Do you need to make more time for self care? I know I do.
All to often, I allow self care to sit at the absolute bottom of my to-do list and then, even when it comes down to it, I don’t even know where to start. Here is a list of 50 self care activities to try on a day when anxiety is threatening to get the better of you:
Feel free to print / bookmark this list.
- Watch your favourite show on Netflix
- Sign up to a free course on Coursera and distract yourself with some learning (courses are free, but you can also pay a fee for a printable / shareable certificate)
- Lose yourself in a video game
- Have a nap and pretend it’s morning again when you wake up (or, if it isn’t too early for you, actually go to bed and try again tomorrow)
- Get outside or open all your windows
- Practice mindfulness (I know some people use art, witchcraft or meditation as a gateway into mindfulness)
- Run yourself a bath (add candles and a bathbomb, if you have the energy) and just soak up the lovely warm hug that is a bubble bath.
- Get into bed and snuggle down under your duvet for a bit
- If you like animals, virtually visit the zoo. Chester Zoo have been going live throughout lockdown and continue to share their animals online for those who are still unable to visit. Visit Chester Zoo virtually here.
- Solve a point and click puzzle. I recommend Rusty Lake or Tomatea as good places to start.
- Try painting. Art is an excellent form of self expression and you really don’t have to be any good at it to get started. If you can’t bare the thought of a blank canvas, why not try a painting by numbers set?
- Crochet or knit. I followed Bella Coco on YouTube to get started with crochet and made myself a beautiful granny square blanket.
- Hug someone! Did you know we need around 8 hugs a day? Grab your pet or person or pillow for some snuggle time.
- Buy yourself a present.
- Listen to a podcast or audiobook
- Order your favourite takeaway
- Learn to cook your favourite takeaway meal at home
- Browse Eventbrite for an art class or webinar you are interested in. If you can afford to purchase a ticket to an event, do so with the knowledge that you are helping someone make a living from their skills. There are also plenty of free events that you can sign up to.
- Write a to-do list. Think about things you could do when you are feeling better to make the bad days easier.
- Call or text a friend. Sometimes talking things over with someone you trust can help put things in perspective (or at least break up the cycle of scary thoughts going round and round your head)
- Write your future self a letter. Express how you are feeling now. Write about your hopes and dreams for the future. Give yourself credit for getting through the bad days and investing in yourself.
- Reach out for professional support. If you haven’t already spoken to your GP about your anxiety, it’s really important that you do. Your GP may be able to refer you to services to help you manage your mental health long term. Click here to read about the difference counselling has made to me.
- Drink some water. It probably isn’t really going to help your anxiety right now, but it is important to stay hydrated.
- Do something physical. Even some light stretches might help release a little bit of pent up energy. Do whatever exercise you can manage and enjoy the most.
- Have an orgasm.
- Update your CV or portfolio.
- Watch Jelle’s Marble League 2019 in its entirety on YouTube and find yourself becoming genuinely invested in the athletic prowess of individual marbles. It’s enjoyable, trust me.
- Set up a blog or website – a great way to start building a writing portfolio or just collecting bits of your own writing.
- Start a journal. Write in a notebook or even the notes app on your phone. The important thing is that you are getting your feelings out.
- Go through your email inbox and delete / respond / archive / unsubscribe as appropriate.
- Wash your face and treat yourself to some moisturiser or a facemask.
- Plug headphones in and listen to your favourite music.
- Go to the cinema without leaving your house: dim the lights, make some popcorn and settle down to watch something you’ve been meaning to get into. Lovely.
- Make yourself a cup of tea
- Eat something nutritious. It doesn’t have to be anything that requires a wild amount of prep or time, but something that has some veg in it would be great right about now. You can wash it down with ice cream, I promise.
- Visit an art gallery (you can visit the National Gallery virtually here)
- Tell someone how much you appreciate them and why. Be specific. Doing something nice for someone else is often incredibly rewarding and it’s so important to send love out into the world.
- Ask for help. If there’s a particular project or chore that’s clogging up your brain, don’t be afraid to ask someone else for support. It might feel like your Everest, but sometimes other people can really help shine new light on something we’ve been stuck on for a while.
- If you are someone who likes to clean, take the opportunity to distract yourself by really getting into freshening up your living space.
- Order some flowers or a plant and learn about taking care of them.
- Have a big cry. Crying can be cathartic. Go for it.
- Read the first chapter of a new book. And, if it doesn’t grip you, pick up another one and do the same. And another one. And keep going until you find the book that is meant for your RIGHT NOW.
- Write a list of things you are grateful for. Dig deep. There will be many. Of course it doesn’t invalidate your pain right now, but it is nice to remind yourself of the good things you have.
- Paint your nails or do your makeup.
- Write a list of achievable goals. Break any major goals (like a career change) into smaller and more attainable steps.
- Follow a guided meditation routine on YouTube or via the Calm App.
- Sign up to fundraise or volunteer for a charity who you respect and appreciate.
- Download an App based game on your phone (like Animal Restaurant or the Sims) and play until your thumbs hurt
- Learn a new digital skill like sound editing or animation.
- Remind yourself that it’s OK to just make it through the next hour and plan no further ahead than that. Anxiety is a horrible, horrible troll and it’s so important that you are kind and gentle with yourself.
None of these things are supposed to be a cure for anxiety or any other mental health condition. Doing something from the list isn’t going to magic away our problems, but it might just help make life feel a little bit less scary right now.
Just the other day, I was far too unwell to delve deep into any self care that was too hands on and so I asked my Twitter friends to help me come up with solutions. Click here to read the 20+ low energy self care ideas that they shared with me. I hope you feel better soon.
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