Rihanna’s Work Work Work song was the theme of this summer and like most, I took it to heart literally and poured myself into my work. However, going full steam on this path only, I realized, can be detrimental to our health and mental stability.

How so? Well, for starters, our body need rest eventually, and not having a good balance between work and relaxation can lead to health disasters! Which would be counterproductive when you have to lay in bed sick for a couple of day or weeks, when you could have just taken a day off. Listen to your body, it really does tell you what it needs.

So last weekend, I decided to be kind to myself and take the whole Sunday off. Believe me, I was tempted to take my laptop out with me. That little voice in my head kept nudging- you can edit a few pictures after you spa treatment. However, I resisted the urge and walked out of the house free and took in life.

This inspired me to write a few things on what to do to help practice self-care. The things on my list could be done DIY or with a low budget.

 

Spa Treatment-ย For me, this usually includes a neck, shoulder and back massage, or when I’m feeling “rich” a full body massage. Believe me when I say massages are the best! I’m not even ashamed to say that sometimes I fall asleep towards the end. It’s so soothing, especially when they dim the lights and play soothing music. If you’ve got a partner to do this for you then you’re in luck, milk it! Another treatment that can be enjoyable is a pedicure. Having your feet pampered and scrubbed is totes amazing and feeling how smooth the soles of your feet are afterwards, is hmm. It usually makes me feel refreshed and super clean.

To give your self these pamper packages, you can always DIY it. Buy essential oils like Clary Sage, Almond, Neroli, etc. There are so many others that are bound to be soothing and do the trick. You can either add it to a warm bubble bath and soak in or massage it into your skin. Also, you can buy a pumice stone and give your feet a good scrub, apply nail polish and moisturize after wards.

 

Silk bedsheets- This one is a winner. Nothing beats, sleeping and waking up in silk bedsheets. I always look forward to sleeping in my silk sheets whenever I lay them. This is especially enjoyable after taking a warm bath which makes you feel fresh and then going to sleep naked. Yes naked! It’s great, you gotta try it ๐Ÿ™‚ ย We all know waking up in a great mood sets the tone for the day, so don’t play yourself.

 

Skin & Facial care- Self-care includes even the less obvious things like making sure to remember to change yourย toothbrush at the most every 3 months, wearing a face mask at least once a week to clean out your pores, taking care of your privates whether it’s shaving, waxing or having a good old trim! Also don’t forget to use a body scrub and moisturize your whole body with a good body cream; change your deodorant and under arm spray regularly and not waiting until they run out(if you use a roll on). Oh and steaming your face before applying your face mask is a good one. I’ve started doing this when I have more time on the weekends and it’s great.

 

Binge watch series-ย I said what I mostly do these days is work work work right? Yeah, which means I’m actually no longer able to watch series as they progress weekly. I really don’t mind this though because it means that when I’m ready to watch a programme that I’m obsessed with, I can watch up to 3 episodes at a go. It does get addictive especially when I still have things to do that day, and it definitely makes me procrastinate more. But guess what? Sometimes we’ve just got to indulge and I do love a great show!

 

Going on a date with yourself- This one might be challenging to some, but believe me when I say, being in your own company sometimes will do you good. We should always strive to be better versions of ourselves, so why not go on a bout of self-reflexivity while having a quiet meal alone? I’m fond of replaying events in my life and analyzing how I reacted and ways in which those interactions could have been better or expressed differently. We say we want change in the world, well it should start within ourselves. So do some soul searching, it will do you and us all ย some good ๐Ÿ˜‰

I also love to go to the cinema alone sometimes. I won’t be talking while the film is playing anyway, so it doesn’t make much difference. And during this cinema date for one, I love to treat myself to the naughtiest desserts and foods that I usually stay away from on normal days. So I usually look forward to my cinema dates. It’s usually a day of solitude, fun and treats for me ๐Ÿ™‚

 

Travel- No brainer eh? If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, then you know I’m a lover of travel. In fact, wanderlust is my fave hashtag ๐Ÿ˜€

There’s something that happens to the soul while on a trip. You’ve got to experience it to feel it. It usually inspires growth, creativity and inspiration in itself. I’m all for packing my suitcase and jumping on an aeroplane. Did I also mention my love for the clouds? I really wish I could fly like birds. There’s something so wondrous and dreamy about it. lol, I must sound crazy, but I’m sure you get the picture ๐Ÿ™‚

 

There are so any other things you could do to practice self-care, like going dancing, having a long and meaningful conversation, not being a loner and actually go out and talk to people in person, attend networking events, join a weekly or monthly club for a hobby you enjoy, learn a new skill, bask in the delights of nature, etc.

 

So tell me, in what ways do you practice self-care? I’d love to hear your thoughts and maybe add one or two more things to my list. Do share in the comments below ๐Ÿ™‚

P.S: Forgive my emojis. I’m an emoji junkie. Some sentences just seem wrong without them ๐Ÿ˜€

 

Share