Are you one of those people who could use a self-care day to recharge? Me! Pick me! 🙋♀️ If you happen to fit into one of the two categories below, then you would probably benefit from a self-care day. Personally, I fit into both categories depending on where I stand in my work and personal life. When I am unemployed, I learn more towards #2 and when I am employed or taking courses, I learn more towards #1. Not to mention that we are also dealing with a freaking pandemic, which has taken a toll on people’s mental health.
(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ So tell me, what kind of person are you? ♥
1. You are overwhelmed because you feel that you need to stay busy, or you have a hard time relaxing when you do have free time.
2. You do not know what to do with your free time so you end up doing nothing productive or rejuvenating.
Below, I have compiled a list of affordable self-care strategies that will not break the bank and will hopefully help you recharge and reground yourself. I cannot stress how important it is to take care of your mental health and well-being, especially during these difficult times. Obviously, I am not a party planner nor am I going to plan out the whole day from morning to night. What I will do is give you some free or budget-friendly suggestions for a self-care day. Self-care does not have to be elaborate or expensive! Let’s get started, shall we?
Go For A Walk Outside
When my cat was sick, my husband took him to the vet. Afterwards, my husband spoiled the cat by letting him venture outside. And the cat loved it! ❤ Pet parents do not hesitate to take their dogs (and cats) out for walks, but when was the last time you took yourself out for a walk? Are you spending way too much time indoors and not enough time in the great outdoors? If you live in Canada like me, I totally understand why you may choose to stay inside the house. Canada is cold AF, especially in this province. If the weather is nice where you are, depending on what your definition of “nice” is, I encourage you to stand barefoot on the grass as a way to ground yourself and reconnect with Mother Nature.
Spending time outside can be incredibly therapeutic. I encourage all of you to leave the house at least once a day if you can, and spend some time outdoors. Right now, I am not getting my daily walks and my mood is suffering as a result. I am probably Vitamin D deficient because I hardly ever see the sun 🌞 My blinds are closed as I write this and I keep my windows shut due to the frigid cold. Also, the paths are icy AF outside so I try not to leave the apartment. The affordable solution is to suck it up and spend time outdoors, but knowing how terrible my balance is, I rather not deal with a sprained wrist or ankle. If you live in a warmer climate, then you are incredibly fortunate! 🌴
Enjoy A Hot Beverage
There is something soothing about sipping a hot beverage any day of the week ☕💕 A hot beverage is fairly inexpensive if you make it yourself at home. Also, it is easy to make a basic coffee, tea, or hot chocolate, so there is really no excuse not to enjoy a cup or two. My favourite thing to do first thing in the morning is to enjoy a hot beverage while I read the latest blog posts from my fellow WP bloggers!
Read A Book
Got a book that you had every intention to read, but never got around to reading? Now is a good time to pick up that book and yenno, actually read it. I cannot tell you how The life-changing art of tidying up ends because I never finished reading it. Seeing my pile of unread books made me realize that there is no reason to buy more books when I haven’t even finished the ones I have. Reading can turn into an expensive hobby, which is why I encourage you to shop your own house first before buying more books.
Take a Bath
I used to be a shower person, but I have evolved into a bath person over the years. I take a bath 3-5 times per week, and thus, the shower gel and body butter did not last long. Enjoying a warm bath is honestly one of my favourite ways to relax. Also, I noticed that taking a bath is the fastest way for me to warm up after being outside in the frigid cold. Not to mention, baths can elevate a crappy mood, relieve muscle aches and pains, and reduce stress levels. Although I prefer to take a bath midday, I still recommend taking a bath at the end of day before bedtime. Why? Because baths have the tendency to calm an overactive mind, relax you, and make you sleepy. If you suffer from insomnia or anxiety like I do, then try adding this bath ritual to your schedule to help you wake up feeling more refreshed the next day.
(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ Final Thoughts ♥
Finally, I would suggest journaling. However, I do not find it very relaxing. I use a planner to stay organized but that’s as much journaling as I do these days. I used to enjoy writing letters to pen-pals and still do to an extent, but it has been difficult for me to find the motivation and energy to send snail mail. I apologize to anyone who I have not responded to via email; I haven’t had the motivation to write my wordy, thought-provoking replies. It is not that I have forgotten about you ❤ Same goes with pen-pals – I have not forgotten about you either and I will send more mail when I find the desire to write again 💌
Thanks for stopping by!
