Self Care You Can Do Right Now
I was scrolling through Instagram stories the other day and came across this prompt from Jess Zimlich:
What does it mean to take care of yourself right now?
And I gotta tell you, I’m not much of a journaler. A diarist? Unsure. I like writing yes, but journaling? Not really for me. But I thought, “why the heck not?”
Self Care You Can Do Right Now
Get Enough Sleep and Rest
Getting enough sleep and rest are two different things! Sleeping is for repairing, recovering, and preparing for the next day. Rest is giving your mind and body a short period of time to chill out. Unwind. Let go.
Get Active & Choose Nutritious Foods
Go outside! Get some sun and some fresh air. Hit the gym. You’ll feel better, I promise. And for meals, choose greens, lean proteins, and healthy fats most of the time. (I say most of the time because we all need pizza, chocolate, and margaritas.)
Limit Screen Time
Easier said than done, I’m aware. But mindless scrolling rots your brain and makes you feel like shit. So stop it! Or at least cut back.
Save money for future endeavors (and emergencies)
Yes, self care can be treating yourself to takeout or a nice dinner or even a $5 coffee. I will never begrudge anyone for doing that! But saving your money is for now and for the future is just as important in maintaining your sanity and your credit score. Money saved can also potentially mean leaving a job you hate.
Keep a clean house
Most days, I like to take a few minutes to tidy up before bed. I don’t go crazy with the cleaning like you see on TikTok but something as simple as clearing the kitchen counters, starting the dishwasher, and wiping down the bathroom sink can make the next morning that much better.
Get your coffee ready
I’m a fan of drip coffee. What can I say? It makes things easy. Most nights, either Matt or I will clean out the grounds from the morning and get our coffee ready for the next day. Self care means having coffee brewing before you wake up. Is it OMG the best coffee I’ve ever had? Not even close. But name one thing better than the smell of coffee as you’re waking up. You can’t.
Putting lotion on after you shower
And just have a skincare routine in general. Use retinol. Your skin will thank me.
What’s your form of self care you can do right now? Let me know below!
We might be the same person! I’ve found that little things like keeping our house tidy, putting lotion on after showering (seriously why does this one help so much?!), and staying active have been helping me as I start to feel the cold, dark wintery days creeping!
Also: golden retrievers and margaritas, of course !