To get started on crafting your own self-care plan, observe when you’re feeling your most “you” – is there something specific you’re doing like chatting to a friend? This is self-care.
Everyone will benefit from different self-care activities and actions. It is really important to identify the practices that will be most beneficial to your own well-being and offer them to yourself throughout your day.
Self-care practice ideas
To get you thinking, here are some examples of self-care practices to consider:
- Write three things that you are grateful for in your gratitude journal
- List all the activities you have to look forward to (no matter how small)
- Go for a run or walk
- Join a boxing class
- Don't just text but call up one of your friends or leave them a long voice message
- Eat whatever you feel like without the guilt
- Show affection to your pet / significant other / people you love
- Binge-watch your favourite show without feeling guilty
- Look at photographs that make you feel happy
- Write letters to your past self and your future self
- Have an awesome cry
- Buy a gift for a loved one
- Drink a glass of wine while cooking
- Ask for support when you need it
Next, get out a pen and paper, or your computer:
- Make a list of your favourite self-care practices
- Write down what you need to help support these e.g. five minutes in my day
- Remove any barriers that may stop you from fulfilling your self-care practice e.g watching television late at night (although, tv may be one of your self-care activities–it’s totally up to you!)
This list offers a great reference point when you’re feeling stuck, but you’ll want to mix and match your self-care practices hourly/daily/weekly depending on your needs.
DOWNLOAD OUR FREE SELF-CARE ACTION PLAN TEMPLATE
Core self-care needs
Take a moment to think about what your needs are, so that you can pair that need with the most suitable self-care practice.
For example, you may be looking to calm down, get active, feel comfort, find motivation, let it all out (rage style!), treat yourself, just be, feel empowered – or something else altogether.
If you’re having trouble identifying your needs, try working backwards to get to the root of the problem i.e identify your stressors. For example, you may have had a long work day sitting at your desk and your need is: “to unwind.” What is a self-care practice you can undertake to unwind?
Here’s what a useful self-care action plan can look like:
Ready to put the “self” in “self-care” and personalise your own self-care action plan?
DOWNLOAD OUR FREE SELF-CARE ACTION PLAN TEMPLATE
