Self-care is a hot topic right now. There are articles, books, entire websites devoted the topic of taking care of you! It can be really difficult, and sometimes seems counter-intuitive, but it’s SUPER important to make sure you are taking care of yourself, and making time to relax, unwind, and recharge even in the busiest of seasons (or even during the seasons where it feels like all you’re supposed to do is relax).
I always think of the summer as one big relaxing break. It’s a time of fun in the sun, going to the beach, lounging in the water, reading books, long nights, eating al fresco, and hanging out under the patio umbrella with a beverage in hand. And while all of that is true, the part I never think about is that it’s also the season packed to the brim with parties, and cookouts, and barbecues, and going on vacation, and doing every last thing outside that I can’t do any other time of year, and going to outdoor movies, and plays in the park, and going to festivals, and fireworks, and baseball games, and camping, and ALL. THE. THINGS. AND I still have to go to work everyday….and there are still only 24 hours in a day and I still need to do things like sleep and eat and do laundry and grocery shop.
It is super easy to start feeling like my life is a spinning top that is on it’s way to spinning out of control (and I’m sure A will tell you that I am not the best at relaxing). The problem is, I really like doing all the things, but if I’m going to enjoy myself while doing everything, and if I don’t want to run myself into the ground, I have to make sure I carve out time to recharge.
I pulled together some of my favorite ways to relax and recharge (and practice self-care) during the summer. Some of them are easier than others, some take more time than others, but I like having a mix of “tools in my arsenal” depending on my mood on those days when I feel the overwhelm creep in. I also like having things I can do proactively to prevent that overwhelm in the first place. So without further ado, here we go!
1. Stay Hydrated
- Drink lots of water. It is incredible how much of a difference hydration makes in my day. If I’m feeling a bit wilty (low on energy, kind of sluggish), drinking some nice cold water nearly always perks me back up again. It’s also great for your skin and your body (up to 60% of your body is water!) so make sure you’re getting plenty of water every day. If you can’t stand plain water, slice up some fresh fruits and herbs to make infused water. My favorites are strawberries, mint, lemons, limes, oranges, raspberries, and basil. Another option is to make some iced herbal tea (or regular tea, but then watch out for the caffeine).
2. Eat lots of fresh fruit and veggies
- SO many delicious fruits and veggies are in season right now! Load up on them and all those nutrients will for sure make you feel great every day. I cannot get enough of all of the fresh produce in the summer, we always have bowls of it out, and tons in the fridge as well. Last weekend A and I ate a whole entire cantaloupe in one day (more like in the span of about 4 hours) because it was so delicious. Other great options right now: strawberries, blueberries, peaches, plums, cherries, watermelon, cucumbers, tomatoes, corn, zucchini, summer squash, onions. MMMM! Chop up a bunch of veggies, pour some olive oil over them to coat, a dash of salt, and grill them up! I promise you’ll eat your veggies then!
3. Unplug
- Yup. Turn off that phone. Step away from all the devices. You need a break. Social media can be great, but it can also be incredibly taxing – keeping up with everyone and everything, comparing yourself and your life to others (when it’s only their “highlight reel”), and seeing all the things you could be doing. I fall victim to it, as I’m sure everyone else does, and it doesn’t feel great. Feeling like I’m not doing enough, that if only I could figure out the secret that everyone else seems to know, then I too could have the “perfect” life (and by perfect, I mean impossible and completely unrealistic). On days when I’m not feeling my best social media can make me feel that much worse, so instead of turning to my phone when I have downtime I try and step away and do something else. I might read a book, or play with the critters, or pull out a coloring book, but I try to avoid scrolling through Instagram (my personal social media crutch).
4. Spend time outside
- This is THE season to be outside – so go outside! You don’t have to plan a whole big thing (because you’re probably already pretty planned-out), but just get out of the house/apartment and go for a walk. Or go for a bike ride if you prefer, or a run, or just sit outside and read a book, or a magazine if your brain can’t handle a book. The point is to soak up the sunshine and the fresh air, because it is so rejuvenating. We (humans, as creatures) were designed to be outside! We are part of nature, and nature is outside the walls of our dwellings. We spend enough time inside (at work, doing all the adult things like cooking and paying bills), so being outside can provide a sense of freedom. Plus, a little extra Vitamin D is always good (unless you’re one of the rare people that is at risk of a Vitamin D overdose…then maybe stay inside. 😉 ). But just go outside and enjoy it…you’ll thank yourself later when it’s February and -20 outside (or just when it’s colder outside than it is now if you’re not someone who lives in cold-winter place like me).
5. Exercise
- This is always the solution that no one likes. Ha! It takes time to exercise, and it’s another thing that you have to plan into your already crammed schedule, but it makes such a difference. I’ve been exercising regularly (3 times a week, for an hour each time, plus walks and other things here and there) for several months now – I have a post about that coming up soon, stay tuned 😉 – and I can feel a noticeable difference in myself. I sleep better, I eat better, and I burn off a lot of the energy I used to use over-thinking and over-analyzing my entire life. Overall, I feel better and that makes me want to keep going and make sure I schedule around my workouts, not fit them in wherever I can. Exercise looks different for everyone, so give something a shot and see how you feel (boxing classes can be self care just as much as yoga).
6. Take some time off
- Even if that time off is a half day on a Friday, or an extra long lunch, if you can take some time off when you’d normally be working (and you’re not sick), it can feel really invigorating.
7. Soak
- In the bath, in the pool, at the beach…being in water, especially in the summer, feels soooooo goood. Give it a shot next time you’re stressed, floating in the pool or relaxing in a bath can do wonders to calm you down. You can be as fancy about it as you’d like (in a bath: with candles, music, essential oils, bubbles; or in a pool/lake/ocean/body of water: with a fancy float, or a beverage), or just jump in the water, but similar to the whole “get outdoors” thing – being in water just feels like it’s ingrained in our nature.
8. Eat good-for-you food
- Slow down and make a delicious, healthy meal. The act of cooking can be very therapeutic, and at the end you get to eat your results! Grab some of those fresh fruits and veggies I mentioned above and get to work! It doesn’t have to be an elaborate 4 course meal, it could be a salad! Or grilled chicken and vegetables! Or whatever else you enjoy eating. If you need some ideas, I’ve got about a million across all my Foodie Fun boards on Pinterest, so check them out (I even have a board devoted to Outdoor Cooking – think grills and campfires).
9. Say no
- I’m going to start off by saying, I am terrible at this one. I hate saying no and turning down plans and would much rather stress myself to the max trying to find a way to fit it all in. BUT in the end that leaves me exhausted and depleted and feeling like my life is no fun at all and I usually cry somewhere in there too. So don’t be like me. Say no to things you can’t do, say no to things you don’t want to do, say no to things that fall on a day that you just want to go home and sit on your couch and stare off into space. Figure out what is important to you and do those things, and then learn to be ok with letting the less important things fall off. Summer is only relaxing if we let it be relaxing, and you can’t relax if you never stop moving and never have moments to yourself.
10. Breathe and stretch
- Oh my gosh, just typing that already makes me feel calmer. Breathe everyone – take a few deep breaths and feel how good that feels. Stretch out your muscles, let your joints crack a bit and your muscles move and feel how your body wakes up. These are such little things but they feel sooooo good. It’s strange how often we don’t really breathe. I mean obviously we breathe, but not those good feeling deep breaths that soothe us. So next time you need a few moments to yourself, just breathe and stretch and I promise you’ll feel loads better. <3
What are some of your favorite self-care tactics?
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