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Olivia's Top 10 Favorite Self-Care Strategies

Everybody knows that self-care is important, but it’s often marketed as getting your nails done, taking a bath, having a facial. These things definitely count, but self-care isn’t always pampering and fun! Here are 10 of my favorite self-care strategies ranging from free and time-conscious to budgeting a little more time and money for myself!

1.       Snuggling with my cats (free, 5-10 minutes)

Pets are a great with helping to decompress and de-stress after a long day. They are non-judgmental, will listen without interruption, won’t tell you what you don’t want to hear, and have unconditional love for you. Plus, there is research to show that a cat’s purr alone can help humans with stress relief. My younger cat always greets me at the door if she hears me coming, and my older cat is always on my bed to greet me with a meow.

2.       Limiting my time to complain (free, 5 minutes)

Sometimes, complaining is a good way to vent and let out some frustration. I noticed, though, that I used to complain A LOT. To the point that I would get MORE frustrated from continuing to bring up the frustration that I was feeling so often. So, I came up with the idea to give myself a limited amount of time to complain, and then I would drop it and not talk about it again.

I want to specify that I use this for more trivial things and things that are out of my control, like complaining about the person on the highway that cut me off, or a person at the grocery store who kept stopping in front of me with their cart in the middle of the aisle. For things that are more important to me, like something to do with a personal relationship, I make sure to communicate with the person I am frustrated with.

3.       Cleaning my house (free, 15-60 minutes)

I am not a huge fan of cleaning. Actually, I kind of hate it. However, I noticed on the days I work from home, I cannot concentrate and get anything done if my house is a mess. So, I make sure to reserve some time to tidy up a little bit- making sure the sink is clear of dirty dishes, or the litter box is clean. Knowing my house is more organized, helps me concentrate better and makes my mind feel more organized.

4.       Going on a walk (free, 10-30 minutes)

Everybody knows that exercise is not only good for physical health, but good for mental health as well. I often lack the motivation to go to the gym to exercise. Usually, I find that I have more motivation to go outside and take a walk. I don’t have to change my clothes, I can go on my lunch break at work, I can enjoy the evening outside when I get home, it doesn’t take up a big chunk of my time if I don’t want it to. So, even on the weeks when I don’t have motivation to get a more strenuous workout in, I always feel good when I get outside- even for a short walk.

5.       Reading before bed (free with a library card, 15-60 minutes)

During grad school, and shortly after, I wanted to read for fun, but I had absolutely zero motivation to pick up a book. I felt that this is something I wanted to do because I always enjoyed getting lost in a book when I was young. So, I decided to make it a routine to read for at least fifteen minutes every night before bed, and now I have been through more books in the past 4 months than I have in the past 4 years. And, as another bonus, it gets me away from mindlessly scrolling on my phone, giving my brain a chance to calm down before I fall asleep!

6.       Personal training (splurge but worth it, 60 minutes)

As I mentioned before, I often lack the motivation to go to the gym, even though it is something I actually do enjoy. I began personal training a while ago because I wanted mentoring for beginning strength training rather than just doing some body weight exercises. I don’t feel that I need the mentoring as much now as the accountability. Having a commitment to a personal trainer keeps me in the gym at least once a week, and continuing to reach my fitness goals!

7.       Scheduling alone time (free, a few hours-a couple days)

I love my friends and family, and I can over book my schedule easily with social events. Sometimes I have to remind myself to reserve a day or a weekend to stay at home, because I need that time to recharge, or I will get too stressed from having too much to do.

8.       Making time for hobbies (free or little cost, 30-60 minutes)

I am a huge fan of crafting- cross stitching, knitting, making things with my Cricut.  I can get so focused on work or other things that it is easy for me to stop working on a project for a long time. I try to make sure I get at least an hour each week doing something I enjoy just because I enjoy it!

9.       Meal planning (cost of groceries, sometimes feels like forever)

If you couldn’t tell by now, I like to keep myself busy. I also have to work a few evenings weekly so I can see clients after their normal work/school hours. This means I don’t really have time to cook dinner on a regular basis. Meal planning is one of those things that I don’t like doing, but it makes my life easier for the week. Every weekend, I make sure that I sit down to plan out what food I will be eating for the week, go grocery shopping, and make whatever food I will need to last me the week. Not fun- but necessary!

10.   Setting boundaries (free, doesn’t take much time at all!)

The last and arguably most important thing I do to take care of my mental health is setting boundaries. This kind of encompasses the other self-care strategies in this list- saying no to social engagements and scheduling time for myself, limiting my time to complain, making sure I take time to read before bed and work on my hobbies. Beyond these things though, I set boundaries in life where I feel they are needed. If you feel you might need some help setting boundaries for yourself, take a look at our old blog post (one of the first blogs posted!): 10 Tips for Setting Boundaries.

Written by: Olivia Clark, MA, LPC, BCN