In this post: A huge list of ideas to practice self-care during the silly season, or anytime you are feeling stressed and need to regain some more balance & inner calm!
Do you ever find the Festive Season stressful? You’re not alone!
December for me is crazy:
It involves 8 birthdays in the family (including my own), a Christmas spent between two families who both have big gatherings. Not to mention the pressure of trying to wrap up the year in a neatly successful bow at work and home, and have goals mapped to achieve even greater things for the New Year.
*Sigh* I’m exhausted just thinking about it!
In fact, one year I did have a bit of a meltdown with everything going on and I realised that taking time out for self-care is SUPER IMPORTANT when we are feeling stressed or anxious.
Because the truth is, sometimes life is crazy, regardless of what month it is.
We can have a massive whirlwind of commitments every which way and not enough time, or money, or energy (or all of the above!) to get through it all. Or, as 2020 has shown us, there can be something incredibly stressful and worrying going on in the world around us…
It can put our heads into a real spin.
Taking time out for yourself seems like the last thing you should do in these situations, but, in reality, it is the thing that will probably help the most.
When I have put off self-care in the past because I have been ‘too busy’ with work or other commitments, it has come back to bite me – big time. Putting off self-care can have you running on fumes, easily irritable, and even contributed to health issues.
Don’t do this to yourself!
You are the one who is dealing with your life, so you need to find ways to perform your best. That’s where self-care come into play.
Self-care activities provide you with a way to reset, recharge and rejuvenate so that give yourself the best chance of having the energy and inner calm to deal with all the craziness.
Related Post: What Is Self-Care? (& Why It Isn’t Selfish!)
Sometimes, even when we know self-care is a good practice to keep even in the stressful times, it can be hard to think of activities to do off the top of your head. That’s why I’ve created this huge list of self-care ideas for you to draw from when you need some more balance in your life.
(Want some help setting up your own self-care routine? Grab my FREE Self-Care Workbook to get you started! Click the image below to grab it now!
Let’s dive in!
CHILL OUT:
- Listen to music
- Take 6 deep breaths
- Soak in a warm bath
- Spend time in nature
- Have a nap
- Have breakfast in bed
- Use essential oils
- Drink some calming tea
- Snuggle with your partner
- Cuddle a pet
- Do a jigsaw puzzle
- Do a word or number puzzle
- Read a favourite book
- Watch a favourite movie or show
- Get a massage
- Light a nice smelling candle
- Watch the clouds drift by
- Watch the sunrise/sunset
- Soak up some sun (while being sun safe!)
- Stargaze
- Unplug from electronic devices for 24 hours (or more!)
HAVE FUN:
- Catch up with upbeat friends
- Read a funny book/blog/article
- Laugh funny laughs
- Sing like no one’s listening
- Make up your own dance moves
- Try new things
- Plant some seeds in a pot on your windowsill
- Spend some time on your hobby
- Watch a funny show
- Have a girls’ night in
- Stay in your PJs all day
- Cook up a yummy meal
- Savour a delicious treat
- Explore your neighbourhood
- Go on a day trip somewhere fun or peaceful
- Let yourself dream about a book idea
GET MINDFUL:
- Spend some quiet time by yourself and just be
- Breathing exercises
- Journal
- Be grateful
- Meditate
- Take breaks away from stressful situations
- Use mantras or affirmations
- Stretch your body slowly
- Note what you can sense (see, hear, smell, touch, and taste)
- Marvel at nature
GET CREATIVE:
- Draw or paint
- Colour-in
- Doodle
- Write
- Sing
- Scrapbook
- Knit
- Sew
- Patchwork
- Mosaics
- Take photos
- Make a vision board
STOP AND BE HEALTHY:
- Drink plenty of water
- Eat nutritious foods
- Take breaks in between work sessions
- Get enough sleep
- Look after your mental health
GET INSPIRED:
- Listen to a uplifting podcast
- Read a motivational book
- Connect with those you admire
- Follow positive social media accounts
- Read good news stories
- Find helpful blogs 🙂
- Think about goals you would like to achieve and plan out how to get there
CONNECT WITH OTHERS:
- Hug someone
- Catch up with loved ones
- Have a deep and meaningful conversation with a friend (or 2!)
- Volunteer to help out those in need
- Go to your local markets
- Say hello to your neighbours
- Do a random act of kindness
- Make small talk with the sales assistant or checkout person
- See someone who can help you through stressful times – a doctor or counsellor could be just what you need to turn things around
FREE UP SOME (HEAD)SPACE:
- Do a brain dump or stream of consciousness (write down whatever comes into your head)
- Declutter an area of your house
- Get your clothes out for tomorrow before going to bed
- Clean the kitchen before bed – do the dishes & wipe the benches
- Setup a load of laundry the night before to put on in the morning
- Prepare any school & work snacks the night before
- Lay out anything you’ll need for habits you are trying to keep (eg. your workout clothes, or your journal & a pencil)
- Clean your house while dancing to your favourite songs
- Keep 2 to-do lists – one with everything you can think of and one with only your most important tasks for the week (try to limit it to 1-3 items per day), then only look at your most important tasks list for that week
- Practice saying no to things that don’t light you up
- Unfollow people or accounts that aren’t inspiring or helpful
- Unsubscribe from email newsletters that are no longer relevant or uplifting
- Weed a patch in your garden
MOVE YOUR BODY:
- Dance
- Walk
- Run
- Swim
- Cycle
- Yoga
- Horse ride
- Rock climbing
- Surfing
- Basketball
- Soccer
- Hockey
- Football
- Rugby
- Tennis
- Volleyball
- Baseball/softball
- Netball
- Aerobics
- Gymnastics
- Hike
- Canoe/kayak
- Windsurfing
- Roller skating/rollerblading
- Skateboarding
- Boxing/kick-boxing
- Anything that gets you moving
–
I hope this list gives you plenty of inspiration on ways you can take some time out during any craziness you are experiencing in your life, whether it be during the Festive Season or any other full-on time of year for you.
Despite what a lot of people think (I used to be one of them!), it is not selfish to practice self-care regularly. It actually nurtures us and fuels us to perform our best as we go through our lives.
There’s a common saying that goes: “You can’t pour from an empty cup” and it is SO true! If you’ve ever experienced burnout, you will know exactly what I’m talking about here.
The best thing you can do for yourself and others is to look after your own well being by practicing self-care regularly. You will then find you have more strength within yourself to give to others as well.
Don’t forget to grab your free copy of my Self-Care Workbook here!
Why not make yourself a ‘self-care list’ using the ideas above and check in with it every week or whenever you are feeling stressed!
Let me know what your favourite self-care practices are!
Sarah xo
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