I very much fall into that first category 🙌😂, these are some great ideas! I haven’t been able to get outside lately but have missed nature so I’ve started planting vegetables indoors (for so long I was waiting for the opportunity to do it outside but then it never gets done!). I found some old free compostable kits from Lidl that will hopefully still sprout and am very excited about them 🌱. I can relate to needing to read what I have compared to buying more, another good idea is that podcast apps usually have free audiobooks alongside local library websites too 😄📚. Brilliant post, thanks for the ideas! ✨💞
An indoor vegetable garden is very creative! 🍅 Home-grown vegetables are the best. I’m super curious to learn more about this hobby of yours. 🌱
Podcasts are amazing… I listen to podcasts daily and it didn’t occur to me to include podcasts in this list. Yes, audiobooks are good too. I search for audiobooks on YouTube and have managed to find some free audiobooks there. I don’t have any special subscriptions so I rely on freebies. For a long time, I’ve been wanting to get a library card and likely will once we move to a new place. Thank you for your insights! 😊💕
Haha, I’m a total #1. Walks are my default solution (even though I live in Canada, haha)!
Ah, you can relate to my struggles! Which part of Canada do you live in? I’ve lived in a few provinces and currently reside in Alberta.
BC! Not too far away. 🙂
I’ve been to BC a couple of times but they were deserted areas/small towns. I have yet to visit the cities that people rave about! 🙌
Mmm, hot beverages… I always have my morning tea, but in the fall/winter I do afternoon tea as well.
I like the idea of having tea morning, noon, and night! One can never have enough tea. Do you have a favourite tea that you drink? For me, it’s orange pekoe/steeped tea.
Orange pekoe, English breakfast, anything along those lines
Yummy! 😋
Love this Hilary! A walk is always so fun, and my fav hot beverage is definitely hot chocolate!! I actually shared my favourite self care ideas which I’d love for you to check out: https://zainabchats.wordpress.com/2021/01/17/5-self-care-ideas-collab-with-the-blogger-squad/ Great post!!!
Thank you for reading, Zainab! 😊💕 it’s funny because I’m drinking hot chocolate as I type this. Thank you for sharing your link with me – I will check it out!
Check, check, check. I do all these things. They are helpful and yes free / cheap. I have been enjoying your frugality posts for a while now. I must have sensed that I would soon need frugality tips. Ha! Nice cat picture. Personally I am never offended when a blogger does not e-mail back. This is because I have done the same thing to other people. I think it was easy to penpal on 1876, for obvious reasons, but now there are many distractions and it’s especially hard to penpal with people you’ve never met. You figure you can always do a post to update them.
The only thing I wondered about is the employment situation and if that worked out for you.
You inspired me to focus on the frugality niche, and I hope to write more posts about frugality/minimalism/saving money. I never realized that it would have such an impact on my readers, which makes writing about these topics even more enjoyable! 💕
It’s fun having new pen pals but most of them hardly send mail back, which has discouraged me over the years. Like what’s the point? Seems like a waste of time when everyone prefers other forms of communication. But then again, I’ve gotten complacent and haven’t sent mail back to a couple of pen pals who have tried to keep in touch with me, so that makes me a hypocrite. 🤦♀️ I limit my my mailing list now to a select few to prevent burnout.
I’m not working yet but I did agree to a fill time position hoping that it would speed things along. Orientation starts early February, so we will see what happens.
That is awesome. I am very pleased to play a little part in that decision! They are very good posts and you are a fantastic writer. 😊. It’s funny you mentioned that, because just this morning I watched a couple videos from that Heal Your Living YouTube channel. The young lady is so calming and level headed that she makes it easier for me to get through a meal; she’s good for anxiety, and naturally since I consider myself a minimalist (outside of fashion, anyway, my biggest Vice as we discussed before) I took right to everything she was saying. I believe these little trade offs are what the blogging community is about 😄. It’s good to hear about your February opportunity, good for you. Because while I personally am kind of enjoying my newfound freedom in being unemployed (at times anyway) I know that you were wanting and perhaps needing to get work. Good to hear it.
I fall into category one…so much to do! After a period of burnout and some health issues, I’ve become very focused on self-care. I walk daily, enjoy a homemade chai latte every morning, and try to read a little each week. I also find creativity to be soothing… coloring books, cooking, painting, sewing, collages, or anything really. I really love these suggestions–thank you!
