5 Self-Care Tips You Need To Hear Right Now

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Hello Lovelies:

Self-care is amazing. We can all agree on that, right? Who doesn’t love something that helps us de-stress, makes us feel awesome, supports our well-being and more? That’s just so much goodness!

But is there one right way to do it? How can we create a kick butt self-care routine that makes us feel awesome?

It really can be hard to know where to start. And when you try and re-create someone else’s rocking routine only to find yourself absolutely hating it… well, it’s pretty easy to feel discouraged.

So if you find yourself feeling completely overwhelmed by all of the self-care activities flooding your Instagram feed or struggle to create a self-care routine that’s right for you, I’ve got your back! These are the 5 self-care tips you need to hear right now. Let’s dive in:

Before we get started, I have a FREE Self-Care E-Book and Printable Planner waiting for you right here (or fill out the form below) to help you prioritize your well-being in whatever way works best for you. $0 down and $0 a month for infinity! Booyah! I’ll send a copy to your inbox right away. How flipping cool is that?!

 

5 Self-Care Tips You Need To Hear Right Now

1. Don’t Overload Your Routine

A flatlay of someone reading a book while eating their breakfast and enjoying a cup of coffee.

I know I like to talk a heck of a lot about self-care tips and all the different activities you can tap into for stress relief, wellness, joy, relaxation and more… And goodness, there really are so many of them! But I don’t expect you do to them all. That’s impossible!

The truth is that you can’t possibly do every single thing that could potentially be good for you. Nor will you be interested in every healthy self-care activity either. And that’s ok! If you tried to do everything you’d probably end up so busy and overwhelmed with “self-care” that you’d ultimately become pretty darn stressed out. And that kind of takes the “care” out of self-care, doesn’t it?

Ultimately, your self-care routine isn’t supposed to feel so overloaded that it stresses you out.

I learned this lesson the hard way! Graves Disease taught me to truly prioritize taking care of myself. And when I hit my first remission I was convinced that I could maintain my good health if I continued to make my well-being and self-care a priority. But I went overboard…

I had a self-care ‘to-do’ list that was practically a mile long. And I stuck to it, regardless of how busy my day was or how I was feeling. I left zero room for adjustments. It. Was. Exhausting.

Related: 10 Powerful Life Lessons I Learned From Graves Disease

A woman faces away from the camera, holding her knees to a chest while sitting on a chair and staring out a window.

I was doing all the “right” things, but I was so overwhelmed… self-care shouldn’t feel that way.

Surprise. I relapsed. Was it because of my self-care routine? Not really. But it was caused by stress and my zero flexibility approach to “self-care” wasn’t helping at all.

Honestly, I was acting out of fear of getting sick instead of a deep sense of love and respect for myself. And I realized that what I was doing wasn’t really self-care. Not when it left me feeling stressed and burnt out.

So, while it can be super tempting to do every awesome activity every single day, my advice is to be flexible. Do what feels right when it feels right. That’s always enough.

2. There’s No Right Way To Self-Care

A woman is watering her indoor windowsill plants

Not only is it important to create a self-care routine that flexes and respond to your needs, it should be full of activities that feel right for you!

I honestly adore sharing different self-care ideas with you and love to dive deep into how they might support your health. I’m a big ‘ol nerd, what can I say. But ultimately they are only ideas.

If you already do them, or feel inspired to give them a go, that’s awesome! Now you know a little bit more about how these activities will support your well-being. Which just adds to the fun! That’s what I’m here for – Health and love and tons of giggles!

But if a self-care activity doesn’t feel right or you don’t have room for them in your schedule, that’s totally cool! Take what works for you and leave the rest sweet friends.

You should never feel pressured to keep up with a self-care activity that just isn’t right for you.

A young lady blows on away dandelion fluffs.

There are tons of options out there. You do you baby! If something isn’t right, kick that self-care activity to the curb (unless it’s something like a dentist appointment. I’m personally not a fan of those, but that’s self-care too and kinda a big deal… we’ll talk more on that in a sec.)

Ultimately my goal is simply to inspire you to love yourself and prioritize your well-being. But what that looks like is different for all of us. And I don’t want you to feel guilty when your version of self-care looks different from mine or anyone else’s.

We’re all incredibly unique and beautiful and our lifestyle needs to reflect that.

Long story short, one of the most important self-care tips I can offer is this: there’s no one right way to do it. Whatever way works best for you right in this very moment is pretty awesome indeed.

