It is safe to say that most people don’t take care of themselves. They eat poorly, they don’t exercise and they sleep too little. And while some might argue that this isn’t a problem, the truth is all of these things have a significant impact on your health and well-being. You can think about it like this: If you go for months without changing the oil in your car, eventually it will break down from being so dirty. In other words, if you put off taking care of yourself until later when you finally get around to it, then guess what? It may be too late! However, I have found that not only is keeping up with self-care crucial but how you track your self-care is just important. That is why I love using a printable self-care checklist to help me stay on top of my needs.
In this post, we will discuss not only some of the important reasons you should be reconsidering your self-care priorities but some of the things you can add to your self-care checklist. Be sure to scroll down for your Free Printable Checklist.
Importance of Self-Care
Self-care is important for oneself. Our society has grown so accustomed to not taking care of themselves that they are completely oblivious to the effects it can have on them. Putting off self-care can be dangerous and often neglect the dangers that putting it off until the last minute can have.
Self-care is necessary in order to maintain a healthy body and mind.
It is important to take self-care seriously because it makes life easier in some ways. You will feel better about yourself and others will notice the difference in attitude. When people take time for themselves they are asserting their independence and individuality. This is one less thing on your plate, which means more time for everything else.
Self-care is important because it restores the mind in order to think about what you need in life that would benefit you, and in turn making you feel better in your day-to-day activities. To fulfill self-care one must live a balanced lifestyle that consists of good health, appropriate diet, enough sleep, relaxation/recreation time, and exercise.
Self-care is important if you want to live a healthy life that will lead to an enriched future. So many people put things off for later, but sometimes doing something for yourself today can make tomorrow even better!
Items to include on your self care checklist
Incorporating self-care into your daily routine is beneficial to your mental and physical well being as you can see from the benefits I have mentioned. But oftentimes we can miss out on great opportunities to include a few self-care routines. So I am including a list of a few items you can add to your self-care checklist.
Eat healthy foods
Start by eating organic vegetables, whole grains, pulses, legumes, and vegan protein sources. Make sure that you limit processed sugars and avoid animal proteins when possible.
Exercise regularly
This step is crucial for maintaining physical fitness! Spend at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise 5 days a week. Activities you could include are yoga, biking outside, jogging outside, or walking briskly.
Take care of your hygiene
Bathe regularly with soap or shower gel in order to remove sweat and bacteria from the skin. Brush teeth after every meal but not more than 3 times daily with fluoride toothpaste in order to maintain healthy teeth and gums. Brush hair at least 3 times a week in order to prevent dandruff and split ends.
Get enough sleep
Sleep is very important because it’s when the body repairs itself, which means you should get 7-9 hours of sleep each night! Make sure that your bedroom is dark and that your sleeping area is not too warm or cool.
Limit screen time
Excessive screen time can have a negative effect on sleep quality because it inhibits the brain’s ability to produce melatonin, which is important for inducing restful slumber. Limit screen time to 2 hours before bedtime in order to get better sleep at night.
Find healthy coping mechanisms for stress
I can’t reiterate this enough, but if you are currently experiencing a lot of stress then it is important that you take time to relax and recharge your batteries! Healthy coping mechanisms include activities like meditation, visualizing peaceful scenery, yoga, self-hypnosis, acupuncture, breathing techniques, deep breathing exercises, herbal tea, aromatherapy, socializing, massage therapy, and taking a bath with Epsom salts for relaxation.
Relaxation techniques
Find time to do the things you enjoy. Personal hobbies such as painting or knitting can help you focus as you work on creating something beautiful which is a great way to help you relax instead of worrying about the things that cause you stress. Listening to music, reading a good book, or watching a funny movie are also great ways to relax!
Be kind to yourself
Often times we’re our own worst critics which isn’t a healthy habit because it leads to being constantly upset with yourself. Be nice to yourself by taking time for yourself and not feeling guilty about it.
Do good for the environment
Another great way to practice self-care is by practicing eco-friendly habits like using reusable items, recycling, composting, buying local produce, limiting plastic use, riding a bike, or walking instead of driving everywhere.
Practice gratitude daily
A great way to remind yourself of how blessed your life is, and one way to practice gratitude daily is to write a list of things you’re grateful for before falling asleep at night.
Make time for loved ones
If there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s that you should treasure those close to you and never take them for granted because we don’t know what the future holds. Make time for your loved ones by giving back, doing things together like cooking dinner or watching a movie, or even just having quality time with them like a family game night.
Set boundaries
Setting healthy boundaries means setting healthy limits so that you get enough “me” time to recharge and keep your sanity! Healthy ways to set boundaries include saying no to invitations that don’t interest you, putting your phone on airplane mode when it isn’t an emergency, setting a bedtime for sleep, doing what you have to do at work with so much energy but not overdoing it.
Learn self-soothing techniques
If you are feeling stressed or overwhelmed then learn how to self-soothe. Self-soothing techniques include doing a hobby, taking a warm bath with Epsom salts, visualization, or journaling.
Healthy mind, healthy body
Your mental health is very important to your overall well-being! Make sure to eat well and exercise regularly because exercise can boost your mood and make you happier as well as make you more energetic, strong, and healthy!
Accept your limitations
You are only human so accept where you are right now. You can’t be perfect at everything but that’s ok because everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. Make peace with what you cannot change, which is the past, but focus on making progress forward.
Give yourself a break
Putting pressure on yourself to succeed can lead to feelings of inadequacy and intense stress, so make sure to give yourself the time you need to relax and re-energize. You got this!
Printable Self-Care Checklist
Using a self-care checklist is a great way to help you visualize what you need to accomplish as far as self-care. By using a checklist you will be more likely to commit to your goals.
I have included a simple to use checklist for you to download to remind you of your self-care tasks for each week. You can print as many copies as you need (for personal use only). Download here or click the image below.
I hope using this self-care checklist will help you accomplish better mental and physical health by allowing you to focus more on yourself.
Conclusion
If you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed by life, there are plenty of things that can help ease your stress and take a little bit of the weight off.
Check out our list for some ideas on how to practice self-care in order to feel more relaxed, Concentrate on what makes you happy with relaxation techniques like reading a good book, watching a funny movie, or listening to music.
If all else fails, try deep breathing exercises which have been proven effective at reducing anxiety levels. Be kinder to yourself when times get tough and remind yourself daily about everything going right in your life through practicing gratitude before bedtime!
You deserve it – so let’s start making time for ourselves today!
Want to remember this? Pin it to save it for later.
