Self care Sunday: why you should use a day for yourself

Hi everyone, hope you’re doing well and you’re having a good weekend (or week depending on when you’re reading this!). I’ve got a post about self care Sunday today!

I’ve been MIA on my blog and social media for a few weeks now, because life has just been throwing so much stuff at me recently. It’s been tough to juggle work with everything that has suddenly been happening, and the importance of taking some time for myself has been highlighted massively.

Even just one day or afternoon to spend on yourself can make a massive difference to your stress levels, anxiety and outlook. I think it’s so important to give yourself this time, and more importantly make this time for yourself.

I’m going to be talking about why I think it’s so important, as well as share some tips and ideas on what to do and how to spend time on you.

Self care Sunday

Work has been really crazy lately, and what with everything going on, the weekdays are just chaotic. Saturdays are usually spent doing chores: vacuuming, doing about a million loads of laundry and just sorting out my life. This leaves Sunday to myself. And I really do try and get as much done on Saturday as possible so I can have as much of Sunday as possible.

I think getting as much done the day before and actually planning a day for yourself as if you would for any other appointment is super important. You would put in plans with friends or colleagues in your diary, so why shouldn’t you schedule yourself in!

Sunday always works well for me as a self care day – mostly because I hate Mondays. I wish so much that I was one of those people that doesn’t dread Monday, and be able to get up and go! So spending Sunday relaxing and taking the time to get myself ready for the week is absolutely ideal to face the upcoming week.

Why self care is important

The world is so tiring and constantly bombarding us with information at all times, so I think now more than ever it’s important to take time for yourself. We’re so busy with work, and if you’re anything like me, its hard not to take work home. So its super important to actually spend time on just you, to recharge, de-stress and relax.

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Ways to practice self care

Firstly, schedule this day. I’ve said this so many times now but its SO important. This way you won’t be stressing about how much stuff you have to do, or what else you should be doing.

Once you’ve done that, you can go ahead and turn that alarm off! Let yourself wake up at whatever time you want for once. Waking up naturally can instantly make you feel so refreshed, especially if you are woken up by an alarm every morning!

Although make sure you don’t wake up too late so that it gives you trouble falling asleep at night!

Pamper session

This is something I love to do. Looking after my skin and spending a little extra time on my skincare routine really feels like an extra special pampering session. Putting off that face mask you wanted to use? Go for it now!

It doesn’t have to be just your skin either. I use it to also do a hair mask, or cut my nails. If you love to have baths, why not have a spa day. You can easily do this at home if you’ve got a bath tub, but otherwise treat yourself to a spa day out. A relaxing bubble bath with a good book can truly make you feel relaxed.

Just chill

Let yourself be lazy – if that’s what you need, then let yourself do it! Watching youtube videos, or binging on netflix shows, you’re allowed to do whatever you want. Get into your comfiest clothes, cosy up on the couch or bed, and just watch that thing you’ve been wanting to watch! It might be worth turning off your phone, and watching a good film.

Eat what you want

No, I’m not talking about a ‘cheat day’ but do that if thats what you think you need! On Sunday I like to treat myself to a nice brunch, or maybe spend longer on breakfast and put more effort in. It’s easy because I’ve got the time! If you’re able to, I sometimes love to get a delivery and really spoil myself. There’s an amazing brunch place near me, and its so nice to have the little luxuries in your own home.

If you love baking like I do, its a great way to relax! I love having the time to make my own treats for the upcoming week, and not having time constraints also lets me get creative and experiment with different recipes.

More self care ideas

Journalling

So I was never a big fan of keeping a journal, but I have to say, bullet journal and a gratitude diary has really changed my outlook on this! Getting organised really helps me to feel less anxious about life and work, and I really enjoy creating bullet journal pages. There’s something satisfying and calming about making plans and writing stuff down. Don’t be shy to write your thoughts and anxieties down. It might help you to de-clutter your mind, if that’s something that has been worrying you.

Getting moving

My ultimate go-to weekend activity is yoga. I love yoga, and having the time to actually do a proper session makes me so happy with myself. I’ve talked about yoga with Adriene for years on my blog, and I always do one of her 40 – 60 minute lessons when I’m doing a self care Sunday. Even if that sounds like a lot, you can always take 10 minutes before bed to do a short yoga flow. It’s definitely worth it!

I also love going outside (if the weather allows it). Even if it’s just in the garden to enjoy the fresh air, or to the shops or the local park, it feels so good to just stroll around without having time stress.

Doing an activity and getting moving always helps me to recharge and destress. It’s great for clearing your mind, especially if you have a desk job like me!

Preparing

Making a list for the week ahead can really help to de-stress any anxieties you have about the upcoming week, and clear up your mind. I like to keep focused, and if I have a list of aims or things to do, it makes me feel more settled. Even just planning your meals for the week can be really satisfying.

Getting ready for Monday morning can also make it so much easier to kick start the week. Make a lunch for yourself to take to work, or get an outfit ready and have your bag ready to go. It can make such a big difference if you don’t have to make a lot of decisions first thing in the morning. Just be sure to check the weather!

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Thanks so much for joining me, and I hope that you spend some time looking after yourself. Please let me know if these are helpful for you, and also let me know what your self care tips and tricks are!

What do you do to relax? Do you take the time to just do nothing? Let me know either down below or on social media. I’m really looking for more ideas, and please share with anyone who you think might benefit from a bit of self love!

See you in the next one,

Rina