Self Care Routines...Why is it important and why do you need to do it? Let's start with self-care. When you hear the word “self-care” what’s the first thought that comes to mind?

When you hear the word “self-care” what’s your first thought?

Hmm...Do you think of self-care as "me" time or extra pampering?  A luxury practice that you want to partake in, but consider non essential to your everyday life? Maybe it's something that you’ll get to eventually, after everything else you need to do is done.

I could be completely wrong and maybe you simply wonder… What exactly IS self-care?

In simple terms, self-care encompasses all the actions we take to protect, maintain and improve our health and wellbeing. You may not even realize it but you most likely perform self-care everyday! We all engage in some form of self-care daily through our food choices, exercise, sleep, hobbies, and more.

Self-care is about:

• Staying fit and healthy- mentally and physically 
• Self-awareness: Figuring out what drains you and taking the necessary action to renew your mental and physical health
• Overall, treating yourself as kindly as you would treat others, and so much more!

Now that we know what self-care is let's move on to self-care routines.

Your self-care routine does not have to be the most elaborate routine in the world- trust me, as a broke university student I need something that is quick, simple, and effective.

What Are 5 Easy Ways to Enhance Your Self-Care Routine?

1. Shower Routine: This is probably one of the easiest areas that you can enhance your self-care routine! We all shower right? I hope that's a yes..jk (not really though). One of the easiest ways to enhance your routine is by adding more products to your routine. Ex. Instead of only using body wash and calling it a day, add in more steps with these products:

• Body Scrubs- These provide amazing skin benefits such as

  unclogging pores, preventing ingrown hairs, reducing dry flakey skin & more! On top of providing skin benefits (my skin ends up feeling silky smooth baby!), there are many different scents and types of scrubs  to choose from! One product we recommend is our Warm Vanilla Sugar Body Scrub which is perfect for the winter weather and a bestseller!

• Body Butters- Body butters are an amazing moisturizer that is perfect for the cold weather. Usually made of skin-loving butters such as shea butter, mango butter, cocoa butter & more. These are great for boosting skin moisture, soothes skin irritations, acne & dry skin, anti-inflammatory, great for psoriasis & eczema! Checkout our Body Butter Collection for some winter-perfect skin products.

Other products include, loofa's, body oil, bath bombs, shower steamers, etc. I always recommend watching searching some YouTube videos on shower routines, you'll discover body care products you've never heard of before!

 2. Find a New Hobby or Learn a New Skill:  Hobbies allow you to destress yourself while remaining mentally productive. Hobbies give you the space to relax and unwind. Same can be said for Learning a new skill. Both promote better health, enjoying a few hours of your hobby or learning a new skill a week can also reduce the risk of depression. According to an article by Psychology Today, hobbies can:

• Help structure your time
• Promotes flow
• Help foster new social connections
• Help cope with stress

If you've ever seen something that interested you but you weren't sure about it? Now is the time to maybe circle back and dive into it. You'll never know what you might find and enjoy!

 3. Get Active: Moving your body will make you feel happier - no really it will- as much as we hate to get active sometimes, getting active will energise you, build your confidence, and help you sleep better! When we exercise our brain releases dopamine - the "feel good" hormone which will make you feel good! Here are some simple ways you can get active without having to commit to a gym membership:

• Go for a walk
• Practice some yoga
• Follow fitness videos on Youtube. There's something for everyone! 
• Practice stretching

• Try a new class at the gym. (If you do have a gym membership)

There are so many more ways that I definitely missed, but the point is that getting active in any way, shape, or form is super beneficial. Get into it!    

 4. Journaling: This is one of my personal favourites! Journaling allows you to write down all the good stuff, the bad, the ugly...everything. Especially if you aren't a big talker, journaling is one of the best things you can do for your mental health. Head to your nearest store and grab a journal now, you won't regret it!

5. Set Goals For Yourself: This is definitely easier said than done but it must be done (plus your future self will thank you). Planning goals for yourself will not only help you with your everyday life, it will also help you feel positive about the future. Setting small goals that are achievable will help you to celebrate the small wins and avoid feeling like everything is unreachable. Here are some different types of planning you can do:

• Create a Bucket List: Have dreams of travelling? Going to that expensive restaurant? Write it down.
• Vision Board: Visually display your dreams and goals so you always have a reminder with you. Also a great activity to do with friends! January is around the corner so this is the perfect timing.

Remember, self-care is all about finding what works FOR YOU. Not what works for your friend or what your friend or partner says you should do.

Food for thought:

• What activities make you feel relaxed and recharged?
• What activities make you feel happy or excited?
• What's your favourite place to hang out?
• What motivates you?
• Who are your favourite people to hang out with?

Now that you know the basics of self-care and have some ideas you can take with you, how do you feel about self-care now? Hopefully more confident about incorporating it into your everyday life and putting yourself first!

~ by The Meraki Collectiion ~