Happy Humpday Lovelies! Gosh, it’s been a hot minute since I’ve posted! How’s your April been so far? I’m sure we can all agree that this year is really starting to fly by! This week, I wanted to talk about self care, and in particular, self care that can be done in less than 30 minutes. Most of us have a lot going on in our lives, and it can be so easy to put regular self care on the backburner. But in reality, it’s so easy to fit a bit of self care into your routine – you don’t have to dedicate whole Sunday to ALL the self care activities imaginable, but you can fit one or two items into your day-to-day life. Because it’s important to put yourself first and keep on top of your mental health! None of the items on this list are revolutionary. Chances are you are or have done all of these things. But it’s nice to have a little reminder about the small self care things that you can be doing on a daily or weekly basis. In fact, pretty much all of them can be done in tandem so you can really pack as much self care as possible into half an hour. But don’t feel like you need to do everything! Even the simplest of tasks can help so much. I LOVE a good facemask! Whether it be sheet, clay or peel, I just can’t get enough. And although I try to do a facemask on a weekly basis as part of my skincare routine, sometimes it’s just nice to do a facemask to be able to put my feet up while giving my skin a refresh. Apply a good hydrating or brightening mask, grab a cup of tea (or wine), and just zone out for twenty minutes. And I won’t judge you if you decide to have a nap while the mask works its magic! Hell, throw a hairmask on as well and really treat yourself! Some of my favourite skincare brands for facemasks include: Sukin, Revolution Skincare, JiinJu Beauty, and Skin Republic. But I’m totally up for recommendations, so please let me know some of your favourite facemasks in the comments! It’s no secret that I’m a bookworm since I have a whole book review blog and all. So because I read a lot, I don’t always consider reading a piece of self care, it’s just something I do. But I definitely notice when I haven’t read for a few days or a week or two. There’s just something about escaping into a piece of fiction that can help give you a break from real life. No matter your genre of choice, just spending 30 minutes a day, or every couple of days, reading is all you need. Hell, you don’t even need to be reading a novel – grab a comic book, a magazine, a newspaper, or a cereal box. Just read. Even an audiobook is a great way to get some reading done! Some of my must-read recommendations include: Try Hard by Em Rusciano, Secret Puck by Rebecca Jenshak, A Cowboy for Alyssa by Shirley Penick, The Girl Next Door by Emma Hart, Nevernight by Jay Kristoff, A Court of Mist & Fury by Sarah J Maas, Tomorrow, When The War Began by John Marsden, and Note To Self by Connor Franta. Definitely head over to my book blog – Just Me & My Books – for some more recommendations! It’s honestly amazing how listening to good music or a podcast is all you need to get the endorphins flowing! I absolutely love popping on my nostalgia, 90s, or 00s playlists and just getting lost in the music. The same goes for a podcast. So many podcasts are less than 30 minutes long, so they’re easy to squeeze into your day. Again, grab a snack and something nice to drink and just put your focus on the music or podcast and let whatever else in going on in your life be put on hold for 30 minutes. Pro tip - blast some music while you're in the shower and throw a world-class shower concert for everyone you live with/the neighbours. Some of my podcast recommendations include: Emsolation with Em Rusciano, It’s A Lot With Abbie Chatfield, The Secret’s Out, Unexplained Mysteries, History Extra Podcast, and Today In True Crime. And some shameless self-promo with Uncovering Family History. Plus, feel free to check out my 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s, 10s, and 20s playlists for some good tunes! A simple bit of self care that I enjoy is just painting my nails! It doesn’t seem like the most revolutionary piece of self care, but it’s the little things that can make all the difference in you day-to-day life. I know a lot of people are fans of going to the salon and getting their nails professionally done, but I’m all about utilising the at-home salon and doing it myself. Sometimes just the simple act of painting your nails, giving them a nice fresh look, and spending twenty minutes waiting for them to dry, is all you need to feel refreshed. This honestly pairs super well with everything else on this list, so while you’re waiting for your nails to dry, pop a podcast on, have a facemask working its magic, or continue reading that book! And finally, the simplest and easiest form of self care – going for a walk. Get out of the house or office and just spend some time outside in the fresh air. It doesn’t have to be a vigorous walk or one that works up a sweat (although it can be if you want), but just go for a stroll and take in the sunlight and fresh air. You’ll be surprised at how much better and refreshed you’ll feel after a 10-30 minute walk. Just remember to pop on a bit of sunscreen, a hat & sunglasses, and depending on where/when you’re walking, maybe a drink too! Pair this with listening to a podcast, audiobook or some music, and you’ll be recharged enough to tackle the rest of the day/week. Grab your dog, cat or chicken and take them for a walk too! And while it’s great to have a walk on your own to get some space and be one with your thoughts, this is a great thing to do with friends & family, giving you all some much needed refreshing. Sometimes just being around certain people is the self care we need. Remember: don’t feel bad for taking 30 minutes for yourself! Self care is super important and is a must to keep our mental health in check. Whether you’re doing a little self care every day, every few days or using the weekend to refresh and recharge, make sure you’re doing something for YOU on a regular basis.
I’d love to know what self care involves for you, so let me know in the comments below! See you soon! Victoria :) |
Categories
All
Affiliates
See DISCLAIMER.
|