3. Self-Care Isn’t Always The Fun Stuff

Self-care is all about taking care of, surprise, you! There are tons of awesome, fun, relaxing options. And delicious ones too – feeding yourself with kindness is 100% self-care.

But self-care is also seeing your doctor, taking your medication, going to the dentist, talking to a counselor, paying your bills, cleaning… it’s not always glamorous. Sometimes it isn’t fun (this girl gets dental anxiety… but she still goes!) It’s all definitely important.

Now, sometimes it’s ok to put off doing those dishes, or leave the laundry for another day. It’s all about balance baby! When you’re exhausted and just need to land… land. Put those feet up. The mess can wait.

Related: Want To Stop Procrastinating? You shouldn’t! Here’s Why…

Someone sits with their hands clasped in a waiting room (as these self-care tips include visiting the doctor and keeping up with the uncomfortable aspects of self-care)

But it’s never a good idea to put off seeing a medical professional when you need to.

While it’s not always overly comfortable, getting that diagnosis, keeping up with those blood tests, getting help and so on… well, that can all be life saving! And you can’t really take care of yourself at all if you aren’t here. So, for the love of goodness, prioritize the unfun self-care activities too sweetheart!

4. Sometimes Doing Nothing Is Best

Two people sit outside under a tree and enjoy a sunset.

It’s so important that you are gentle with yourself and allow for a ton of patience and flexibility in your routine. Things change all the time after all, and the self-care you indulge in needs to reflect whatever your current reality may be.

Sometimes a self-care routine is pretty full and sometimes it’s a lazy day. Both are valid. Both are important. What matters is that you don’t feel overloaded and have the freedom to respond to your changing needs. That’s what self-care should look like.

If you need to sit down and space out, DO IT! Sometimes you’ll need to give yourself permission to rest and relax. And a little time doing nothing can be the ultimate gift to a tired self.

A man sleeping on a bed, head propped up by pillows. These self-care tips include doing nothing and resting. So important!

Oh, and there are some sweet health benefits to that too!

Making time to relax and do nothing:

  • Supports your mental well-being
  • Boosts productivity
  • Improves your relationship with yourself
  • Allows you to reconnect with yourself
  • Improves attention span
  • Breeds creativity

See! You can absolutely do nothing and get tons of goodness from it. So don’t feel bad if you take some time to relax and unplug. It will absolutely do you some good!

Related: Why You Need To Make Time To Do Nothing

5. Don’t Put Yourself On Back Burner

A woman joyfully throwing her hands in the hair, facing the sunshine. The most important of these self-care tips is not to put yourself last. Take time for you like this lovely lady did!

Are you guilty of putting yourself last on your priority list? I’ve absolutely been there too.

When I was in university one of my professors had us write a list of priorities, ranking them from least to most important. It had to include things like friends, family, school and, of course, our beautiful self. Shock and awe, I put myself WAY DOWN at the bottom of the list.

I was so proud of myself for being selfless and responsible. Those are qualities we should strive for, right? Goodness, was I ever mistaken. I learned that the hard way when autoimmunity knocked me on my booty and I had to completely re-prioritize.

When you put yourself last everyone suffers.

A woman leaning on a fence taking in the view.

Ultimately, when you forget to take care of your own needs you end up drained, leaving less of your beautiful self to go around.

You really can’t pour from an empty cup. Is it a cliché? Yea. But it’s also very true!

I am not by no means suggesting that you let go of your sympathy or your empathy. It’s absolutely important that we care and provide for the lovely people in our lives.

But you need to allow some sympathy and empathy for yourself too.

It is incredibly important that you are as devoted to yourself and concerned with your own interests, needs and welfare as you are for those you love. And sometimes you have to put yourself first. For the sake of your own mental and physical well-being.

When you prioritize yourself you’re able to come to the table restored and renewed, capable of being present for others when they need you. Taking care of yourself will give you more energy and joy to selflessly share with those around you. Everyone wins when you’ve got your own back!

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, self-care really matters. But it looks a little bit different for everyone. And what you need to do in order to best care for yourself can change on the regular. Totally normal!

It’s not always glamorous and exciting, but prioritizing and indulging in the self-care activities you need is so important and plays such an significant role in your well-being.

Know that, even with these self-care tips in mind, there really aren’t any hard rules when it comes to taking care of yourself. You do you darling! Being flexible, patient and kind with yourself is a pretty sweet place for all of us to start.

