FREE SELF-CARE CHECKLISTS

Simple Self Care Checklist To Inspire You As A Woman

Self care is not selfish; we often heard that.

When it handles your emotional, physical, mental well-being, thinking about yourself is not a crime.

So, you can, by all means, practise loving yourself and thinking about yourself more often by implementing self care.

Basic self care comprises taking a bath, brushing your teeth, dressing and grooming.

Those are the things that we usually do every single day.

But, what if we always ponder about life getting in the way?

We always blame life and other circumstances that hinder us to do more for ourselves.

Self care activities don’t focus solely on physical aspects, it also sees to it that you also take good care of yourself emotionally, socially, and mentally.

But why should you practice self care?

How you treat yourself will be reflected in other individuals. If you treat yourself right and exercise self-love accordingly, you will also receive the same treatment from other people surrounding you.

How can you benefit from a self care checklist?

You might admit it or not, some of us or almost all of us check our phones in the first hour in the morning after waking up. Heck, even half-awake with only one eye opened, we check our phone.

Admit it, gurl.

With your concentration still glued on your phone (only God knows why) maybe you’re checking your emails while trying not to trip on yourself on the way to the bathroom or checking how many likes you get on your Instagram’s latest selfie, you can only think of the normal activities of the daily living.

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I bet you think a 30-minute walk around your area is a form of wasting your time if you think you can do a lot of better things than counting the trees in the neighborhood.

With that, having a self care checklist will always remind you what to do every single day which you have to complete before your head hit the pillow in the evening (hopefully without your mobile phone).

However, like what the word implies, self-care varies personally.

Some self-care ideas might be too unrealistic or maybe exorbitant for you.

Here are self care ideas you can do that don’t make you guilty at all:

1. Ignore your phone

I know right – it might be hard.

avoiding phone in the morning is hard but good for self care
Photo by Everton Nobrega on Pexels (Edited by WBHM)

But once you get ahold of your phone first thing in the morning, you might be having a hard time letting it go.

Probably you get a glimpse of an urgent email or you got a comment on your blog.

For whatever reason you have, using your phone early in the morning (sometimes half-awake), grabs your chance of starting to become productive for the whole day.

To break this hard habit, you should sleep without your phone at night. Put it in a place away from your bed where you can’t reach it easily.

Avoiding your phone after waking up paves the way for better chances on how you can take care of yourself.

Related Post: 7 bad habits you should avoid right away for a better life this year

2. Start saying NO

Why did you say yes although you really meant no?

Why is it hard to say no to someone?

No is a two-letter word but why do we think it’s such a hard word to utter?

Saying yes almost all the time tires you out. If you don’t want to hurt the feelings of others, you tend to give in to say yes although you want to say no.

Other times you say yes because you wanted to please the people around you – but in the end, who gets drained?

You.

You say yes because you don’t want to have bad vibes with others.

You don’t want them to think you’re a bad person.

You don’t want them to look down on you for saying that dreaded condemned word of negation.

But you know what, you have every right to say NO.

You don’t even have to justify why you’re refusing to do what others tell you to do especially at work.

Yes, let’s talk about work.

Finally, you’re done with your work, and you’re free for the weekend, but suddenly your boss calls you.

To avoid making a novel out of the scenario, let’s cut the chase – your boss wants you to work at the weekend.

You don’t want to, but heck, you can’t refuse it.

In the end, you said, ”Of course, that’s not a problem.”

Can you relate to the scenario?

If yes, let’s learn how to say no.

  • Be direct in saying no, which gives yourself no time to think or even reason out why you should say yes.
  • Tell yourself every day that it’s fine to say no. You’re not a bad person if you say it. You don’t lose a lot of people if you refuse. Remember, you should only keep people around your personal life who really matter to you.
  • Be polite when saying no, and you can even utter gratitude. But you don’t have to reason out why you’re refusing.

Why you should say no?

You’re saying yes to yourself for self-love and self-value and you let others know, you have boundaries they should respect.

You should make a decision for yourself and not for others. Practice saying no today.

3. Write a letter to yourself.

You don’t have to be a best-selling author to fulfil this self-care idea.

Writing like reading is one of the cheapest and most enjoyable activities out there – heck, writing is cheaper than therapy too.

Why you should write to yourself more often?

  • It gives you time and reason to be alone.
  • It is a form of therapy and relief to write down your thoughts and feelings.
  • It gives you an overview of your self, and your future self.
  • You can improve your writing skills -if you are an aspiring writer.
  • Additionally, you’re free to do so – no one will judge you.

