Self-care ideas and techniques such as following a self-care checklist are great for helping you manage or prevent problems from getting worse, if or when they arise. It’s important to remember they may not be a solution to your problems, especially if you have a mental health condition, but they certainly may be able to help you get by.
The World Health Organisation defines self-care as the behaviours you carry out to take care of your own health. This can include your lifestyle choices, hygiene, nutrition, reaching out for professional help or even your living conditions.
These days, the world can have us feeling anxious and stressed, leading busy lives with a constant feed of news and demands putting us in a frazzle. This is where self-care is necessary, but can often end up getting a bad rep as either ‘selfish’ or ‘self-indulgent’. In fact, self-care is essential and 100 per cent necessary to help promote positive physical and mental wellbeing and is a great way of combatting loneliness.
50 self-care ideas to help reduce stress and improve your happiness
1) Be aware of your warning signs
Try to stay aware of how you’re feeling when certain situations arise. An easy way to do this is by keeping a mood diary. It’s a great way to keep track of what helps you feel better or worse, so you can take steps to prepare, change or avoid difficult situations.
2) Build your self-esteem
This is the evaluation of your own self-worth and we all experience those periods where we all feel a little worthless. A good way to build up your self-esteem is to learn to be kinder to yourself, especially through positive self-talk. If you catch yourself thinking negatively about yourself or something, try and counteract that thought or ask yourself if you’d speak to a friend like that.
Mental health charity Mind also has some great tips on how to improve your own self-esteem.
3) Try something new
Engaging in a new activity can help keep things fresh in your mind as well as help you find new enjoyable things to unlock! You could try a new hobby or start small by taking a new route on your daily walk or trying a new food. It can have a hugely positive effect on your mood as well as protect your memory and boost your energy.
Take part in our Fit over 50 challenge and try 50 new things this year!
4) Create a daily routine
Sometimes a lack of structure to your day can mean things fall by the way-side and a lack of activity can negatively affect your mood. We've definitely felt this over the past couple of years where routines like travelling to work have gone and we've got in the habit of waking up minutes before work starts as a new norm!
Try scheduling your walk for a certain time in the day or plan your breaks to help give you things to work towards.
5) Nourish your body
It's important to feed your body with healthy, nourishing foods, not just for your waistline but for your mental wellbeing too. That means eating your five-a-day! They're packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that could help keep the blues away.
90 per cent of your serotonin lies in your gut too so poor gut flora can affect your mood, appetite, sleep and memory. Incorporating gut-friendly foods in your daily diet, like natural yoghurt, walnuts, almonds and oat bran, can improve your gut health and help keep your mood up as well.
It's also easy to get distracted and caught up in the hustle of bustle of everyday life. Make sure to dedicate time to your meals and eat mindfully so your body and mind can truly appreciate the fuel you're adding to your system. It'll help unify your brain and gut into understanding when you're full and in need of more replenishment.
6) Exercise
You don't need us to tell you how good exercise is for your mind, body and soul! Exercise, despite feeling like a chore at times, can improve your mood as well as providing all the benefits for your body too.
Embrace an exercise you already enjoy, do an easy at-home exercise or try yoga or pilates for a change for an empowering exercise that will help you lead a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle.
7) Grounding yourself
Sometimes overwhelming emotions, worry or anxiety could have you feeling lost and panicked. By finding a grounding technique that works for you, you can re-orientate yourself to the here and now and feel calmer about the situation. This could be through a breathing technique or maybe visualisation of a happy, fond memory.
Try some of these grounding techniques recommended by Kati Morton, a licensed marriage and family therapist.
8) Balance time with yourself and others
While socialising is important for staying connected, reducing loneliness and increasing your sense of happiness, it's important to balance your time between yourself and others so you don't burn out. It's quite easy to get sucked into multiple catch-ups and events that leave you feeling exhausted.
If you're feeling overwhelmed or worn out, it's okay to say no and take that time for yourself. The rest and rejuvenation will have you at your best when you next catch up with friends or family.
9) Get outside
Try to get outside, rain or shine, at least once a day. Not only will it be a change of scenery and help you soak up vitamin D, but being in nature can lower stress, promote happiness, and improve productivity. Find a quiet spot in a local park or countryside and reap the benefits as you breathe the fresh air.
10) Create an evening routine
A daily routine can help with productivity, but an evening routine is great for winding down for the day and preparing your mind and body for sleep. This could include putting your phone away, having a night-time skincare routine, doing a late-night meditation or relaxing with a good book.
