”, the hour will go by much faster than if you think you are forced to be there.

  6. Journal
    This doesn’t have to be a “dear diary” situation. Instead, use it as a way to reflect on your day. What did you love about your day? What didn’t you love so much? How did you feel? It’s amazing what you will learn about yourself if you just take the time to reflect.

  7. Go to the mountains
    Mountains, beach, backyard… just outside! Treat this as a mini vacation. You don’t need to travel long distances and pay an excessive amount of money for it to be considered a vacay. Just get outside and see something you’ve been meaning to see but neglected because you’re so busy!

  8. Do a face mask
    Face masks don’t only make you feel like you have a fresh new face, but they also do a lot for your mental health. Whether it’s 15, 20, or 30 minutes, thats time you’ve dedicated to yourself. Embrace time for you - it’s important. We have a pretty good face mask.. just saying ;) find it here.
  9. Listen to a new song
    Have you ever found a new song, became obsessed with it, and played it until you couldn’t listen to it anymore? Didn’t you love how you felt during the peak of your experience with that song? Find that feeling again. Most songs are three minutes! You have three minutes, don’t you?
  10. 10.Do what you LOVE
    It sounds so silly, but seriously, do what you love! Do you love playing Candy Crush? Baking? Knitting? Binge watching The Office on Netflix? DO IT! You have one life to live, so you might as well spend it doing what you love. 

 These are just 10 of the many things you can do to take care of yourself. If you give yourself even 30 minutes to practice self-care, you’re already doing more than you did yesterday. Three cheers for self-care!