5 Simple Self-Care Practices You Can Implement Now

Beth Hansen
Dec 7
3 min read

Updated: 12 hours ago

Between work, home, and social responsibilities, do you often feel that all your time is spent taking care of others? Neglecting self-care is easy in a busy world, but the consequences can be serious. Adding self-care practices to your daily routine can greatly strengthen your health and well-being. Plus, experts share that the happiest and most successful people regularly focus on self-care!

Try these simple self-care strategies and suggestive ideas today:

1. Block out some time for self-care in your schedule. It’s not enough to occasionally stop your busy lifestyle and take a walk or indulge in a hot bath. Self-care is an ongoing process. Just as you reserve time in your schedule for other appointments, set aside time to take care of yourself, too. It’s important to adopt self-care habits that you can enjoy on a regular basis. They’ll help you avoid burnout, increase your productivity, and allow you to enjoy life.

A female with white sports bra and lavender yoga pants in a meditative seating position sits upon a starry mat on a wooden floor with lit candles to the right front of her (head cannot be seen in photo), back wall is matted brown paint. — Meditation is a practice of training your mind to focus and become more aware, allowing you to observe your thoughts and emotions without judgment. It's not about emptying your mind, but learning to gently redirect your attention, often to an anchor like your breath, and cultivate a state of calm and clarity.

2. Enjoy your favorite hobby, a simple self-care practice. Whether you love to experiment with new recipes in the kitchen or paint pictures of sunsets, your favorite hobbies can be part of self-care. Hobbies and activities that you already enjoy are easy to select and put into practice. You just have to find room in your schedule to do them. This is an important step and shows your commitment to self-care.

On a dark tabletop with a crystal quartz centered and eight stones placed in a circle around the quartz. The eight stones have two colored stones, red and purple, alternating around, — Crystal Grids are intentional arrangements of crystals on a specific geometric pattern (like the flower of life or a simple circle) to focus on energy and manifest goals like healing, prosperity or protection, by amplifying the stones' natural vibrations with a central stone and connecting 'way stones' to amplify intentions for personal growth or space clearing.

3. Make note of the compliments you receive. You can enjoy this self-care practice even as you work or run errands! Start taking notes of the compliments you receive. You can keep them in a journal, diary, or online folder. Your compliment folder can also include emails, notes, thank you cards, and other things that make you smile. This self-care practice can help you fight negative thoughts. Compliments can serve as reminders that you matter, your existence is important, and someone appreciates you.

A journal book with beige ribbons lays open on a wooden desk. There's a dried orange slice, a pencil, and three stones laid out on the journal. In background on desk, can see multiple and colored envelopes and paper. — Complimentary journaling ideas focus on positivity, self-discovery, and mindfullness, such as gratitude lists, documenting proud moments, future self-letters, exploring emotions, creative projects (doodles, metaphors), and daily reflections on joy or lessons learned.

4. Remove clutter. Whether you decide to declutter your closet or clean out the fridge, removing clutter will uplift you. Clutter can drain you physically and mentally. It can also make you unhappy as you try to move through your day. Eliminate the things that no longer serve you. For example, if you’re keeping clothes in your closet that you hate each time you open the door, replace them with clothes that you love.

Two women seated on white blanket, sorting through records collections. There's a canvas blanket partially covering a vinyl record player. — Removing clutter means getting rid of unnecessary items to create more space, clarity, and peace in your physical environment and mind, focusing on what's useful, important, or brings joy, rather than keeping excess stuff. It involves organizing, simplifying, and making decisions to remove things that are messy, bring no happiness, or overstimulate your brain.

5. Do one fun, self-fulfilling 'selfish act'. Living selfishly all day isn’t recommended, but doing one 'selfish act' that makes you happy can do wonders. You can enjoy just that one thing without feeling guilty about it! If you struggle with self-care, it’s often because you spend all of your energy and time taking care of others. There’s nothing left in your well of energy for yourself. By taking the time to do one 'selfish act', such as reading your favorite book or treating yourself a hot cocoa and listening to your inspirational music, you’ll be restoring your own importance.

A person's feet with purple socks between a dark fuzzy pillow on the left and books on the right with a tray holding a hot drink. A record player plays music in front of feet. All are upon a white loose rug. — Practicing self-care can be reframed as a form of healthy self-interest, a 'selfish act', because it is a necessary practice to maintain your wellbeing so you can show up fully for others. By taking care of yourself, you build resilience, improve your mood, and have more energy and emotional capacity to give to others, family and friends.

Self-care often takes a backseat to work, family, and other obligations. However, without stopping to take care of your mind and body, you’re at risk of burning out and suffering from serious health issues. Respect your journey and make self-care seem accessible and enjoyable, not a chore. What helps you relax? Start making time for your self-care practices today!

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