11) Drink herbal tea
Herbal might not be everyone's cup of tea (pun intended), but there are so many flavours of herbal tea available that there's sure to be one to tickle your fancy. They have a wealth of benefits that include promoting sleep, reducing stress, keeping skin and hair healthy, lowering blood pressure and soothing an upset stomach. Get the kettle on!
12) Take a digital detox
Taking a digital detox is a great way of truly taking the time to care for yourself without being distracted by endless notifications or falling into the habit of mindlessly scrolling your social media feed. We'd also recommend detoxing your social media by unfollowing any accounts or people who bring negativity to your feed. Make your digital realm a happy space where you can feel inspired.
13) Read
Not only can reading help distract you from your surroundings and take you into a whole new world but it can also help you unwind. It doesn't have to be a self-care book either, anything you enjoy will work!
14) Journaling
Journaling is a valuable tool that can help you focus your thoughts and feelings, and notice habits and problems that you can solve. By putting pen to paper and spilling your mind onto the page, you can use your journal to set goals, reflect on your day or just let out any angst you've pent up.
15) Prioritise your sleep
A good night's sleep is so important for renewing your energy and keeping your body and mind functioning at its best. By setting healthy sleep habits in place to help you prioritise your sleep, you can make sure that you’ll be well-rested and refreshed each morning. Follow our tips on how to create the best sleeping environment for you.
16) Write down positive affirmations
We can all do with a pick-me-up and some positivity to keep the blues at bay. Kind words can be powerful and go a long way to remind us of that and these can be kind words to ourselves, or those spoken and saved by others.
Read your positive affirmations whenever you're having a tough day and write them down more ritualistically to help re-enforce the positivity in your own mind.
17) Take time for therapeutic activities
This is all about giving yourself the time for a little TLC, no matter what that means to you. It could be lying down and listening to a podcast, having a bubble bath, putting on some nail varnish or applying a face mask. Ultimately it needs to be relaxing and help you feel peaceful both physically and mentally.
18) Connect with friends and family
19) Take vitamins and supplements
If you're not able to get it elsewhere, daily vitamins and minerals are a great resource for improving the health of your mind, body and soul, improving your energy levels and system functions.
As a UK resident, you should at the very least take a Vitamin D supplement to counteract the limited sunny days we get, plus the fact we've been spending more time indoors than ever this year.
20) Do a good turn or volunteer
Not only does volunteering help bring people closer together, but by dedicating time to others, you can boost your self-esteem and life satisfaction. Work on something meaningful to you or help an elderly neighbour with their shopping - a helping hand goes a long way.
21) Meditate
Meditation can help you find clarity and zen in your daily life, playing close attention to the sensations in and around you and letting your busy thoughts rest as you focus on the here and now. It can also help reduce insomnia, fatigue, and depression. Try one of these best meditation apps to get you started.
20) Listen to music
Not only does listening to music help increase our dopamine levels or the 'feel good' hormone, but it can also trigger emotional memories and get us up and dancing.
If you're looking to boost your mood, create an emergency playlist with feel-good songs to bring you out of an emotional rut and include songs with happy, fond memories attached.
If you need something to calm or soothe your nerves, listen to music with a slower tempo to help you relax your body and breathe.
23) Laugh out loud
Having a giggle is a surefire way to get you radiating happiness and feeling your best. If you're struggling to get there, try laughing out loud with laughing yoga to get you going!
24) Declutter your space
They say a "tidy home equals a tidy mind", so a space filled with clutter is not going to help your wellbeing. Don't worry about setting about doing a massive deep clean. Just set aside ten minutes or so a day to clear an area to help tidy your zone and help you feel accomplished.
25) Manage your stress
Stress can be overwhelming and hard to come down from. To help manage your stresses, create a to-do list with small achievable goals to help break down what seems like the insurmountable. You can also try breathing exercises to help calm your frustrated brain and clear the fog.
26) Drink plenty of water
Drinking water can have some amazing benefits for your physical and mental wellbeing including your immune system, bodily performance, appearance, mood, memory and energy.
Make sure to drink 8-10 glasses of water a day to keep your brain nourished and body flushed of toxins.
27) Schedule time to breathe
Sometimes we can forget to just stop with one thing always running into another! By setting a time to just sit and focus on your breathing, you can help steady yourself, feel grounded and be more mindful of your feelings and self.
28) Plan ahead
Think beyond the constructs of your day, week and month and plan ahead for fun and exciting events and activities that will fill you with joy and anticipation. It could be a holiday, a house move or creating a mood board for decorating a room in your house. You don't need to book or action anything just yet but the visualisation alone will make you feel invigorated and inspired.