Now it’s your turn! What self-care tips would you add to the list? Have you also made the mistake of overloading your self-care routine? I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences! Share them with me in the comments below sweet friends!

Health and love,

sara-signature

Thought of the day: You are worthy of indulging in whatever you need to in order to feel well today.

Don’t forget your free self care planner – let’s make self care a priority, because you deserve it. You can download it right here or by filling out the form below.

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Sara | Ms. Health-Esteem

Sara Flanagan is a wellness writer and the creator of www.mshealthesteem.com, where she shares her story of being diagnosed with Graves Disease, a chronic autoimmune disease, and empowering herself to do everything she can to thrive in spite of her diagnosis. She writes articles on self-love, acceptance, wellness and nutrition. Join the Health-Esteem Family today and share in the journey.

36 Comments

  1. Reply

    Stacie

    May 30, 2019

    I think the BIGGEST thing you can do to take care of yourself is to make your time count. You can’t. take care of yourself if you don’t make time for yourself.

  2. Reply

    joleisa

    May 30, 2019

    Hiya! I’ve loved reading your post. We all don’t self care enough and that leads to too many of us being too stressed that we can’t take care of anything let alone those around us, so thanks for the reminder xxx

    • Reply

      Sara | Ms. Health-Esteem

      June 17, 2019

      I’m really glad to hear that Joleisa! Thank you <3. You're right on the money! We really can't pour from an empty cup. It's so important that we take care of ourselves. And everyone benefits because we're better able to be present for others. I'm really happy you brought this up :). Thank you so much for sharing that important point with us hun!

  3. Reply

    VeeatCookBake

    May 30, 2019

    Sara, thank you for those 5 tips. I adore youre researching. And I personally love no 4. Sometimes we just need to do nothing and being lazy, doesn’t we. And yes no 5 is so important, we should put ourselves to priority.

    • Reply

      Sara | Ms. Health-Esteem

      June 17, 2019

      Aww thank you so much Jasmin! I’m really glad to hear that. I think it’s so important to share real sources and back up your information. But I also want to make sure it flows well and doesn’t take away from the fun. So your feedback really means the world <3. Makes me feel like I'm doing a good job! 🙂

      And yes! I feel the same way. We really do need to just relax and do nothing special sometimes. It's really important for our well-being <3. And making ourselves a priority really helps us feel inspired to do that! It all blends together.

      I hope you have some relaxing nothing time soon love :). Wishing you the most incredible week!

  4. Reply

    Ntensibe Edgar Michael

    May 31, 2019

    Honest, simple and very thoughtful. Good advise shared, Sara!

    • Reply

      Sara | Ms. Health-Esteem

      June 17, 2019

      You are seriously the sweetest Ntensibe! Thank you so much. I’m so touched by your kind words and really happy you think so 🙂

  5. Reply

    Fatima D Torres

    May 31, 2019

    It’s not always easy to throw in some self-care during the week, but it is important to do so. I’ve been doing my best to do so as well.

    • Reply

      Sara | Ms. Health-Esteem

      June 17, 2019

      It can absolutely be difficult, that’s for sure! And we all have different lifestyles and obligations. I’m glad you shared that. And I think it’s so important that self-care doesn’t add stress either. Which is why sometimes the best self-care is simple, relaxing downtime. Even just a few minutes if that’s all we can spare. A little goes a long way :).

      I’m really happy you do what you can to make a little you time happen during the week Fatima <3. Prioritizing makes a big difference!

  6. Reply

    Ronnie E.

    May 31, 2019

    You are so right. I need a day every so often of doing nothing at all. My schedule and routine is always so jam packed that sometimes I just need to rest. That’s it. Just lay in bed… and it does wonders for me!

    • Reply

      Sara | Ms. Health-Esteem

      June 17, 2019

      I’m really happy you do that for yourself Ronnie! That’s happen! And it’s so true – a little nothing time really can work wonders. Enjoy your next moment of restful self-care <3

  7. Reply

    Mavs Escala

    May 31, 2019

    No matter how busy, self care is important. Learn to respect your body!

    • Reply

      Sara | Ms. Health-Esteem

      June 17, 2019

      Heck yes Mavs! We all need and deserve to indulge in the little things that help us de-stress, relax and recharge <3

  8. Reply

    thenafranssen

    June 1, 2019

    These are great self care tips. Thank you for sharing these with you. So very important.

