I would love it if I could spend every weekend sipping chamomile tea in my pajamas, face mask on, and listening to SZA in a freshly, deep cleaned room. Unfortunately, life doesn’t always work out that way. Sticking to a self-care routine is vital in the upkeep of you! It’s hard to find the time, especially during the school year, to dedicate a whole day to yourself. A self-care day is, of course, necessary every once in a while, but how do we incorporate that in our daily routines?
Once you step back and break down all parts of your day, there are so many opportunities to turn any part of your daily routine into self-care.
LIMITING SCREEN TIME
I first identified what wasn’t making me feel good or bringing me joy. For me, a big one is social media and screen time. Not only is it unhealthy for you, but social media and scrolling is also horrible for your mental health! That was definitely taking a toll on me. So instead of scrolling through Instagram on my commute, I swapped the phone for a book. It passed the time I spent on the train way faster, and I walked away feeling refreshed and mentally stimulated. What if you drive during your commute? I always go for my favorite playlist that I can badly sing along to!
Another tip is to track your screen time on your iPhone or on an app! There are even features to limit the amount of time you spend on certain apps.
MINDFUL MOMENTS
If you have a dog, use their walk time for practicing your mindfulness! Instead of listening to music while you walk, keep it silent. Take the time outside to breathe, look at everything around you, and bring your mind and thoughts back down. Use this time to focus on your breath and body, relax your mind and cherish the moment you are in. Your dog will definitely appreciate your presence!
On the other hand, going on a walk or run with music blasting is definitely necessary sometimes too. There are moments where you need to just forget everything, and just let your mind go. It’s important to find a balance, you can’t always run away from your thoughts, so do what feels best at that moment!
FIND A ROUTINE
As I’ve gotten older, I realized that routines are the best for your mental health! Finding a routine that is good for you, and makes you feel great is an important part of taking care of yourself. Just make a routine that is realistic for you, and that is helping you make self-improvements. Whether it’s waking up early, sticking to a skincare routine, or calling your best friend at the end of the day, it’s whatever works for you! The best part is that there’s no right or wrong way, it about actually sticking to it (which is the hard part).
DOING WHAT MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD!
It all boils down to one question, Does doing this make me happy? You’re not going to love everything you do always, but why not change what you can to something that brings you joy? Don’t like your hair? Change it! Your jeans are too tight? Donate them! Hate your school? Transfer! Maybe those aren’t the best examples, but the best lesson I’ve ever learned is that nothing in life is permanent. So if something isn’t making you happy, then why are you still doing it?