Self-care is a personal journey: techniques that work for you might not work for others. When creating your own self-care toolkit, think of activities that resonate with you and then add as many of these ideas to a physical list. To start, brainstorm some enjoyable hobbies and exercises or reflect on strategies that have worked well for you in the past. Add variety to your list, in the type of activity and time it takes to complete, including planning. If your self-care toolkit involves reaching out for support, you can also add contact information for your closest friends and family members.
Make sure your toolkit only includes strategies to support your wellness journey (versus punishment). For example, if you loathe a specific exercise, do not force yourself to do it. Self-care is all about being kind to yourself.
We suggest to create intentional time and space in your day to care for yourself. Feel free to use some of our ideas below as you craft your own self-care toolkit.
For Your Body:
- Take a shower
- Enjoy a bubble bath
- Give yourself a facial
- Take a power nap
- Give yourself a manicure or pedicure
- Self-massage; if you live with family, ask someone to give you a massage
- Belly-breathing
- Drink a cup of tea
- Enjoy a piece of chocolate
Supportive & Spiritual:
- Write a love letter to yourself
- Wear a dress or clothing that makes you feel great
- Share lunch/dinner virtually with a friend
- Read an uplifting book
- Begin a gratitude or reflection journal
- Make a list of positive affirmations and say them out loud
- List your accomplishments
- Join a support group
- Pray
- Call a family member; connect and check in with your neighbors and friends
- Meditate
- Practice grounding or visualization exercises
- Self-compassion
- Write a letter to someone you love
- Hug your pet, partner/spouse, or children
Creative & Fun:
- Cook a comforting or fancy meal
- Write a poem
- Sew, knit, crochet, or cross-stitch
- Try a new recipe
- Color
- Watch a stand-up performance
- Bake and share with neighbors
- Play an online game with family or friends
- Watch funny or cute YouTube videos
- Write a short story using your own experiences
- Learn a new dance through YouTube or TikTok
- Play an instrument; practice singing or learn how to whistle
- Draw or paint a picture
- Create a collage
- Try a new hairstyle; learn how to braid
- Start a beading or jewelry-making project
- Laugh
- Make a new playlist; listen to your favorite songs
Active:
- Go for a short walk, or make it a photo-walk
- Do a power-pose
- Jump on a trampoline or bounce on an exercise ball
- Do yard work
- Walk your dog
- Ride a bike; if you have a pool, take a swim
- Learn Tai Chi
- Stretch
- Create your own yoga sequence; use poses such as Happy Baby or Child's Pose
Intellectual:
- Solve a logic puzzle
- Do a crossword puzzle, word search, or Sudoku
- Go on a virtual tour
- Read a book; listen to an audio book
- Learn a new language
- Listen to a podcast
- Watch a foreign film
- Join (or start) a virtual book club
Random:
- Start a home improvement project
- Garden; plant flowers or herbs
- Stargaze or cloud-watch
- Declutter a room or cabinet; organize your spice cabinet
- People-watch (from a distance)
- Unplug from technology
