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Looking for Self-Care Ideas? Here Are 45!

Posted • Last updated

As we mentioned in our post about how to create a self-care plan, a good self-care strategy can involve physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual and social aspects. They influence each other and our general well-being, so it’s essential to balance activities. If you often feel like you prioritize some areas and neglect others, it may be time to reevaluate and add new self-care ideas to your list!

We’ve listed 45 self-care activities for each area of well-being, inspired by suggestions from the University of British Columbia. Check them out:

Physical self-care

  • Adopt a balanced diet and eat regularly (avoid skipping meals!)
  • Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, every day
  • Find a physical activity you love and practice regularly: dancing, swimming, running, riding a bike, growing a garden… so many options!
  • Get enough sleep
  • Take time to rest between activities
  • Get regular, preventative medical care
  • Take your medications regularly
  • Get a massage
  • Take care of your teeth

Psychological self-care

  • Make time for self-reflection
  • Write in a journal
  • Read for pleasure, something unrelated to work
  • Learn new things – it helps keep your mind sharp!
  • Learn to say “no” sometimes
  • Learn how to delegate and receive from others
  • Start a new hobby
  • Find ways to infuse humour into your day, laugh more

Emotional self-care

  • Spend time with people whose company you enjoy
  • Avoid people that bring you down, whenever possible
  • Keep in touch with the important people in your life
  • Allow yourself to cry when you feel like
  • Play with children or pets
  • Identify comforting activities, objects, people, relationships, places and seek them out
  • Practice self-compassion
  • Look for inspirational content, like books, talks, documentaries…
  • Treat yourself with the same kindness you treat others

Spiritual self-care

  • Spend time in nature
  • Pray and practice your faith, if you have one
  • Find a spiritual connection or community
  • Be optimistic, adoptive a positive view on things
  • Volunteer – helping others makes you feel better too!
  • Meditate
  • Sing
  • Be aware of the immaterial aspects of life
  • Accept that you don’t know – and don’t need to know – everything

Workplace/social self-care

  • Take a break during the workday
  • Stand up, stretch, go for a walk after sitting down for a long time
  • Enjoy some coffee or tea
  • Avoid having lunch at your desk
  • Take time to chat and get to know the people who work with you
  • Set limits with coworkers
  • Plan your tasks and make quiet time to complete them
  • Have a peer support group
  • Identify projects and activities that are exciting and rewarding
  • Offer help, and be open to receive help as well

We hope you’ll find this list helpful in your self-care routine! Do you have any other self-care activity you’d like to add? Share it with us in the comments!

From Our Community

Cherie Mercer

Patient Partner, New Aiyansh

Cherie Mercer

I have learned so much about innovation and capacity building by being part of PVN. I signed up to build my leadership skills, however, I experience benefits for myself, my community and Indigenous peoples throughout the province. I understand more about the complexities and opportunities required to improve health care.