Today’s post is thanks to Jessica Lasa, she’s a mom, wife, writer, and digital creator! Her links and information are at the bottom of this post, be sure to check out her blog for wonderful content! Today Jessica has written a lovely post on free self-care ideas. Recently I rejuvenated and refreshed this post so this post is now a collaborative post.
Self-Self-care is a hot topic lately. I see it around every corner and I don’t mind. It’s easy to scroll around on social media and see topics about mental health, and self-care activities. For myself, I actually need reminding to take care of myself. I’m not ashamed to say it. I have an amazingly full life with so many blessings that I never have enough time in the day to do everything that I want to. Sometimes I get caught up in doing what I want to do and forget about the things I need to do. Which is checking in on myself and giving me rest and nourishment. Physically and mentally our health is really completely up to us to uphold. Before I realize I’ve been neglecting myself, I begin feeling depressed, overwhelmed, or physically sick.
Self-care doesn’t have to cost a lot, so let’s dive into 10 free self-care ideas you can do at home.
Take a hot bath or shower
This is by far one of my favorite ideas for self care. I love to spend time in my bath, sometimes I bring a book and read as well. It’s important when taking time to shower or bathe that you give yourself time to relax and enjoy that time. Heat is proven to soothe tension and aching muscles by increasing circulation and reducing inflammation. Have a relaxing soak, you deserve it. I love to add a bath bomb or shower steamer to my self care time to relax. Once your shower of bath is done you can even try doing a face mask if you’d like.
Stretch
I’m going to leave it at stretch, but if you’re aggressively stretching, I’d go as far as to call it yoga. Just add a few deep breaths in and out, then you’re basically doing yoga. Don’t let the word scare you. Stretching is a totally free self-care idea that you can do at any time and any place. You don’t need to have any equipment to start.
Meditate or Pray
When was the last time you sat down and just took some time to be mindful? For some people, this can be through meditation, prayer, or practicing mindfulness techniques. Depending on your preference, you may want to clear your mind or say a prayer to your higher power. Sometimes focusing on the breath or saying a mantra or prayer can help you focus and keep the mind quiet.
It can be easy to hear about others making time to meditate and pray, however, it’s not as easy to prioritize our own self-care wellness as well with this. This is an easy way to look after yourself, just set aside 5-10 minutes by yourself in a quiet space. You can even place a sticky note or an electronic reminder so you step away from your work or other activity.
Go for a walk outside
One of the easiest free self-care ideas is to spend time outdoors. This can lead to lower blood pressure and reduced stress. Outdoor activity can be relaxing or high-energy. Either way, it’s beneficial to your health. This is always on my list of self-care ideas, such as self-care you can do in the fall!
Write about it
This is not one of those unusual self-care ideas. You’ll commonly read that writing out your feelings and emotions is one of the best ways to practice self-care. Whatever it is that is on your mind, just write about it. Maybe you’re proud of something you did yesterday, or you are looking forward to something. Maybe you are sad or angry. Writing can be extremely therapeutic and help you re-evaluate your daily thoughts.
During covid, this became one of the top self-care ideas during quarantine as people were indoors trying to process their emotions and feelings with the pandemic.
Call someone who cares
Make some time in your day to connect with someone in your life who you care for, and who cares for you. Don’t call a person who makes you feel a certain way or someone who is toxic to you. Call someone who supports you and encourages you. Also, be a good listener and let your friend talk about things they want to talk about, too.
This is one of the top self-care ideas for mental health as connection helps relax and provides a sense of relief and reduced stress.
Clean something
Keeping your space clean is also taking care of yourself. It’s important for your mental and physical health to be in a clean environment. Disinfecting objects and surfaces that you use frequently will prevent infection and a clutter-free environment is proven to be more calming than a cluttered one. Cleaning also leaves you with a sense of accomplishment when you can enjoy the space. For me, two of the top places I love to clean when feeling I need some self-care time are my home office as well as my purse!
Drink some water
Every cell in our body is working right now and they need water to function. As you can imagine, there are A LOT of cells in the human body and when you don’t drink enough water your cells can’t function. It’s that simple. You may think, my body seems fine when I don’t drink all day but it is slowing down processes that would occur much faster if you had adequate water intake. This lack of hydration leads to skin issues, sleep issues, and muscle issues. digestive issues and more. Literally, every single part of the body. I do not have a degree in nursing but I took a total of four anatomy and physiology courses, microbiology, pathophysiology, and nutrition in college and I do know a few things about the human body. Drink more water for self-care.
Take a nap
Sleep is another thing the human body needs to thrive. The National Sleep Foundation recommends 8-9 hours of sleep per night between the ages of 18-64; 7-8 hours ages over 64 and kids need more than nine hours per night. Studies show sleep time allows the brain to clear of waste and improve function. I use essential oils to help me with getting enough sleep and restful and restorative sleep!
Smile
Testing has shown that smiling actually increases the release of endorphins that make people happier. Not to mention, you could make someone’s day with a friendly smile.
