8 small (but effective) ways to practise self-care

Last week I had the WORST migraine of my life. Complete with aura, dizziness nausea and all the other wonderful extras that migraines can bring. 

This is nothing new, I’m used to migraines in life. 

But it’s fair to say I did not cope with it well. I’m not ashamed to say I cried. A lot. 

Since this episode, I have needed a little more self-care than usual. 

It’s been really hard trying to step away from the keyboard for a while as I’m always attached to the laptop, or at the very least, my phone. 

But I had to remind myself to take breaks from the screen and I have spent several mornings just lying in bed. It wiped me out. 

And this got me thinking, we all need a reminder sometimes that it’s important to look after ourselves and that it’s OK to take time out every now and then to recharge.

So today I thought I’d share some of my very simple ways to practise self-care and the things I like to do when I need a little TLC. 

1. Go for a walk 

It can be as long or as short as you like, but sometimes just getting out in the fresh air is the perfect way to recharge your batteries. It also gives you a chance to get back to nature, so take a walk to your favourite park, through the woods or along the beach, wherever your happy place may be. 

2. Eat your favourite food 

We can all be guilty of, well, guilt! Sometimes we restrict what we eat because it’s unhealthy or we’re watching our weight and we feel guilty about eating junk, which is fine! But just remember it’s OK to treat yourself, just keep everything in moderation. So when you need a little pick-me-up, make sure you tuck into some of your favourite food. 

3. Do some baking

On a similar note, baking can be very therapeutic and fun, not to mention you’ll have some yummy treats to eat at the end of it (I’m currently obsessed with making vegan cheese scones). 

Unless you find baking stressful that is, in which case maybe leave this one on the shelf. 

4. Have a glass of wine (or your favourite drink)

After a long day, is there anything better than sitting back on the sofa with a nice glass of wine, a cold beer or even a cosy cup of tea? Whatever your drink of choice, take some time to actually sit down, relax and enjoy your drink. 

5. Have a long, hot bath 

Set aside half an hour for yourself in the evening and run yourself a nice hot bubble bath. Personally, I go all out. I light candles, use bubbles, put my favourite show on my laptop (or listen to music) and sometimes even take a glass of wine in with me.  

But even just relaxing in a plain old bath can do wonders for relaxing and washing away the stress of the day. 

6. Have a good clear-out 

You know what they say, ‘a tidy room is a tidy mind’ and physically decluttering a space can work wonders for mentally decluttering your head. Not to mention, you can free up space and keep your house looking neat and tidy, which makes relaxing in your space much, much easier. 

7. Say no and just stay in 

We’re all guilty of making commitments and then having to drag ourselves out on the day to attend. 

If you’ve planned a cinema trip or perhaps some of your colleagues are going for a drink after work, it’s OK to say no every now and then and just stay in. Explain that you’ve had a busy day and you need some downtime - we’re all human and we all understand this feeling. 

8. Go to the gym (or workout)

I don’t know about you, but when I’m in the gym my focus is completely on my workout, enjoying the music and getting those endorphins flowing. It’s like I’ve found a way to escape the world for an hour. 

So if you're in need of some you time, why not head to the gym or do your favourite workout at home? Maybe you're a runner and love nothing more than a casual 10-mile run to get you feeling great or perhaps you love to go for a swim (in the local pool or maybe even the sea!). 

Whatever your exercise of choice. Get moving and get those endorphins flowing. 

How do you practise self-care?

These are just a few really simple ways you can practise self-care when you're in need of a little TLC, but we’re all different.

What do you like to do when you need some downtime?