Do you have a recipe for your homemade chia latte? That sounds amazing! ♥️
I use a premade blend (Frontier Co-op Fair Trade Certified Chai Tea), heating up the black tea and then adding milk (or a non-dairy milk), and then using a cheap frother to make it creamier. The blend is, especially if you don’t have the spices on hand and it’s not as spicy as some recipes. 🙂
I have yet to try the Co-Op Fair Trade Certified Chai Tea. Tbh I hardly ever go to the Co-Op but my husband occasionally does (he gets cash back on gas). I’ve been wanting to get a milk frother for the longest time! I’m not sure what brands are good. It sounds like such a useful kitchen gadget! Ty for the recipe. 🙂
I am fully #2 and love these ideas!
Tbh so am I, especially when I have too much free time on my hands. I have good intentions to get a lot done during the day and end up being lazy instead (path of least resistance) 🤷♀️ At least you are aware and mindful of your habits! 😄
I think it’s beautiful that you write handwritten letters. I had one pen pal. For decades… she was the best person ever! Getting her mail made me tear up but I also felt so loved because she took out the time to go and buy stamps and mail off the letters to me. That pen pal was my grandmother, and I will cherish her letters forever.
Aww, that’s so adorable, Shelly! 💕 It’s beautiful that you hold onto your grandmother’s letters and closely cherish them 🦋 My grandmother sent me emails. Although most of them contain broken links now, I kept them in a folder called “Nana.”
Tbh I type my letters and print them on pretty printer paper. Or I will write a personal message in a pretty card. I also try to add flat items like stickers or exclusively Canadian things for international pen pals. So far I have only sent international snail mail to the US and France.
It’s coffee and long showers for me! ✨
What is your favourite kind of coffee? Do you drink it plain, or do you prefer the fancy coffees? I drink MCDs coffee – it’s my favourite! ❤
Uuuu that’s nice! I’m honestly so basic when it comes to coffee 😂 I don’t need the fancy stuff and almost always order latte at a café. At home I just drink coffee with milk ☕️
I am pretty basic too, and that’s okay! I have a basic coffee maker at home. Nothing fancy. I do enjoy the occasional latte when I am at a café too ☕💕
nature walks are nice and of course a nice very warm shower after a day of physical activity always makes me feel great.
btw…how is school going? are you nearing the end?
Hi Buddy71! I finished school in December 🙂 Right now, I am waiting to start 2 jobs in health care. I’m still trying to sort out the paper work and haven’t started working yet. This month has been strange. In the meantime, I started studying for the NCLEX. It’s quite challenging and I’m hoping that I don’t fall behind. This is one of those cases where I may bitten off more than I can chew. 🤦♀️
well, back in ancient times, when i took my rn boards, we sat in a convention center massive room, two at a table. for two days we used #2 pencils and filled in bubbles on scantron sheets. after we were finished, we had to wait abut 6 weeks until we learned if we passed or not. we worked as “IPs” during that time. my school had a 97% passing rate. while taking my boards i met several people from other schools who told me their schools passing rates were only 50%! i feel if you finished school with good grades, you should pass boards nicely. good luck!!
Times have changed since then. It’s all done electronically now, instead of using scantron sheets. It’s been a while since I reviewed my notes so I have to re-learn everything. I think my school has a 97% passing rate as well, but I’m not entirely sure. I’m not sure what an IP is but I’m guessing it’s similar to grad nurse.
I p means interim permit which means you’ve graduated from nursing school and waiting results of your boards. That’s how they do it here in California at least. And yes I know times have changed like I said I took my boards back in ancient times. Lol
I have a provisional license but I haven’t written the exam yet. I’m eligible to work as a grad nurse. I haven’t started working yet which may be due to several factors (plus pandemic times). I’m using a pricy one-time subscription service called UWorld to study for the NCLEX.
👍👍👍👍
Loved this post!
Some self-care ideas don’t cost a dime! ❤️
Miamii / https://explorewithmii.com/
Thank you for reading, Miamii! 💕I thought about adding video games to the list, especially since Animal Crossing is so popular during the pandemic, but then I realized that the Switch and the game(s) aren’t cheap. I think it’s worth the investment though! 🙂
Totally agree! Can’t beat a good game. 😄
I’ve been playing The Sims 4 again, and it’s definitely something that de-stresses me! 💕
The Sims 4 is my husband’s favorite game 😝 I haven’t played the Sims since the Sims 2 (so long ago, I know). I had more fun building houses/interior decorating than I did aging my Sims LOL I was also very impatient so I used the cheat codes to get unlimited money etc.