    • Reply

      Elizabeth O

      June 3, 2019

      Taking care of our needs ought to be paramount. We can’t be of any use to others if we don’t take care of ourselves.

      • Reply

        Sara | Ms. Health-Esteem

        June 18, 2019

        That’s such an important point Elizabeth! We really do need to take care of ourselves. And everyone truly benefits when we do! I think that’s so important to share and reiterate, and I thank you so much for doing that!

    • Reply

      Sara | Ms. Health-Esteem

      June 17, 2019

      I’m so happy you enjoyed them hun! Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with us 🙂

  9. Reply

    Emmanuel Damian

    June 1, 2019

    I try to do things simpler and more streamlined. I like it to be organized.

  10. Reply

    Lavern Moore

    June 1, 2019

    Thanks for the reminder to engage in self-care. This is a topic this seems to be trending these days and for good reason. You bring great awareness to the topic.

    • Reply

      Sara | Ms. Health-Esteem

      June 17, 2019

      That means the world Lavern! I really think it’s important that we advocate for self-love and care. We all need and deserve it. And everyone around us benefits because, once we’re recharged and de-stressed, we’re better able to be present for our loved ones too :). Self-care is truly so important for our well-being!

  11. Reply

    ItsAllBee Travels (@ItsAllBee)

    June 1, 2019

    Great timing. I am about to embark on a 3 month Sabbatical that will include a lot of self care. Pinning this post for later as I love all the tips.

    • Reply

      Sara | Ms. Health-Esteem

      June 17, 2019

      That’s so wonderful! I hope you have an amazing sabbatical and come out feeling refreshed and ready to take on whatever adventure comes next. Enjoy! <3

  12. Reply

    Wendy Polisi

    June 1, 2019

    I am so glad I ran into this. I have been really feeling down lately.

    • Reply

      Sara | Ms. Health-Esteem

      June 18, 2019

      I’m happy this found you when you needed it too Wendy! Know that it’s ok not to be ok. And it’s also super awesome to indulge in whatever self-care activities help and reach out for outside help if needed too. <3 Sending you so much love sweetheart!

  13. Reply

    Chad

    June 1, 2019

    Good tips for self care. The more you know.

    • Reply

      Sara | Ms. Health-Esteem

      June 18, 2019

      I’m so happy you enjoyed this Chad! Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us 🙂

  14. Reply

    notquitesupermommn

    June 1, 2019

    Great tips, as always <3 Everyone's self care looks different, and that's ok! There is no right or wrong, just make time to do it!!

    • Reply

      Sara | Ms. Health-Esteem

      June 18, 2019

      Exactly! I try to share tons of different options and how they help so people feel empowered to do whatever works (and have fun learning all the cool benefits along the way). But I never want anyone to feel like they need to do it all. Or have to indulge in activities that just aren’t right for them. And thus this post was born xD.

      I’m really happy you enjoyed it Nicole! Thank you so much for your love and support. It means the world <3

  15. Reply

    megforitcommeg

    June 3, 2019

    Awesome tips. Sometimes I feel like i’m drowning in life and I have no time for silence or being still. I just gotta find time.

    • Reply

      Sara | Ms. Health-Esteem

      June 18, 2019

      I’m so sorry that feeling finds you Meg! Know that simply putting those feet up for a few minutes is wonderful self-care. Whatever works for you. It doesn’t need to be decadent or complicated <3. Sending so much love your way! I hope a little you time is waiting right around the corner <3

  16. Reply

    dianarowe

    June 3, 2019

    Great tips, and I feel as women, moms, caretakers we tend to take care of others first and then oursevles.

    • Reply

      Sara | Ms. Health-Esteem

      June 18, 2019

      You’re so right Diana! And it’s so important that we know that it’s ok to take care of us. And that that allows us to be more present for others, so everyone wins <3. Self-love and care are so important!

  17. Reply

    Shannon Gurnee

    June 5, 2019

    These are some great ideas. I find that I have a tendency to overload myself. Thanks for sharing.

    • Reply

      Sara | Ms. Health-Esteem

      June 18, 2019

      I’m so glad you enjoyed these ideas Shannon! I hope they help <3. We all deserve a little downtime to de-stress and unwind so that we can come back ready to take on whatever the world has in store for us :).

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Hiya! I’m Sara

I’m a wellness writer, Graves Disease thriver and self-love advocate.

And I’m passionate about empowering you to prioritize self-care and love yourself fiercely.

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