Self-care is something of a hot topic at the moment, and at times has been criticised for simply not being affordable enough for everyone in its current guise. After all, not everyone has the budget to treat themselves to a pumpkin spiced latte or a new pair of shoes whenever they have a bad day. If you’re looking for simple and affordable ways to implement self-care at home, check out the tips below. Many of these ideas can be worked into a busy schedule, too, so they’re ideal for parents, professionals or anyone who has a lot on their plate already.
1. Write a list
Taking a minute to write a list of whatever is going on in your mind requires very little time, effort and resources, and yet the benefits can be noticeable. All you need is a scrap of paper and a pen, and a couple of minutes alone - you could even lock yourself in the bathroom to do this if you need to. Your list could be a to-do list, to help order your mind and feel less stressed, or it could be a list of thoughts or feelings you’re having. If you want to take this further, you could make it into a daily practice and even write a list of things you’re grateful for before you go to sleep. This can help to ground you in the present moment and feel calmer for the rest of the day. Some people like to use a list app to do this, which allows them to make lists any time.
2. Track Your Mood
If you’re feeling stressed out, anxious or down a lot of the time, a useful technique for tracking your moods is to simply make a note every day of how you feel. As with most things, there are now mood apps for this, but you can also do this in your diary, on a calendar or even on post-its. Looking back on how your mood has changed over the past few weeks or months can help to shift the feeling that nothing is really changing, as you’ll probably notice that some days are better than others. This can help you to become more optimistic and, like with tracking your bank balance, keeps you aware of what your mood has been like throughout the month.
3. Spend Time Alone
As difficult as it can be if you have a busy schedule or a house full of children, spending a bit of time alone is an incredibly effective way to relax and de-stress. As little as 15 minutes to yourself can have a significant impact on your emotional and mental health, providing that you spend it doing something you enjoy. This could be sitting quietly, reading, dancing to your favourite music, or taking a soak in the tub in your stylish bathroom suite. Taking time out to do this regularly will help you to feel calmer and allow you to manage everyday stresses a lot better, so it really is worth it.
4. Try Meditation
It’s not for everybody, but many people find that short meditation practice is exactly what they need to calm down, de-stress and focus on themselves. In today’s fast-paced world, it’s very rare that we sit and do nothing, especially without a screen in front of us. Doing this with a free meditation app can help introduce you to the principles of meditation, and once you get the hang of it you can do it just about anywhere. Meditation has been proven to be highly effective at reducing stress, so it’s worth giving it a try, even if you’re doubtful that it would work for you.
5. Switch off.
Recent studies have shown that adults spend an average of nine hours a day in front of screens, and for office workers, this can be much more. Avoiding screens can be difficult, with many of us devoting a great deal of time to social media, reading articles online and watching TV. However, taking a break from our devices helps us to recover a little from the sensory overload we’re subjected to on a daily basis. Spending time away from screens, whether it’s by reading, listening to music, cooking, exercising, playing with our children or having a chat with a friend, is an effective way of giving our brains a break. If you find yourself scrolling through social media on autopilot, or turning on the TV without really thinking about it, pause and ask yourself if it’s time to take some time out. Check out how The mummy diaries archives a good nights sleep .
6. Talk to a Therapist. Did you know now that you can talk to a therapist right from your home? If you're too busy to make it into an office to see a counsellor or you'd just feel more comfortable doing so from your house, you can find a psychologist online with ThriveTalk who can help you.
6. Talk to a Therapist. Did you know now that you can talk to a therapist right from your home? If you're too busy to make it into an office to see a counsellor or you'd just feel more comfortable doing so from your house, you can find a psychologist online with ThriveTalk who can help you.
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