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We spend a lot of our money and time on things that are need-to-dos, but once in a while treat yourself to something that’s just a good-to-do. Self-care is a very important aspect of our lives because we cannot care for others and fulfil responsibilities unless we take care of ourselves. It may feel like a no-brainer but with all our pending to-do lists, deadlines, and social responsibilities, we rarely find the time to dedicate to ourselves.
I’ve compiled this list based on my own experience, having picked up, personalized, and given up certain classic self-care tips over the years. These are 6 tips that felt good to me, and can help you create your own feel-good moments!
A Blanket Self-Care Tip
I would also like to make a blanket tip here so that this stays at the top of your mind – Don’t wait to indulge in self-care. Even if you pick up a tip that needs your concentration for even 2 minutes, just make that a part of your routine. We often equate self-care to dedicated, long periods of time to truly focus on it, but in doing so we often postpone the same for things that are more of a “priority”.
Here are 6 super easy self-care tips to begin with, let’s begin!
1. Spice Up Your Hydration Game
No, literally! One of the most popular self-care tips is to drink more water and stay hydrated, but a lot of times this is an action that gets lost or feels like another task. There are many ways to make it fun, and here’s one that helped me a lot.
Adding some cut lemons, mint leaves and other fresh ingredients like cucumbers or berries to a jar or a bottle will make your water taste different in a refreshingly good way. This method also aids in digestion and adds more vitamins and minerals to your diet. To genuinely spice it up, you can even add spices like cloves, cinnamon, ginger, etc., or sweeten the deal with some honey.
In these winter months, these can provide the extra benefit by soothing an irritated throat, helping in clearing up your sinuses, and giving you a boost of immunity.
Taking that extra bit of time to make water more fun will also drive you to drink it to ensure that the time you took doesn’t go to waste!
Bonus Hydration Tip:
This may go hand in hand with your hydration game, depending on how you feel about tea – but one of my favourite things to do is try out different flavours of green tea. We are all familiar with the benefits of green tea but are turned off by the taste. I used to be such a person until I started exploring all the various available flavours! Vahdam’s Assorted Tea kit is a personal favourite as it allows you to try 14 flavours in one purchase, and the excitement to try a new one every other day is a bonus!
2. Establish a Skincare Routine
Establishing a skincare routine is a pretty straightforward process it has been complicated through all the products and skincare content that has flooded social media and other mediums.
However, a skincare routine is simply a routine that you have set for yourself and practice every day – nothing more, nothing less. Don’t overwhelm yourself by adding more products to your routine, making it a harder and more laborious task for yourself. Forget everything else and keep only 4 essentials in your mind – cleansing, hydrating, sunscreen, and prescriptions.
Once you wash your face, use a moisturizer that works for you and lasts well, use sunscreen during the day and ensure you’re using any prescriptions you may have the right way – you’re golden!
Let this routine be stress-free, and an easy way to connect with yourself and feel good. Upgrade to better quality products to make it more fun for yourself – use a cleanser that smells really good and is gentle, use a moisturizer that’s smoother, and invest in a sunscreen that feels light and gives you a glow. You can also invest in a pair of satin pillowcases, they will be gentle on your skin and hair while giving you a luxurious, feel-good experience.
Bonus Skincare Tips
Sheet masks are a fun and soothing way to switch off for a good 15 – 20 minutes as you let the juices do their work. Sheet masks are by no means a must part of a skincare routine, but using one every once in a while, is a great way to pamper your skin and really immerse yourself in some quiet time.
If you struggle with applying sunscreen every day, try adding a photosensitive ingredient like Vitamin C or Retinol to your routine. Not only can you reap the benefits of the ingredients (Vitamin C is brightening and Retinol is anti-ageing), but it will also help you make sure that you apply sunscreen to avoid any adverse effects.
3. Head or Hair Massage
While we give our skin our love, we also have to pay attention to our hair.
Giving your head a relaxing massage before you wash your hair will give you a few moments to yourself and help you relax.
