30+ Self-Care Day Ideas

If you’re in any mom or parents’ groups on Facebook you’ve probably seen posts reminding you to take a “Self-care Sunday” to reset after a busy week.  The posts are usually followed with comments from other parents’ sharing what they did for themselves that day, giving you lots of great self-care day ideas.

But other moms and dads aren’t the only ones that are promoting the benefits of self-care.  Self-care has been recognized as being so important there’s now an International Self-Care Day on July 24^th to promote it.   While this day was developed by the International Self-Care Foundation, it has been recognized for its importance by Health Canada too. 

Even with all this information about the importance of self-care, most of us still struggle to make it a priority in our lives.

Last week was a rough one for me.  Between getting used to the back to school routine and dealing with a of couple stressful situations that came up, I was left feeling emotionally drained.  By Wednesday afternoon I realized that there was no way I was going to be able to get my blog post for the week finished.

Instead of stressing myself out more by trying to get it done, I accepted that I wouldn’t have anything to post for the week. 

Because that is part of self-care.  Giving yourself a break when you need it. 

Instead of rushing to get the post written, I took a couple of days off to focus on the other issues I was dealing with, and to take some time for myself. 

It used to take me getting to the point of a near breakdown to give myself a break like that.  Self-care had never been part of my regular routine.  Taking a whole day, or even just part of one, just for me was rare. 

But, after the year of anxiety I went through, I realized that this “me-time” was important.

So last year I started doing what I called “Mommy Mondays”.  Every Monday, I would spend the morning doing things just for me.  It was a great way for me to unwind from a busy weekend and get my mind refocused on the workweek.

Mondays worked best for me last year, but this year “Self-Care Sunday” fits into my schedule better.  While I still make sure to follow my daily self-care routines, Sundays are my opportunity to get some extra “me time” in.  And, when things get stressful and that one day a week just isn’t enough, I allow myself an extra self-care day or even a self-care weekend.

Self-Care 101

What is Self-Care?

Self-care is anything you intentionally do for your own personal benefit.  It’s taking the time to do the things that you actually enjoy doing, giving yourself a break from all the stuff you do because you have to before it becomes overwhelming. 

What Are Self-Care Activities?

Self-care activities can be mental, physical, emotional or spiritual.  They can be things that you do independently or things that you do socially.  Any activity that you do that helps you feel refreshed and refueled is a self-care activity. 

What Are Examples of Self-Care?

Some examples of self-care activities are

• A spa day
• Spending time with family or friends
• Going to a museum
• Spending time in nature
• Doing yoga or your favorite sport
• Going for a walk or bike ride
• Taking a nap

What Are the Benefits of Self-Care?

There are many benefits of engaging in regular self-care activities.  It improves your mood, gives you a more positive outlook on life, reduces anxiety, helps you to feel more energized, helps you be more productive, and slows your mind down. 

Making time for self-care helps you to be more resilient to everyday life stressors and prevents you from becoming overwhelmed.

The Importance of Self-Care

Despite all the benefits of self-care, most of us just can’t get past the idea that taking time away from our kids or other responsibilities is selfish.  I mean, there is so much to do all the time, how can we justify spending a whole day (or even a few hours) on ourselves?

Self-care is not selfish!

Self-care is an essential component of mental wellness and something that we all need to be making time for.  Without self-care time, we get stuck in “go” and “do” mode, eventually leading to burning out, which is often when we finally realize that we need a break.

So often when we are getting stressed out, self-care is the first thing we scratch off our to-do list, when that is the time that we need it the most.  When we become depleted physically, emotionally and mentally, we are not going to be able to handle all the things we need to get done.

So, why is self-care so important?

Because practicing regular self-care is what prevents us from becoming physically and emotionally exhausted, leaving our minds and bodies better equipped to handle whatever stressful issues life throws our way. 

While I used to wait until I was completely drained to take the time for self-care, now I know I need to make it a priority.  I take a little bit of time every day to do something to relax or have fun and refuel myself.  I also get in some self-care Sunday time in every week and will give myself a whole self-care day, or weekend, when stress starts to build. 

Self-Care for Women

First of all, woman, remind yourself again that “me time” is not selfish!

Self-Care Tips for Woman

• Schedule regular get-togethers with friends
• If getting together in person doesn’t work, schedule regular phone hang-outs
• Find your support person, someone you can vent to when you need some emotional self-care
• Have an easy to make go-to meal (or stashed away freezer meals) for the nights that you really need a break
• If it makes you feel good, go ahead and get dressed up and go all out on your make-up (see this post for affordable safe make up), even if you aren’t going anywhere
• Make a list of self-care day ideas, so you can easily come up with something to do just for yourself when you find yourself with an opportunity to take a break.
• Plan your own Self-care Sunday, or another self-care day, weekly if you can

If you have kids, here are few more self-care tips that are specific for us moms.