I’d go for a walk and journaling. But it’s not always a relaxing activity, I agree with you. It helps in other ways though.
Thanks for the ideas Hilary, it’s nothing new, but a great list of things many of us need to be reminded of sometimes. Especialy when you’re in a low mood and can’t really think much.
I agree with you, Maja! This list is far from original but a good reminder for anyone who is trying to cut back on spending or want to simplify their lives. Buying things is only a temporary fix for a low mood, and instant gratification is fleeting.
Marie Kondo’s book Spark Joy totally changed the way I fold my clothes but that’s in the first chapter and is as far as I got. Haha
Omg I think that’s where I stopped reading too…. idk why but that book could not keep my attention. I folded my clothes like that once but it didn’t last. I felt like I was doing something wrong because her methods were “supposed” to work for people, and it didn’t work for me.
I watched her Netflix series and I thought the tiny little boxes she used for “kimono” (I think?) and miscellaneous drawer clutter still looked cluttered. I even tried it but I don’t 100% agree that it’s the best way to organize a junk drawer. 🤷♀️
From what I’ve gathered by reading bits and pieces and seeing clips of videos online, most of her method is absolutely insane (like talking to your clothes) but I’ve kept up with the folding and I keep my closet color coordinated haha.
I completely agree with you. I don’t talk to my clothes either 😂 As for clothes, I fold my clothes this way whenever I go on vacation because they fit better in a suitcase; been doing that for years. She now sells over-priced décor for homes and other miscellaneous stuff that would make minimalists run for the hills. Basically, she became too commercial since becoming famous, but I still recommend watching her Netflix series.
A cup of tea and a good book always makes me feel slightly better <3
Caroline | https://envirolineblog.com
Anything that makes you feel better is a win! Even if it’s just slightly better – still a win! 🍵💕
Thank you for reposting! 😊💕
I can deny it as much as I want, but when I’m not #1, I’m #2 & when I’m not #2, I’m #1 😅 Great blog post!
Thank you for reading, Charlstraw! 😊 Same here – I flip back and forth between #1 and #2! I’m happy that this blog post resonated with you 💕
I think I can be both types depending on where I’m at in the semester or just in general. Self-care can be affordable or even free and these are really great ideas for people on a budget! I usually tend to take a walk or read a book/do yoga because that really helps me relax for a while which is nice.
Thanks for commenting, Pooja! 😄 Indeed, self-care does not need to cost money. YouTube ads, and product reviews that are intended to make us feel like we need to spend money. It’s nice that walks are free, books are already owned (usually), and yoga is inexpensive. At the same time, these a activities can easily become expensive (designer shoes, Chapters/Indigo books, yoga classes).
I agree we often see stuff online and think self care is about spending money on yourself but it’s really not. I feel like you have to be so careful online because there was a time when I was spending way too much on makeup because I thought I needed like a million products when I really just need a couple.
I just got my monthly bill in the mail and now I’m really feeling broke. I knew the number would be high this month, and seeing it as one grand total really puts things into perspective….😏 I wouldn’t care as much if I was employed, but being unemployed stinks.
I have little self-control when I’m online and the credit card is next to me. For this reason, I banned myself from shopping online unless it’s a product that I cannot buy in-store. I can imagine that makeup costs a fortune, especially makeup from Sephora and Hudson’s Bay, for example. Idk how people afford it without breaking the bank.
I’m the same way with online shopping it’s just too tempting. I literally had to delete my Sephora app because it keeps sending updates and I just get too tempted. I can’t believe people buy products from Sephora on a regular basis- like I have a friend who buys all her makeup from there and she goes there like every week which I have no idea how she affords.
A friend from my past (ex-friend now) would Spend $400-500 per shopping trip at Sephora. You don’t get much for this price (8-9 items maybe?). She was a hair dresser and I’m quite sure she didn’t save a dime. I’m also quite sure that she hasn’t changed.
I’ve had more bad experiences than good experiences on sites like Amazon, so I stopped using Amazon. I now use well.ca but had to unsubscribe from their mailing list. They send daily emails with daily deals. It’s just too much 🤦♀️ I think you did the right thing deleting the Sephora app, especially if it’s too tempting.