Using some great, hydrating oils is a great way to go about it. You can use the easily available coconut oil, and add some great-smelling essential oils like tea tree, lavender, or a recently popular one like rosemary. This will make the practice feel more aroma-therapeutic, and add on the benefits that the oils will individually bring to your scalp.
Wrap your hair with a bonnet or a towel to ensure the oils penetrate correctly and wash it all off with shampoo. Don’t forget to follow up with a conditioner to keep all the moisture locked in, helping your hair look healthier and reduce frizz.
If you suffer from a dry scalp, after your wash you can also massage aloe vera gel into your scalp while it’s still damp for more moisturization, and rub it into the ends of your hair for an added defence against frizz.
4. Entertainment: A Self-Care Joy Essential
A slightly different style of self-care and one that is probably the truest to my experience is entertainment.
Finding innovative or creative ways to be entertained is a great way to show yourself some love – smiling, laughing, and consuming things that make you feel good will boost your mood as well as help you stay aware of the world around you.
One of my favourite things to do is put on a podcast while I work on things that don’t need a lot of mental focus. If you’re designing or cleaning up some spreadsheets, try switching on a podcast suited to your tastes and listen as you work. I personally recommend podcasts that are simple conversations between friends – these usually have a good balance of humour, information, and interesting thoughts to make you feel good. Some of my favourites cover a range of topics (all available on Spotify) –
- Still Processing – Two friends discuss culture in the broadest sense – from trending media to lifestyle, work, and more.
- You Can Sit with Us – Three friends discuss everything from life and love to trending topics, internet culture, and more.
- Intentionally Blank – Authors Brandon Sanderson and Dan Wells chat about everything from literature, movies, food heists, and life as successful authors and family men.
Bonus Entertainment Tip
You can also maintain a list of Movies, TV Shows, and Books that you can quickly add to as you come across ones that interest you, and work your way through the list whenever you have the chance.
This has helped me a great deal. When I have a bit of free time and feel like watching/reading something, I can refer to a curated list that suits my interests and tastes. It saves me the time that I used to spend looking at others’ recommendations or checking what’s trending.
Being a bit more intentional about the things you consume is not just fun, it also helps you become a better conversationist. A lot of our conversations revolve around the type of media we consume, and this will help you share your honest opinions, recommendations and learnings with the people around you.
5. Gift Yourself Something Small
We started this blog by talking about needs vs. wants. We spend a lot of our money and time on things that are need-to-haves, so shouldn’t we treat ourselves to something that’s a good-to-have?
What could be a better gift to yourself than something that lasts you a while?
It’s easiest to have an ongoing list in your notes where you can quickly put down certain items that you see, that you can get back to once you’re ready to make the purchase.
What should you buy? I personally recommend anything that suits your hobbies, interests or simply makes you feel good.
It could be a new condiment or ingredient that you’ve been waiting to try in your cooking or a book you’ve been eyeing for a while. Skincare items like serums, sheet masks, body lotions that feel and smell good, perfume, etc. are all great options! You can set a budget or a time; for example, one gift for under Rs.800 every 2 months to ensure you’re not going overboard.
6. Stay Active
This self-care tip one gets said enough – but I would like to reiterate it. Please be active and move around! Dance workouts, skipping, and cycling are all also fun ways to stay fit. Check out our easy guide to exercise at home. You can even keep it simple by going for walks after or before dinner, taking the stairs whenever possible, and doing some stretches at home or even at your desk as you work. It’s a great way to ensure that your blood is rushing and your body stays healthy.
We hope these 6 feel-good self-care tips prove helpful to you and your journey in caring for yourself.
Enjoy every day and stay healthy!
Rachel Varghese is an aspiring writer, and storyteller with a love for all things fantastic, exciting, and cosy – books, movies, or TV Shows. She is continuously battling her TBR/TBW list while always looking for diverse new things to read and watch.
She is currently supporting women entrepreneurs in their growth journey through her work as a Marketing & Growth Associate.
