SELF CARE ON A BUDGET

I hope that in today’s blog we can:

• Inspire you to take better care of yourself (you deserve it!).

• Give you some low/zero cost suggestions to bring a bit of self care into your life.

1. Spend some time in nature

Try taking a walk in your local park. You could also practice some basic mindfulness by being aware of what you can see, hear, and smell. 

In her book The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative, journalist Florence Williams notes:

“We don’t experience natural environments enough to realize how restored they can make us feel, nor are we aware that studies also show they make us healthier, more creative, more empathetic and more apt to engage with the world and with each other.”

2. Unplug from social media

Ah, social media. Something many of us would probably admit we spend a bit too much time on. And believe it or not, the darker side of social media can actually make us more anxious, depressed and cause low self-esteem; that's where unplugging from social media comes in.

Unplugging from social media means setting time aside to spend time away from technology. You can either enjoy some peace alone or dedicate more focused time to those around you.[1]

If you’d like to learn more about the benefits of reducing your social media use, we also have a blog on social media & body image.

3. Start a Journal

Starting a journal might seem like an odd way to improve self care. Speaking personally, I have found it one of the most impactful things I do regularly that improves my wellbeing.

Journaling can be structured or unstructured. 

I find taking some time to reflect and write about what’s on my mind, almost like a ‘mind dump’ means that I can process my thoughts and emotions in a healthy way and gives me more clarity to focus on what’s important in my life. 

4. Laughter

I’m here to give you permission, right now, to take a break from ‘doomscrolling’ - the trendy name given to the tendency to consume endless negative news.

Instead, choose to surround yourself with more lighthearted, humorous and positive content.

Why not like as many pages as possible on social media that make you laugh? Or find a podcast that brightens your mood and perspective?

Just to clarify, I’m not suggesting burying your head in the sand. But simply to recognise the futility of consuming endless bad news that we have little to no control over and take some time to laugh today. 

5. Meditate

The benefits of meditation are truly remarkable with a wealth of scientific evidence showing that regular meditation can reduce stress, improve symptoms of depression and alleviate anxiety, among a host of other benefits.[2][3]

While there are a range of paid subscription based apps available, personally, I make use of two great, completely free resources to be able to consistently meditate:

• The free meditation app - Insight Timer

• Searching YouTube for follow along meditation videos (Here’s the one I currently use daily)

6. Get Good Quality Sleep

Healthy sleep habits are an important part of self-care. Getting enough sleep can help promote a healthy outlook on life, elevate mood and energy levels, and improve concentration and productivity.

Fortunately, we’ve put together a resource for you to learn more about the importance of sleep and our tips to get a better sleep in our ‘The Importance of Sleep’ blog. 

7. Take a moment to yourself

This could be beneficial for anyone, but particularly if you’re a parent. 

One thing a lot of parents feel when it comes to taking care of their own needs is guilt over prioritizing themselves.

As a single Father of two young children, one thing I have learned to do is to take some ‘Dad Time’. 

This is where I say to my girls, ‘Dad needs 5 minutes to himself, to clear his mind. Please don’t disturb me unless you really need me’. 

I take these breaks now and again to allow myself to take a few breaths, to clear my mind and so that I can consistently bring the best of myself to my children. 

8. Start a gratitude journal

A wealth of studies are demonstrating how gratitude journaling can help improve our overall health and wellbeing.[4]

If I can share with you my personal approach to gratitude journaling, I take about 5 minutes close to bedtime, to write 3 things that I’m grateful about that day.

I try to be specific, thinking about the person, circumstance, or event and how I feel fortunate and grateful for the positive impact they had on my day.

What’s the purpose of self care?

Self-care has been defined as "a multidimensional, multifaceted process of purposeful engagement in strategies that promote healthy functioning and enhance well-being."[5]

I like to think of self care simply as looking after ourselves in the way we would try to look after someone we care about. 

It’s the actions we take to promote our own physical, mental and emotional health.

And as I hope our list has demonstrated, self care doesn’t have to be expensive

A nationally representative survey[6] has shown that 84% of the UK population feel there should be a greater focus on self-care following the effects of Covid-19.

Meanwhile, two thirds of people living in the country are open to or have already increased their investment in health and wellness over the last 12 months.

Unfortunately, however, many people view self-care as a luxury, rather than a priority. Consequently, they're left feeling overwhelmed, tired, and ill-equipped to handle life's inevitable challenges.

Fortunately, self care doesn’t have to be time consuming, or expensive to enable us to reap the benefits, such as better physical and mental health.

It can be difficult to make self-care a priority, especially if you are busy and have always put yourself last. But you are more than worth the effort.

I hope that you’ve enjoyed and taken value from our ‘self care on a budget’ guide, and that you can perhaps bring some of these tips into your life to improve your overall health and wellbeing.