Now more than ever, we all have hectic, stressful lives that only seem to get more demanding by the day. In between making time for work, school, family, and friends, it can be difficult to find time for yourself.
Think about all of the energy you pour into other people, activities, and tasks. How much energy are you pouring into yourself?
The more demanding your life is, the more important it is to have a self-care routine. Making time for yourself will not only improve your mental and physical health, but will give you more energy for everything else you have to do as well.
If you’re interested in learning how to build a beneficial self-care routine that you’ll want to do every day, just keep reading.
Find Your Why
As with any behavior change, determining your “why” or your reason for change, is crucial to your success. If you want to create a self-care routine that you stick to, you need to have a reason for doing it.
Maybe it’s because you want to feel more relaxed in your day-to-day life. Maybe you want to have more energy to give to others. There’s no wrong answer here, as long as your reason is motivating.
Start Small
Many of us have lofty goals when it comes to our self-care. We have a whole laundry list of things we want to accomplish, things we want to do for ourselves, a vision of what our best self would look like.
And while you should hang on to this vision, it’s important to remember that baby steps are the key to success. If you try to jump straight to the finish line, you’re more likely to slip and fall back into your old ways.
Instead, start small with your self-care. For example, how much water do you drink in an average day? Could you stand to drink more?
For optimal health, it’s recommended that you drink a minimum of 2-3 liters of water a day, more if you exercise. If you know you should be drinking more, make a point to drink a glass of water as soon as you wake up in the morning.
It can be frustrating to move this slow, especially in the age of instant gratification. But it truly helps to be as patient with yourself as possible.
Improve Your Diet
It’s not always fun to do so, but if you want to change your life for the better, you’re going to have to be honest with yourself. If your diet could use some improvement, making yourself a healthy meal is a fantastic place to start in your new routine.
Don’t beat yourself up over your diet, this is counterproductive to self-care. A typical western diet consists of far more sugar, salt, and additives than you could ever need, so you’re not alone. Just be conscious of the changes you need to make and start making them.
The bulk of an ideal diet consists of fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins. Add in some healthy carbohydrates and fats and you’ll be feeling better than ever in no time!
You can also supplement with vitamins, as long as you’ve done your research and are choosing vitamins that are beneficial to you. Those with a specialized purpose, such as hair and sleep vitamins, can take your health to the next level and give you a boost where you want it most.
Get Your Morning Started Right
The best time of day to complete your self-care routine is typically as soon as you wake up in the morning or right before you go to bed, depending on your schedule. Let’s start with the morning.
Creating a self-care morning routine is great because you can get your day started out on the right foot and take care of yourself before anyone else is even awake. Start your morning by drinking a large cup of water the moment you wake up.
Then, you can enjoy a hot cup of coffee or tea, a quick workout, a meditation session or a yoga routine. Or, spend some time with a gratitude journal.
The amount of time you can set aside for a morning routine will determine the number of things you can do in it. That said, prioritize the things that make you feel most energized and ready for the day.
A Great Day Begins the Night Before
If you’re not a morning person, or you don’t have the time in the morning to devote to yourself, a self-care routine before bed can be just as beneficial as one at the beginning of the day.
Your options and goals will look slightly different, but the overall point is still to make yourself feel your best. When creating your nighttime routine, prioritize tasks that make you feel relaxed, rejuvenated, and ready for a good night’s sleep.
Soak in a warm bath, listen to soothing music, or read a book. Yoga, meditation, and gratitude are also good choices for a nighttime routine.
Whatever you choose, you need to put it into your schedule like any other appointment. If you have to, set an alarm on your phone that tells you it’s time for self-care. You can’t reap the benefits without making it a priority!
Build Your Perfect Self-Care Routine With This Guide
Establishing a self-care routine isn’t the difficult part. What’s tough is taking the time for yourself necessary to complete it.
But whenever you’re feeling so busy that you’re considering giving up your routine “just this once,” remember that caring for yourself is as important as caring for others.
Because, even if you’re unwilling to make time for yourself just because, this self-love will give you the energy you need to continue your efforts elsewhere in your life.
Interested in learning more about improving your physical and mental health? Take a look at our blog!