Wow how do people spend that much money on beauty products. Yeah Sephora is so expensive you end up spending like $100 easily even if you buy stuff on sale. It’s actually so not worth it for the amount of stuff you get because these days there are so many affordable drugstore products that are really great quality as well.
Amazon can get very addictive. When I first started my Prime membership I was definitely buying way too much stuff I didn’t need. Yeah I deleted most of the apps like Sephora because they keep sending notifications and it just got annoying. Is well.ca any good? I haven’t tried it.
I tried well.ca once because I needed a couple of products that I couldn’t find in stores, and they happened to have it. The prices are reasonable and shipping is free after a certain amount. Shipping was pretty fast, and the person who packaged my stuff signed a little card. It was packaged in Guelph, Ontario which meant a lot to me 😊
I recommend well.ca for health care products, health food products, health and wellness products etc. I would definitely use the site again if I have a need for it.
I’ll check it out the next time I need something because some stuff on Amazon is pretty expensive. That’s so nice if the seller!
I’m not even sure if well.ca has third party sellers like Amazon, or is their shipping location is located in Guelph 😆
Oh lol I see I’ll check it out!
I’ve been having SO MANY baths lately. I find them so relaxing and with everyone being at home all the time due to covid, sometimes it’s the only place I can go where I’m on my own for an hour x
This was a very refreshing post. Sometimes I get down. These ideas were really great. I look forward to reading more.
Thank you for stopping by, Ebony! 🙂 I feel like we sometimes forget about going back to the basics, and I feel like this blog post is a good reminder that self-care does not have to be complicated! 🧘♀️🌱
I agree. I would most definitely support more content like this from you. It’s very much needed.
Thank you so much for your feedback, Ebony! When time allows, I plan on writing more blog posts about frugality/budgeting, self-care, and habit-tracking 🙌
Wonderful advice!!! The other day I forced myself to go for a walk in the brisk cold and it’s amazing how much better I felt afterwards! <3
Yay!! I’m glad that spending time outdoors helped you recharge! 😇 I tried to go for a walk today but the roads were sooo icy…. I was like, “nope, not happening today.”🙅♀️
Hahaha yeah winter is difficult. Better to be safe if there’s ice. Can’t wait for spring!
Awesome post! I have been making myself a nice cup of tea when I want to relax 😋
I’m glad that this resonated with you 😊 You cannot go wrong with a hot cup of tea! What is your favorite kind of tea? For me, it’s anything caffeinated lol 🍵💕
Same! Anything caffeinated is my go to, especially since I have a giant box of green and black tea. I have some other ones that were gifted to me, I’ll have to try them out
Baths! I have suddenly fallen in love with hot baths. Lockdown, probably. It kills time! It feels nice! People leave me alone! What’s not to love? Great post.
I took a bath for the first time in about 2 years. It was amazing. I used to be so into self care and then life started to happen. I want to get more outside time. Great tips!
Baths are a daily thing for me, mostly because it’s so cold where I live. It’s the only thing that warms me up. I’m glad that you took a “me day” decided to take a bath. Glad it didn’t disappoint! 💕
I was thinking of doing a post like this on my site. I love the way you done this it’s so cute. Thank you for your words 🥰
Thank you for your kind words. 😇 I’m happy that you enjoyed reading this post and that it inspired you! 😊💕
I find putting a bit of time in to get a more organised really helps reduce stress. Even if I don’t actually get anything done, just understanding my priorities a bit better seems to help! https://businessrulesforlife.wordpress.com/2021/02/12/putting-in-some-upfront-work-to-be-more-organised-can-deliver-long-term-benefits/
Loving the ideas in this post.
I’m not a big book reader, but I was supposed to start reading a new book this month, but I keep getting distracted by other things
Thank you so much! Tbh I haven’t been reading books either and stopped buying books this year. The books I have are all boxed up in storage. If reading isn’t your thing, maybe you would prefer audiobooks? Or podcasts? Personally I love podcasts and listen to them everyday on my iPhone, plus they’re FREE! 🙂
It’s one of my 2021 challenges.
I have read one book so far this year, tbh it was a small book, lol.
Hey, that still counts as a book! 😆
I love a soak in the bath, but I miss them, as I have a shower where I live.
Our bath also serves as a shower, so we can switch between them. Baths are really relaxing and help with muscle pain I find 🙂
I loved it when I was in one place where I had a bath over the shower. Best of both worlds. There’s nothing like a relaxing bath.