29) Comfort yourself
Nothing is as comforting as a warm hug, so make sure to replicate this at home with soft and snug accessories like fluffy socks, a warm jumper or a weighted blanket. The physical comfort will help you feel soothed and relaxed inside and out.
30) Do nothing
Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in the idea that we should be doing something, anything, at all times - the world doesn't seem to stop. Whenever you get moments of quiet, revel in the nothingness and enjoy the peace and tranquillity it can bring to your mind and body.
31) Get up and go in the mornings
While it's easy to push snooze on the alarm and stay in bed, especially when the mornings are still a little dark, getting up and going will be better for you in the long run. That extra, savoured hour in bed might feel wonderful but the delay will stop you from kick-starting your day and feeling your best.
32) Treat yourself!
We've all heard of retail therapy, and know how good it can feel! But is there truth in it?
Yes! According to Clinical Psychologist Scott Bea, PsyD: 'Research suggests there’s actually a lot of psychological and therapeutic value when you’re shopping — if done in moderation, of course.' Treat yourself once in a while - you can have your cake and eat it too!
33) Cook a healthy meal
Prepare a healthy meal with fresh ingredients. Cooking can be a therapeutic activity, and nourishing your body with a well-balanced dish contributes to overall wellbeing.
34) Disconnect from technology
Designate specific times during the day to be tech-free. Turn off notifications and enjoy moments of quiet without the distractions of screens.
35) Watch a feel-good film
Choose a film that uplifts your spirits or makes you laugh. Why not go the whole hog and create a cosy movie night at home with popcorn and blankets?
36) Create art
Express yourself through art. Whether you're drawing, painting, or crafting, let your creativity flow without worrying about the end result.
37) Practice gratitude
Set aside time to reflect on the positive aspects of your life. Consider keeping a gratitude journal to regularly note things you're thankful for.
38) Attend a spa day at home
Treat yourself to a spa-like experience at home. Use facial masks, indulge in a relaxing bath, and really pamper your skin and body.
39) Take short breaks during work
Step away from your desk for a few minutes to stretch, breathe, and recharge. Breaks can enhance productivity and reduce stress.
40) Dance like nobody's watching
Go one step further than just putting on your favourite music and stand up and dance freely. It's a fun and liberating way to release tension and boost your mood.
41) Plan a staycation
Set aside a day to relax and enjoy leisurely activities at home. Treat yourself to good food, entertainment, and rest. Or go one step further and book yourself a staycation in the UK!
42) Do a puzzle or play a game
Engage your mind with a puzzle or classic board game. It's a great way to have fun and challenge you.
43) Spend time with pets
Interact with animals to experience the joy and companionship they bring. Whether you have a pet or volunteer at an animal shelter, the connection can be uplifting.
44) Practice aromatherapy
Use essential oils or scented candles to create a calming atmosphere. Lavender, chamomile, and eucalyptus have lovely relaxing properties. Inhale deeply and let the soothing scents calm your mind. Essential oils can also be a great way to help you sleep.
45) Take a digital photo walk
Capture the beauty around you by going on a photo walk. Pay attention to details, colours, and textures. This activity encourages mindfulness and appreciation for your surroundings.
46) Indulge in a creative writing session
Set aside time for creative writing, whether it's trying your hand at poetry or short stories. Let your imagination run wild and use writing as a form of self-expression.
47) Create a vision board
Collect images, quotes, and symbols that represent your goals and aspirations. Arrange them on a board to create a visual representation of your dreams and intentions. This doesn't just have to be done at the start of the year!
48) Practice progressive muscle relaxation
Tense and then slowly release each muscle group in your body, starting from your toes and working your way up. This technique promotes relaxation and reduces physical tension.
49) Practice forest bathing (Shinrin-Yoku)
Immerse yourself in nature with a mindful walk in the forest. Focus on the sights, sounds, and smells of the woods. Take slow, deliberate breaths and let the healing power of nature reduce stress and boost your overall well-being.
50) Create a self-care jar
Write down various self-care activities (such as the ones included in this list) on small pieces of paper and place them in a jar. When you're unsure how to spend your self-care time, randomly pick an activity from the jar and enjoy it.
Features & Reviews Editor Emily Gilbert has been a journalist since 2015 and has worked across a variety of specialist and lifestyle brands both in print and online. Specialising in travel content and product reviews, Emily is the first to know about all the exciting new releases, her favourite being gadgets for the home.