I hope you found something useful in this list of ways to take care of yourself. Treat yourself like someone you love and make time for it. It truly is easier to give to others when you have taken good care of yourself. I hope you have a wonderful day and be kind to yourself!
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Thank you to Jessica for Guest Posting about free self-care ideas!
Talk Soon!
Yes to all of these! We never realize how such small steps can make our day better. A simple stretch releases all the stress and can make our mind and body feel so good. Great post!
It was a pleasure to be a guest on your blog and I hope everyone can find a moment for some self care!
I love praying, stretching and just simply relaxing. I try to take at least 20 minutes everyday to take a break and just relax. These are great tips.
Great list! I love that you including smiling! It is amazing how much better a smile can make you feel. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for reading and commenting – you’re totally right small steps add up to a big impact on our day! Jess did a wonderful job with this post – thanks!
Thank you for guest blogging – you’ve written a wonderful post that will help out a lot of folks! Thanks Jessica!
YES – that sounds like a wonderful routine of taking 20 minutes a day to do one of those to relax. Thanks for reading and commenting 🙂
Thank you, Jessica is so knowledgeable! Be sure to check out her blog for even more tips! 🙂
Lovely tips! Breathing in fresh air and a nice walk is the best self-care for me! Great guest post! xx
Lynn | https://www.lynnmumbingmejia.com
These are some really great suggestions! Self care is so important and it doesn’t have to cost a thing too. Thank you for sharing your post.
Love all of these! A shower is definitely the best self-care for me – my mood just improves instantly. As well as that, cleaning & organising seem to be what I’m doing to cope with my anxiety nowadays. xx
Lovely tip! It’s so important to get out and about and I love writing too, I find that really helps xx
Love all of these ideas! Going for a bit of fresh air and writing are some of my self-care rituals already. Really want to try meditation x
Absolutely could do with a nap! Sounds dreamy but impossible at the moment haha!
Corinne x
Wonderful ideas on here – napping is definitely one that helps me. When I’m stressed out and in need of a break, a nap can do wonders hehe x
These are great suggestions. People often forget that self care doesn’t have to cost. I love nothing more than going for a walk.
Thanks Lynn – Jessica did a wonderful job with these tips! A walk breathing it fresh air is always wonderful, it’s so restorative! Thanks for reading and commenting 🙂
Thanks Lauren, Jessica shared such a great list! I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the post – take care!
YES! Showers are so cleansing and wonderful with the warm water relaxing you. It’s great to hear you connected with the content and you’ve found the best rituals for you!
Yes, both are such great self care tips! I’m glad you enjoyed Jessica’s guest post. Thanks for reading!
It’s wonderful, I really encourage meditation if you haven’t tried it. A guided meditation is a great place to start if you’re unsure where to begin. Glad your enjoyed the post! Thanks for reading 🙂
I hope you can have a nap soon, I imagine with a little one that’s easier said than done! Thanks for reading 🙂
Fantastic to hear this post connected and you’ve found the rituals that work best for you! Wishing you restorative naps 🙂 Thanks for reading and commenting.
Thanks Kelly! It’s a great reminder that is doesn’t have to cost anything to take care of ourselves, and Jessica did a lovely job with those reminders! Thanks for reading and commenting.
This is such a great list & I love that they’re all simple things to do! I enjoy taking a nice bath & going for walks is always great. I also find writing about what’s bothering me therapeutic.
Yes, absolutely love these tips! Since I’ve been working from home, I’ve started to do stretching before I get up – actually I’ve also been doing yoga these days. I love those morning yoga stretches that helps shake off the sleep cobwebs!
Thank you – Jessica did a lovely job of outlining how simple self care can be! It’s wonderful to hear you’ve found some rituals that work best for you – thanks for reading and commenting!
Wonderful to hear you enjoy these self care tips. It’s so important when working from home to ensure you get up and stretch, yoga is a lovely activity to help with stretching! Thanks for reading and commenting!
What wonderful suggestions! So often we believe we have to spend a lot of money on self-care, but these are amazing idea that don’t cost anything. Thank you so much for sharing them!
Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed Jessica’s posts and it’s so important to remember it doesn’t have to cost us anything to take care of ourselves! Thanks for reading and commenting.
These are all such great tips, I love that you focused on free options, too. My favs are meditation, time outside, and staying hydrated. 🙂
Yes – Jessica did a lovely job of really making it easy and accessible for all! Thanks for reading.
Everyone needs a nap. I think we need siestas like in Spain. Great suggestions.
YES 100% agree, really improves everything after a nice 20 minute nap!
I literally do all of these daily and it helps a lot. Especially meditation and yoga.
Awesome – that’s great to hear! Keep it up!
I love this post and I think i’m going to do some of these right now. Namely take a long, hot bath! I’ve been working on my blog all day after a hectic week and I just need to chill.
YES! I hope you enjoyed your hot bath and found it relaxing after a busy week.