Suffice it to say that with a close relative’s destination wedding, a week-long summer vacation, finishing an online class, dog- and house-sitting, tons of wedding prep and our wedding all happening in the next six weeks… life feels crazy right now.
When there’s this much going on, often the usual self-care techniques just don’t cut it. Slipping into a comfy robe and kicking my feet up with a cup of tea sounds wonderful. But for an overactive mind like mine, sometimes that causes even more anxiety. I should be doing something right now!
So here are some ways that I’ve found to practice self-care in this crazy season of life. Unlike many self-care lists, these ideas are concrete and productive. They may not seem inherently restful or indulgent. But they’re little tasks that often fall through the cracks when life gets busy–often, tasks that have a disproportionate impact on how put-together we feel. Enjoy!
Self-Care for the Anxiety-Prone Mind
- Wash your sheets. Bleach is probably terrible for me… but there is nothing I love more than getting into freshly bleached white sheets.
- Make your bed.
- Take a shower, shave, and use your best body care products. I am loving this body butter currently.
- If you need one, get a haircut or brow wax.
- During the day, stop and do a physical stress check. Are you clenching or grinding your teeth? Are your shoulders sore from hunching over your computer? Fix those things.
- Turn the thermostat just a couple of degrees higher or lower, depending on whether it’s winter or summer. Instant luxury!
- Get up earlier than usual. Use the extra time well.
- Deep clean your living space. Put everything in its place, then sweep, mop, dust, and/or vacuum.
- Sort and file miscellaneous papers lying about.
- If you have a big stack of dishes in your kitchen: wash it.
- Do a financial check-in. If you have a budget, get up-to-date with logging your income and expenses. If you don’t have a budget, make one. It’s very easy–Excel has ready-made templates that you can customize.
- If you’re able to, transfer some money to savings. It can be a very small amount.
- Get to inbox zero. Or close to it!
- Declutter your computer desktop.
- Respond to unanswered texts and messages.
- Make yourself a micronutrient-dense meal or snack.
- Prep some healthy meals and snacks for the fridge.
- Get that fun health food from the grocery store that you’ve been meaning to try. I just grabbed a box of coconut water at Whole Foods this weekend and I’m excited to try it!
- Break a sweat.
- Track your water intake for the day. Aim for at least eight glasses.
- Do a brain dump. Write down every to-do and bit of information that’s swirling around in your brain. Don’t organize it yet.
- Now, organize your brain dump. Schedule to-do’s and write down appointments, meetings, and calls.
- At the end of every workday, move unfinished to-do’s to the next day. And close your planner.
- Take something off your to-do list that isn’t important.
- Schedule time for your hobbies. When you put all of your eggs in your “main basket” (usually work) and experience failure in that area, it can be demoralizing. Spending time and effort on your hobbies helps you maintain a more balanced perspective on life.
- Visit someplace local on your bucket list.
- Bite the bullet and buy that one thing you’ve needed for a while. Replace the broken blender or the shoes with the sole coming off.
- Reframe your to-do’s as “get-to-do’s.” You are alive and breathing. You have the opportunity to better your life every day.
- Reach out to a friend or family member you haven’t seen in a while. Stress can be isolating, but it doesn’t have to be. If you need a break, or need help, reach out.
- Finally, forgive yourself if you don’t get it all done. Even if you wasted time by spending too long scrolling through social media or watching funny cat videos. Give yourself permission to be imperfect.
But I’d love to know: what’s a unique way that you practice self-care when life is stressful?