Self-Care Ideas for Moms

• Say yes anytime someone offers to help
• If you’re home all day with the kids give yourself breaks, even if you can only get in 10-15 minutes at a time, just like you would if you were at work
• Schedule regular nights off, when your spouse will take over the bedtime routine or whatever evening task you need a break from, while you do something just for you
• Make your “me time” a priority!

While relaxing by one’s self may be an ideal way to recharge for an introvert, an extravert will feel more refueled by getting in some self-care time socially.  If that kind of self-care is more your thing, plan for some regular self-care days with a friend or two.

Self-Care Day Ideas with Friends

• Have an at-home spa day, taking turns giving each other manicures or pedicures
• Go to a spa together
• Plan weekly lunch dates
• Have a sleepover, just like when you were teenagers
• Get together weekly to watch your favorite show together
• Take a shopping trip (for things for yourselves, not the house or kids)

Since I’m more of an introvert, most of my self-care activities are independent.  But I do still make sure that I get some social time in every week.  Every Wednesday morning, I go out for breakfast with my mom and sisters.  I also plan regular phone hangs outs, in the evening after the kids are in bed, with my best friend. 

I also make sure to always have a meal in the freezer for unexpected busy days, spend time every morning doing my hair the way I like it, and I have a go-to list of self-care day ideas ready for Sundays or whatever other day I need. 

Self-Care for Men

Self-care is not a concept that’s reserved only for us woman.  You guys need to be getting in some self-care time too.  While your idea of self-care may be different from ours, you need some “me time” just as much as we do. 

Self-Care Ideas for Men

• Plan a guy’s night
• Go see that new action/superhero/sci-fi movie with a friend
• Watch your favorite sport on tv
• Join a local sports team or club, or get a membership at a golf club
• Play basketball (or your preferred sport) weekly with some friends
• Pamper yourself with a haircut and a professional shave at your local barber
• Plan a guy’s trip

The Husbands idea of Self-Care used to be getting all worked up on the Xbox.  But he’s realized now that there are other things he can do that help him relax and reset a bit better. 

Self-Care Tips for Couples

While it’s nice for each spouse to have some “me-time”, having some “we-time” to relax and refuel together can be a great self-care idea too.

Self-Care Ideas for Couples

• Schedule date nights (even if they are at home dates) weekly
• Take turns massaging each other (or splurge for a couple’s massage by a professional)
• Compare your self-care day ideas lists and see what activities you both enjoy that could be done together
• Plan a relaxing weekend away for the two of you
• If you have kids, plan some relaxing activities you can do as a family
• Take turns having self-care Sundays, or another self-care day, with your spouse

While the husband and I are currently doing a healing separation, which means we both have plenty of kid-free time for self-care, we used to take turns having some “me time” every weekend.  Saturdays he would spend a couple of hours in our office/craft room alone and Sundays I would. 

For now, we have a night every week that we get together and just hang out and relax together and our weekly date nights.  Plus, we got lots of self-care time together the other weekend on our DIY couples retreat. 

Self-Care Day

If you’re finding yourself getting overwhelmed with life then you really need to take a self-care day.   While getting in some self-care time every day is ideal, sometimes having a whole day to focus on yourself is what you need to recharge. 

So, what do you do on a self-care day?

Anything that you enjoy doing that leaves you feeling refueled. 

Your self-care day can be focused on relaxing or just on having fun, whichever one will make you feel refreshed. You could do something peaceful like taking a bath and reading a book, or something more adventurous, like ziplining. 

If you want to have the best self-care day, make sure that you won’t be tempted to do anything else.  If you’re going to do a self-care Sunday, get the house cleaned Saturday (or at least one room you can hide out in for the day) so you won’t be tempted to do anything you don’t enjoy.

I like to get the house cleaned up on Saturdays so it’s done and over with, and the rest of my weekend can just be relaxing.

Some weeks I spend my Self-Care Sunday time on relaxing activities, like reading in my PJ’s all morning.  Other weeks I go out and do something fun.  While I don’t often spend the entire day on Self-care Sundays on “me time”, if I feel like I need more than just a morning or afternoon, I make it a whole self-care day. 

Self-Care Day Ideas

What are some self-care ideas?

Do Something Relaxing to Start

• Color in an adult coloring book
• Meditate (try Headspace if you need help getting started)
• Knit
• Read a book, ebook or magazine
• Listen to an audiobook
• Listen to a podcast
• Stay in bed and listen to your favorite music

Spend Extra Time On You

• Spend extra time in the shower (or bath). 
• Do a face mask (like this
  Andalou Naturals Cocoa Face Mask, with a safety rating of 2 on Skin Deep) while you soak in the tub. 
• Get dressed up (if that makes you feel good). 
• Do your hair and makeup for yourself (even if you’re just staying home for the day)
• Do your nails or go get a manicure
• Get a massage
• Get your hair cut or colored
• Pamper yourself anyway that you can.

