The Most Overlooked Self-Care Routines You Might Be Missing Out On

There are many ways to practice self-care, and many types to choose from. Self-care is about more than pampering your body, eating healthy foods, or exercising. It’s about spiritual care, social time, and even taking time out for yourself, sometimes doing nothing at all. Even places like Midwest Clinical Research point out the importance of self-care and note that science backs this as a way to ensure we humans take care of ourselves. Self-care can help us battle depression, obesity, and so much more.

I want to share with you the six self-care habits I love the most in my life and try to fit in whenever I can. While some are easy and free, others require a small investment of money, or at least time.

Closet Cleaning – Environmental Self-Care

Clutter is the bane of my existence. My mom and grandmother were packrats. I can’t stand having things around that serve no purpose. Because of this, I am not a big collector of things – only if I can use them. But keeping your home clutter-free is daunting, and for me, the clothing closet is the space that accumulates the most clutter and collections. Because of this, I like to do a big closet cleanout every six months or so.

I pull everything out of my closet and go through each piece individually. If I wear it regularly and it’s still in good shape, I put it back in my closet. If I haven’t worn it or am unsure whether I really like it, I will try it on. Sometimes, if I can’t decide, I will put those pieces aside to wear over the next week or so and make my decisions then. A clutter-free closet takes the pressure off of you when you’re trying to find something to wear – less stress, more looking good!

Naps – Physical Self-Care

As children, we tend to hate naps because there are so many things we want to do that we worry we’ll miss out on something while we’re asleep. As adults, naps become a chance to refuel our bodies and minds after doing all the things we have to do each day, perhaps with a few minor things we wanted to do mixed in. I don’t nap daily – only when my mind or body tells me it’s time and I have no choice but to fall asleep. Sometimes I set an alarm – if I have things I need to get done – but other times I will just let my body make the call.

I’ve seen articles that stated naps of more than 20 minutes in length can make you even more drowsy, but guess what? According to the CDC, both long and short naps can help make you more alert. So, if you prefer a quick 15-minute power nap, go for it. But, if you end up sleeping for an hour or more, perhaps your body needed it!

Meditation – Spiritual Self-Care

I have been practicing meditation on and off for decades, and I can always tell the difference in my mindset when I am meditating regularly. It’s easier to get through the small stuff; the light at the end of the tunnel is always brighter through the big stuff. Some people claim they can’t meditate, but there's no reason sitting in silence for two minutes can’t help. Meditation and hypnosis are two different things, and I think many people feel like they have to get on that hypnosis level to get the full effects of meditation, and that’s just not true.

The easiest method of meditation is to breathe in and breathe out – the count is up to you. Focusing on your breathing is the key. If you need someone telling you what to do, the internet is filled with guided meditations that can help you focus your thoughts and intentions on everything from losing weight to having a productive workday.

Thrift Shopping – Financial and Social Self-Care

While thrift shopping may not be self-care for everyone, for me it is. I don’t always spend money, but I do always go in with an intention. One day, I may be looking for clothing; another, it may be all about physical media to add to my very small collection that I do, in fact, use regularly. This is a form of social self-care, even if you’re shopping alone, because you are sure to bump into at least one chatty person, even if you don’t know them. It can be financial self-care, too, as long as you’re not buying more than you need or things you won’t use.

Because there is a fine line between this one being good for you or detrimental, always go in with a plan, even if that plan is to take one trip through the entire store and buy everything that brings you joy. However, I’d suggest going in with a focus like mine – on one type of thing you want to buy – or, at the very least, looking only to buy sale items.

Creating Art – Intellectual Self-Care

I am an eternal learner, but when I am not in the mood to learn something new or study what I already know, I still like to keep my mind busy, and I do that with art or crafting. Art encompasses a lot, so when I'm inspired to write a short story or poem, it's art to me, too.

Art is a form of therapy, so having a notebook you can write or draw in is a great alternative to basic journaling – you don’t have to write an entry on how your day actually went, you can turn it into a creative story, and include drawings. I like to combine my writing with my sketches and doodles.

Hot Tubs – Physical Self-Care

Okay, I have one more physical self-care idea for you that leans more into the health of your body than your mind. Even if you don’t have a hot tub in your home, there is likely a place somewhere within driving distance from you that has hot tub rentals – and you need to go.

The hot water is so soothing to the joints and bones. Relaxing in those tubs is mentally and physically amazing. Just make sure you bring a bottle of water, because that warm atmosphere can be very thirst-inducing.