Your life is busy and demanding, so now more than ever, you owe it to yourself to practice a self-care routine that promotes optimal physical, mental and spiritual well being.

Check out these 11 Steps to take your self-care routine to another level and begin refueling your energy level. 

STRETCH

First thing in the morning, do a little stretch either in bed or right after you wake up. Warm-up your muscles after a long sleep and feel the energy circulation going through your body. You will begin to feel more awake.

If you have time for yoga - go ahead and get in 15-20 minutes of practice to start off your day. You won’t regret it and your body will thank you later. It will also keep you more relaxed for any craziness that happens throughout your day.

DRINK WARM WATER WITH LEMON

This is one of our fav things to do to start the morning. Warm water in the morning helps to wake up all the digestive organs in our body. Lemon helps to cleanse our system. Something simple like drinking warm water with lemon in the morning can improve positive feels and promote happiness.

MEDITATE 

Meditation is a great relaxation technique to bring your thoughts in order and to get ready for the busy day. A daily practice of meditation will help you to reduce stress and enhance self-awareness.

If you are not sure how to meditate, start by finding a quiet area in your home and sitting in a comfortable pose (lotus pose is a good one). Close your eyes and observe your breathing. 

There are various apps that can help you with your meditation practice like Calm and Headspace. 

GO FOR A WALK OR GET ACTIVE

Fresh air and nature have a positive impact on our minds and brains. Exercising regularly is not only good for our physical well-being.

When we exercise, our body releases endorphins - chemicals that interact with the receptors in our brain and help reduce the perception of pain and trigger a positive feeling in the body. And who doesn’t want a little more positivity in their life!

TAKE A BATH

What can be better than a warm bath with Epsom salt or eucalyptus bubble bath at the end of the day? It’s such an easy self-care routine that has so many benefits like releasing stress and tension in your muscles, washing out all the negativity that happened during the day. And sometimes we just need that “me time.”

DIGITAL DETOX

With the Internet and Social Media breaking into our lives every spare minute we have, very often we don’t notice how much time we spend online. It leaves little time to be present with ourselves and friends and family. With Facebook, Instagram, emails seeking our attention, very often we dive deep in information overload which causes our brains to be drained.

Dedicate some time to turn off your phone, do some yoga instead, read a nice book on personal development, or just spend some quality time with your kids and family. 

Interested in how much time you spend on your phone each day? You should be. The average person spends 4-5 hours a day on their phone. Search for apps to measure your screen time, like Moment.

WASH YOUR FACE AND DO A SKINCARE ROUTINE

Girl Wash Your Face! - Rachel Hollis knows this best! The simple act of washing your face and making a skincare routine a priority will not only feel refreshing each time you do it, but it will be something your older self will thank your younger self for. Do not neglect your skincare routine!

BRUSH YOUR HAIR 

Massaging the scalp improves circulation and feels great. It helps stimulate the growth of new hair as well. Get a hairbrush that promotes circulation by gently massaging the scalp, with the bonus of promoting shinier, healthier hair. 

MAKE A DUMP LIST BEFORE BED

Each night before bed, jot down all the things you want to do or need to do for the next day or week. By clearing your head of these to-do's, it releases you from thinking about them and giving them energy while you try to fall asleep. Bonus: In the morning, you will have a list of your to-do's ready and waiting for you.

WRITE DOWN ALL THE THINGS YOU ARE GRATEFUL FOR

Gratitude helps people feel more positive, improve their health and relationships, and relish in good experiences. 

In positive psychology research, one group was asked to write about things they were grateful for during the week. After 10 weeks, they were more optimistic and felt better about their lives. Aside from that, they also exercised more often and had fewer visits to physicians. (source)

Start a gratitude journal to write down all the amazing things in your life you are thankful for. This is a great step for your self-care routine and feeling more happiness in life.

GET AT LEAST 8 HOURS OF SLEEP

Sleep is an essential part of our lives. It is a needed detox for our brains. It’s important not only to sleep between 7-9 hours a day but also to go to bed before midnight. According to numerous studies, those who go to bed late tend to overeat the next day, leading to extra weight.

It is recommended to not engage in screen time before bed, instead read a book or stretch to get yourself ready for bed. But not until you’ve washed your face!

SUMMARY

Here is the list of 11 steps to start your self-care routine:

1. Stretch
2. Drink warm water with lemon
3. Meditate
4. Go for a walk or get active
5. Take a bath
6. Digital detox
7. Wash your face and do a skincare routine
8. Brush your hair
9. Make a dump list before bed 
10. Write down all the things you are grateful for
11. Get at least 8 hours of sleep

What is your self-care routine that’s not on this list? Share away, we are eager to know.