Do Something That Is Fun for You

• Do a craft or some scrapbooking
• Draw
• Write in a journal (try this guided journal if you need some help getting started)
• Do a puzzle
• Play an instrument
• Visit a museum
• Go to the movies
• Go see a play or concert
• Go shopping (but only look at things for you, maybe even to splurge on a new outfit)
• Go for a walk (in nature if possible)
• Go for a bike ride
• Take yourself out for dinner or order in

End the Day with Another Relaxing Activity

• Meditation
• Watch your favorite movie
• Binge-watch a favorite show
• Do yoga or stretching exercises
• Take a nice long bath. 

A few weeks ago, I was feeling a bit more stressed than usual and decided I needed a full day for self-care. 

I started my day by reading in my PJ’s, then went out to a few yard sales.  I packed some leftovers for lunch and ate them at the park, then walked around for a bit with the dog.  I went back home and did my nails while watching some Netflix, then went out and picked up a drive-thru dinner.  I ended the night with bubble bath (this lavender & wild orchid scented bubble bath by SheaMoisture has a safety rating of 2 on Skin Deep), then binge-watched the rest of my Netflix show. 

While I didn’t do anything really exciting, the relaxing day was just what I needed to destress and start the next week feeling recharged.

Self-Care Weekend

If you’re really stressed and one day isn’t enough self-care time for you, then plan a whole self-care weekend.  While it’s likely not something you can do all the time if you really need it find a way to take the whole weekend for yourself. 

How do you have a self-care weekend?

If you can, find a way to get rid of the kids (maybe they could spend the weekend with Grandma or a favorite aunt or uncle?) and you spouse (this would be a great weekend for him to plan his guy’s trip for some self-care himself).

If finding a babysitter for a weekend isn’t possible, see if you could find a friend who needs a self-care weekend as much as you do.  You could take her kids for a weekend-long sleepover one week, then send your kids to hers the next. 

If getting your kids out of the house won’t work, and you can afford it, take a self-care trip instead.  Book yourself a nice hotel room and splurge for room service.

Years ago, when my kids were still pretty young, I got the opportunity to have a 2-night self-care trip by joining The Husband on a business trip. 

While he was doing his work thing, I hung out in the hotel suite and read a book or went down to relax in the pool and hot tub.  In the evenings we would go out for dinner and then relax together at the pool or in the room.  The last day of his trip I hung out at the mall (since he had to check out of the room in the morning) and did some shopping until he was done for the day. 

Self-Care Routine

Taking a weekend, or a day for some self-care is great for recharging, but we need to make sure we get some self-care time everyday too.

Some self-care tips that we should be practicing daily

• Say no to extra responsibilities that you can’t handle or really don’t have the time for
• Make time for self-reflection (journaling is great for that)
• Allow yourself to cry when you feel sad, instead of keeping things bottled up
• Practice gratitude daily
• Eat healthy
• Exercise, even if you just go for a walk every day
• Get enough sleep
• Make time for self-care in your morning routine
• Create a relaxing self-care routine for at night

How Do We Make Self-Care A Habit?

Self-care is something that you plan out, not just something that will happen on its own.  If you want to develop your own self-care habits, you have to start by fitting self-care into your regular routine.

How Do I Start A Self-Care Routine?

Start your self-care routine by making a self-care plan.

Make a list of all the things you enjoy doing just for you.  Some of these could be things you can do daily, like taking the time to do your hair the way you like it.  Some may be things that you will do once or twice a week, like joining a group activity or sport. 

Come up with at least one relaxing self-care activity for night time that fits into your bedtime routine.  You could take a bath, do some yoga or relaxing stretches, have a calming tea (lots of options with yogi tea) on your porch, diffuse some lavender essential oil, or read a book.

Once you have the list of things you want to be doing for self-care, make time for them in your weekly schedule and daily routine.  If you have a spouse, sit down with them and make your self-care routines together, finding time for you both to get the “me time” that you need. 

Plan out your daily self-care routine first, then add in the things you want to do weekly, or on self-care Sunday (or whatever self-care day fits best in your schedule).  If you need to, write out your new routine with all your self-care activities in it and post it where you will see it until they become habits.

While I have a lot of self-care habits that I have put into my daily routine, at times I still forget that I need to put more focus on self-care during the more stressful times.  Even with my daily self-care routines and my self-care Sunday time every week, there are weeks that I need more.

But I know that there is nothing selfish about adding in another self-care day when I need to. 

What do you do on a self-care day?  Do you have a specific self-care day routine or do you just enjoy the day without a plan?  I would love to hear your self-care day ideas too.

Let me know on my Facebook post and follow me on Facebook to see what else I learn on my journey to live a healthier and happier life.