Self-care ideas whilst you’re at home

I’ve been revising a document I wrote over 10 years ago that was originally written to help people cope with stress. I hope that the content helps you to navigate your way through this current period.

Feel free to share with anyone who might benefit. I would appreciate your feedback, you can comment at the end of the page and don’t forget to sign up to On the Spot News for more help, iit’s at the bottom of your phone screen or side panel on your computer.

50 tips for self-care

1. Do at least one thing you truly enjoy every day 
2. Create a structure to your day, plan and prepare
3. Take time to notice how you’re feeling, breathe into that, soften and release any tension
4. Plan ahead and prepare 
5. Do nothing that you’ll have to lie or feel guilty about
6. Learn relaxation techniques – and use them! 
7. Avoid too much sugar 
8. Accept others imperfections and practice tolerance, we are all doing our best
9. Spend time laughing 
10. Keep in mind your long-term goals or vision for what you want in your life 
11. Read books and articles that are helpful and/or uplifting
12. Procrastination can be stressful and give you reasons not to trust yourself, be true to yourself, keep your promises to yourself 
13. Have plenty of moments in your day to pause, check-in with yourself and reset if you need to
14. Increase your water intake
15. Remember that you can’t control everything in your life, particularly at the moment
16. Practise preventative maintenance on your health, home and teeth 
17. Don’t take things personally 
18. Learn to be more assertive 
19. Schedule a realistic day and don’t try to do more than you’re capable of 
20. Eat healthy snacks between meals 
21. Learn to say “No thank you” to activities that you don’t have time or energy for 
22. Take brisk 30-minute walks, or try some other form of exercise like dancing
23. Make friends with yourself 
24. Pat yourself on the back and lavish yourself with praise when you have done well 
25. Reduce smoking, alcohol and other props 
26. Stroke a furry animal if you can. Or simply enjoy noticing how different fabrics and surfaces feel. Touch can be a great way to ground yourself
27. Notice the good things and the things that are going well 
28. Try to connect with non-worriers, notice what they are doing differently and cultivate those skills
29. Consider how you can help and serve others
30. For every one thing that goes wrong, there are 50 or 100 blessings – count them 
31. Remember that sometimes a problem shared is a problem halved
32. Write your thoughts down 
33. Do one thing at a time
34. Avoid gossip and before you say anything, ask yourself if what you say is true? kind? or necessary? 
35. Accept yourself as you would a friend
36. Write a list of people and places you can get help from if you need it
37. Ask for help when you need it
38. Smile inwardly, imagine taking that smile to all your organs and tissues
39. Smile at others when you see them out, say hello without a need for a response
40. Reduce your caffeine intake, caffeine exacerbates feeling on edge, worry and anxiety
41. Play more, particularly with your children and animals and if you’re alone, connect with your inner child and do something he/she would enjoy
42. Learn something different
43. Take up juggling, it’s a great way to stop your mind wandering into worry
44. Off-load to someone who you know will be calm, helpful and objective 
45. Have a goal each day that you can achieve 
46. Appreciate beauty wherever you find it 
47. Accept that you are doing your best in each moment 
48. Understand that every moment is an opportunity for new beginnings 
49. Be kind and gentle with yourself in all ways, including how you talk to yourself
50. Do everything more slowly 
51. Love yourself more and find good ways to show it! 

Some questions to keep you in the flow: 

·  What are the possibilities? 

·  What have I tried so far? 

·  What do I want? 

·  What’s another way of looking at this? 

·  If I were my best friend what would I say?  

·  How am I being too hard on myself? 

·  In what ways am I stronger than I think? 

·  What are the emotions clouding my judgement? 

·  If I put it down on paper, what will that look like? How will that help? 

·  What am I making up about this without all the facts? 

·  Am I only seeing things in black & white? What are the grey areas that I am not seeing? 

·  In what way am I taking too much responsibility? 

·  What positive outcomes could there be? 

·  What would be one small step forward right now? 

This document aims to provide some simple suggestions designed to help you find ease and flow in each moment during these unprecedented times.

Disclaimer – the subjects, thoughts, opinions, and presentation of facts in this document reflect only the author’s views and are not meant to replace any official guidelines or instructions you have been given by any medical practitioner. If you the reader find any unhelpful, then simply ignore them.