You can start writing to yourself in a form of a journal or you create your personal journal. If you want, you can even write on your laptop and save it.

Alternatively, you can start a blog. That’s not even a bad idea at all. 😉

4. Read a book.

I’m a bit biased in this.

I love reading, but I don’t want to force you to read. Gurl, I can’t even force you to do something you don’t want to do, right?

But why should I read a book? How does it help me with personal care?

You ask you get the answer.

Reading helps you reduce stress by 68% according to Sussex University’s research.

Aside from managing and reducing stress, reading is one of the effective and cheapest methods of self care.

Reading gives you entertainment with a huge selection of what you can potentially read from non-fiction to historical fiction novels.

This activity provides you escape and gives you alone time to be with just yourself and the fascinating world of Narnia, or if you want, you can be in an interesting Regency era with the Bridgertons..

So instead of scrolling on Instagram, you should start reading now. It saves yourself from having resentment if you continue to browse on different influencers’ Instagram feed.

Apart from that, reading aids you in sleeping better at night. You should only read books that are light and easy to read and those that would unlikely give you nightmares.

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5. Walk without a certain destination.

Walking without a destination teaches you a couple of life lessons.

Sometimes in life, you don’t need a guide just to achieve your happiness. You follow your instinct on what could satisfy you.

Same with walking, you might not be using a navigation app, but you see ahead of you a myriad of light, and you follow it.

If you walk without a certain purpose but to walk, you do it in a leisure way. No time pressure, no one waits for you. It gives you that relaxing feeling.

Walking teaches you to empty your mind and focus on the moment.

If you want to be more mindful of yourself, forget Google Map for a while but you can always take along your four-legged friend with you.

walking as part of your self care checklist daily
Chappy

6. Take a siesta

Afternoon nap or what Spanish people call it ”Siesta” is not new to me anymore. In fact, growing up in a then-Spanish colonized country, we used to practice this habit.

We look forward to it especially after a midday meal or simply, after hard work.

Consider it as a reward, and your self deserves such treatment.

If you’re tired, take a power nap or simply hit the sack for an hour.

You might think you have a lot of work to do, but little did you know, your body and mind together scream for a rest.

Taking a siesta saves you by 34% chance of dying from heart disease.

So, don’t be too hard on yourself, and take a break too.

7. Buy a book

Buying a book doesn’t cost you a lot – it is in fact a very enjoyable thing to do.

Don’t you love the smell of a new book when you leaf through the pages?

It’s heavenly, right?

But you don’t like reading?

Well, in that case, you should go back to number 4 and let your cerebrum and nerves take in the information about the benefits of reading to your well-being.

8. Have yourself a massage

If it’s not self-care for you, I don’t know how you will call it.

To make it more clear to you, here are the benefits of massage that it makes an effective self care idea:

  • provides relaxation
  • reduces muscle tension
  • improves circulation
  • reduces pain
  • helps you sleep better
  • lowers blood pressure

Remember, with the absence of physical complaints, your mental well-being doesn’t have any reason to go haywire, and so vice-versa.

9. Cook something new or special.

Cooking is not only a chore -especially for moms out there. Hearing and reading the word chore doesn’t sit well – it means, a task, an unwanted one.

But cooking doesn’t have to be a chore, a task and unwanted, especially if you learn now that cooking is a big stress reliever.

When we say cooking in this context, it shouldn’t limit you to boiling water or making sunny-side-up eggs.

Please, you can do more than that. If you seriously suck in cooking, this is a great book for you.

Aside from relieving stress, cooking improves your social life too. Cooking doesn’t have to be done alone and at your home.

You can go to your friend’s house or cook together with your partner – it also enhances your relationship.

Additionally, cooking at home helps you save time and money from going out and dining in.

It doesn’t only benefit you mentally and socially, but you become creative from cooking.

Here are some cookbooks you should check out:

  1. Super Easy Cookbook for Beginners: 5-Ingredient Recipes and Essential Techniques to Get You Started in the Kitchen
  2. Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for Beginners 2021: 1000+ Quick & Easy Mouth-Watering Recipes To build healthy habits | Change your Eating Lifestyle with 12 weeks of smart Meal plan!
  3. 30-Minute Cooking for One: 85 No-Waste Recipes Made Easy

10. Watch a film

Did you work a lot these past few days?

