Five Self-Care Practices that You Can Do NOW!

We hear a lot about self-care, but how many of us actually take the time to do something for ourselves? For most of us, self-care is more of an occasional treat than a regular practice. But shouldn’t taking care of our mind be as routine as taking care of our bodies?

Here are Five Quick Self-Care Practices:

1. Journal

An age-old practice. Journaling is an awesome way to get out your thoughts and see them on paper. This helps us process our thoughts and feelings, allowing us to let go of some of the things weighing on our minds.

Quick tip: Set aside a specific time (5-10 minutes in the morning or at night) and stick with it. Having time dedicated to journaling will help you keep at it!

2. Meditate

Mediation has been a HUGE buzz word recently, but it can sound kind of intimidating, can’t it? Mediation doesn’t have to be formal or time-consuming, it can be just a few minutes a day. All you have to do is just sit and breathe…

Quick tip: Start with just 2 or 3 minutes a day and work your way up. Like journaling, set aside a specific time to practice. Focus on your breathing and allow your thoughts to flow--don’t try to shut off your mind, just observe. Make a mental note of how it feels, and keep track of those feelings over time. Does it get easier? Are there days that are harder than others?

3. Take a Bath

Or a shower...whatever you prefer! Allowing some time to sit back and relax is an awesome way to keep up with self care. You have to bathe anyway, why not incorporate some self-care practice?

Quick tip: Add some of your favorite scents into the bath! Essential oils like lavender and eucalyptus are great add ins for stress relief and promoting sleep.

4. Practice Gratitude

It’s really simple, but really effective. Practicing gratitude is all about stepping back and thinking about the things that we’re grateful for each day. They don’t have to be huge. In fact, they are often the minute things that happen in our days that we would usually overlook. Making note of the things we’re grateful for help remove us from the trap of negative thinking and turn our heads to the positive things going on.

Quick tip: Write down three things you’re grateful for. Do this either first thing in the morning to set the tone for the day, or do it right before bed to reflect on what you felt grateful for that day. Pro tip, do both!

5. Exercise

The benefits of physical exercise extend far beyond the physical benefits--exercising has a huge benefit on overall wellbeing and mental health! While exercising takes up more time out of the day than the other practices mentioned, it is definitely something to consider adding to your overall routine.

Quick tip: Don’t be afraid to try out a few things, and don’t get discouraged if you don’t find something you like right away. There are countless ways that we can exercise, and each person likes something different! The goal is to find something that you want to stick with for the long term, not something that you have to force yourself to do.

There you have it--five quick tips for self-care!

We challenge you to try to incorporate one of these practices (or maybe one of your own) into your schedule this week and see how you like it!

Hudson Therapy is a Westchester County counseling practice in White Plains, NY. We provide therapy for children, teens and adults.