25+ awesome, easy self-care ideas and how to make your plan

Last Updated on October 20, 2023 by melissanreynolds

Do you need 25 awesome, easy self-care ideas? And a plan for actually choosing your daily, weekly and monthly self-care rituals?

Taking just 10 minutes a day for your non-negotiable self-care rituals can make a world of difference for your wellbeing – mind body and soul.

This article highlights the benefits of regular self-care: “When self-care is regularly practiced, the benefits are broad and have even been linked to positive health outcomes such as reduced stress, improved immune system, increased productivity, and higher self-esteem,” says Brighid Courtney, of Boston, a client leader at the wellness technology company Wellable and a faculty member at the Wellness Council of America (WELCOA).

“The beneficial effects of self-care include improved well-being and lower morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs.” This article is a little more science-y and supports some pretty awesome outcomes from self-care.

In other words you will likely increase your enjoyment of life, experience better health, be more productive, spend less money on your health and live longer. Win-win-win!

How to figure out what easy self-care you need?

• Take a piece of paper.
• Write a list of all self-care you can think of that would make your life better (ideas below)
• Next, circle ones that feel most important/needed to you right now
• Then, highlight the crucial few that are your non-negotiables right now (for example yoga nidra guided meditation is a must for me)
• Set a timer in your phone for the non-negotiables
• Write your highlighted list across the week of your planner/calendar
• Put your circled list across the next few months of your planner/calendar to try

Grab your Daily Health Habits for Chronic Pain and Fatigue Guide and Worksheet kit free here.

Or to keep it simple – start with your non-negotiable list and make those a habit first.

What should go on your self-care list?

Affiliate notice: some of my links are affiliate links, if you make a purchase using my link, I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Long-term investments such as healthy habits

Things you love and make you feel good (for some it’s doing their makeup every morning, others it’s sitting outside with coffee for 10 minutes, others it’s bible study.)

Long-term but easy investments in your self-care

• Drink a large glass of water first thing in the morning
• Yoga nidra guided meditation – this is a 10 minute practice from my YouTube channel
• Breathe deeply for 10 minutes
• Yoga
• Gratitude practice (write down 1-3 things a day for which you are thankful) – this is a hilarious adult take on gratitude journaling and this is a more minimal, traditional version. Or you can use a plain notebook.
• Journaling
• Body scan meditation
• Bible study – I have a three minute devotional series I am working through like this one
• Sit outside (with coffee)
• Take a walk
• Set a regular bedtime and mindful bedtime routine
• Have a six second hug – here’s an article about why longer hugs are good
• Read a book – if you read as much as I do (around 80 books a year) you may like to look at the Amazon Kindle Unlimited Membership plan
• Watch a webinar on something that interests you
• Take a nap
• Listen to an inspirational podcast
• Scalp or facial massage

More self-care ideas

• Get ready in the morning (makeup, hair, whatever makes you feel put together)
• Manicure (home or out)
• Massage (self, partner or paid)
• Face mask – this at home facial steamer might help with that, as a super busy mama I often pick up those single pack foil wrapped Garnier masks
• Hair conditioning treatment – I like ones I can massage into my scalp and hair inside my “normal” shower time and leave on for about five minutes.
• Bubble bath
• Get a haircut
• Call a friend

Yoga self-care in 10 minutes or less

Because I can’t resist making this super easy for you, I have some more options for you here using yoga. Check out this post, Yoga as Self-Care for Busy Mamas for why I think it’s a great option.

• Join the free challenge to experience movement, rest, breathing and meditation in 10 minutes a day
• Cat and cow pose
• Sun salutations sequence (in the challenge)
• Alternate nostril breathing – this tutorial from my YouTube channel may help
• Supported child’s pose
• Yoga nidra guided meditation (in the challenge)
• Supported shavasana (in the challenge)
• Breathing practice, 10 minutes (in the challenge)
• Breathing practice (1, 3 or 5 minutes) – this one minute practice from my YouTube channel is super simple
• Legs up the wall pose

Conclusion

I’ve shared more than 25 easy self-care options for your list and why you should bother with them (the benefits of looking after yourself consistently). Take a moment, maybe make a cuppa, grab your piece of paper and get started on your list.

Let us know- do you have any self-care rituals? Did you make a list?