In this busy season of work and life, I’m making a point to prioritize self care every day. Here are some of my favorite recent self-care strategies:
- Peloton Guide – although this piece of Peloton equipment was discontinued last summer, I went on eBay and found a used version to support my strength training. The Guide hooks into my tv and tracks movements so that I can get real-time feedback on my form. It also tracks my reps each day so I can see how that adds up over time.
- Early bedtimes – I’ve had some early wake up times in this busy season, which means I’m trying to get to bed earlier. I really try to listen to my body when it feels rundown and fit in extra sleep when I feel like I need it. I find that a full night’s sleep can make most things feel infinitely better.
- Monthly massages – one of my goals for this year was to get regular massages. I now go after work twice per month and it’s one of my favorite ways that I’m currently investing in myself.
- Chocolate – I would be lying if I said my sugar intake hasn’t increased lately (it usually does when I’m stressed), but I’m loving this vegan chocolate. I first came across this brand when I lived in Boston (that’s where it’s manufactured) and I’m glad that I can find it at several local stores.
- Daily walks – I’m still fitting in daily walks in the morning and at lunchtime when I can swing it. Staying active has really helped me manage my stress. And it’s great when I can fit in walking meetings with colleagues as well.
- Coloring app – I am still absolutely loving the Zen Color app. There are new pictures every day and the “mystery” ones are my favorite since they take a while to complete and I get to see the picture emerge as I go.
- Audiobooks – reading has always been my go-to for self care, but audiobooks are really a treat for me. I love being read to and this series is my latest favorite one to dip into.
- Skip the line surprises – my local library Libby app recently added a “skip the line” option where I can see very recent books that are hard to get become available at random times in the day. I can only check out one at a time, but when I finish each one, it’s fun to see what else might become randomly available for me to enjoy.
- Journaling – my daily journaling is still a solid self care practice for me. It doesn’t always happen in the mornings, but I do appreciate the time for processing and reflection whenever I do end up fitting it into my day.
- Pre-made or pre-prepped meals – what a gift it is when I prep healthy and nourishing food ahead of time. I’ll admit that this last week was a string of lunchtime peanut butter sandwiches, so I’m certainly not perfect with this practice, but I do the best I can to prepare meals on the weekends that I can dig into all week long. It’s a time saver, but it’s also a way that I show myself care.
What are some of your recent self care practices?