Take a break and watch some film. If you want, you can even binge-watch for the whole weekend.

But making it the whole week or whole month is not productive anymore, so better be careful before you get an Amazon-Prime Dependent Disorder or a Netflix-Abused Disorder.

Please, I just invented those disorders, but there might be names soon if we don’t watch out.

11. Reward yourself with a bubble bath

Usually, after a long day at work when you got home, you just jump in the shower, eager to call it a day and scoot straight to your bed.

Rather at times, sadly, instead of going straight to the world of slumber, you’re still caressing your phone.

But, if you prepare yourself a bubble bath and stay in it – you get more advantages than sulking in your bed after a hard day while you watch others’ perfect lifestyle displayed on the screen on your phone.

So instead of taking a quick shower, why not reward yourself, at least twice or thrice a week a bubble bath?

So here’s why you should take a bubble bath as part of your self care routine and should be on your checklist every day:

  • Bath relieves stress – heck, just the feel of the warm water is already splendid.
  • It makes you already sleepy and tired afterwards.
  • It also alleviates cold and flu symptoms.
  • It boosts the immune system.
  • Bath is a massage to your muscles in a form of water.

If you’re anxious about having a bath, thinking that it might not be good for you -you can’t go wrong with this foaming bath to complete your self-care regimen for the day.

12. Drink water.

I am guilty as charged.

So I am creating this self care list for myself and for women who don’t have the habit of drinking a lot of water a day.

I presume everyone knows the benefits of drinking water.

For fellow women, I know, what would drive you to drink more water from now on – water gives you great skin.

Having healthy skin means you look younger than your age, with the absence or minimal skin ageing signs.

If you drink water adequately, your hair will also benefit from it; it will look glossy (like your skin), shiny and thick.

13. Declutter Social Media Accounts

You don’t need a lot of followers and friends online. Social media is filled with fake accounts, personalities and influencers. You don’t need these extra pieces of baggage in your life.

You better focus on your real life -on real friends and loved ones.

Your value is way greater than answering non-sense direct messages which would only lead to some flimflam.

Decluttering your social media accounts saves you from unwanted information you might encounter online.

How to declutter social media accounts:

  • Remove Facebook friends who you don’t know personally
  • Remove Facebook friends who (seem to) have fake profiles (Here’s how to spot a fake account)
  • Remove Facebook friends who don’t have nice to say on their wall
  • Remove Facebook friends who think Facebook is their personal diary
  • Remove Facebook friends who only post nudes and other vulgar things (might be a fake profile though)

I guess, you already know what I meant. To say it in a rather overt manner, you don’t need these online people in your life who don’t influence you positively. It applies also in a real life – later on about that.

14. Throw away things you don’t need anymore.

Gurl, that’s your home, not a junk shop.

You might hear that from a friend if you always have this habit of collecting things that are not usable anymore – in other words – trash.

It might be a form of collection, maybe you think, you would need these things later.

But can’t you see, they’re piling up already, eating up spaces in your home, in your personal area, crowding you in, filling your senses and before you know it, it corners you already and you can’t escape from it.

Before it suffocates you mentally and swallows your home, learn how to let go of things you don’t need anymore.

You can start learning Mari Kondo’s way of tidying. .

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You can watch her videos on Netflix – if you’re into organizing and tidying, that show is for you.

Please, don’t add more trash today especially if you’re allergic to dust and mess.

15. Remove negative people in your life

Now, that might sound a little bit harder for some, but come to think of it, you’re doing it for your own welfare and happiness.

I have also noticed, removing people online and in real life doesn’t have a huge difference.

  • You don’t need these people who don’t drive you to be a better version of yourself
  • You don’t need this type of people who think you’re a complaining office (I don’t know if that exists)
  • You don’t need nasty mean individuals around your person.
  • You don’t need fake friends.

If you have successfully attained that, you are saving yourself from more stress to come if you surround yourself with these people above.

Apart from those self care activities mentioned above, here are other ideas you can reward yourself with because you deserve it:

  • Buy yourself a new outfit.
  • Sit in a park.
  • Enjoy alone time.
  • Go window shopping.
  • Go to a beauty or spa salon.
  • Put on some makeup or try on your best outfit.

Self-care is a personal matter. It depends on you on how you care for yourself, mentally and physically.

But always remember, taking care of yourself first is not a selfish idea.

So, tell me how you take care of yourself.

Do you do these things above or what do you think about these self-care idea.

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