7 Life-Changing Self Care Ideas For Women

Looking to prioritize more self-care in your day? Here are 21 self-care ideas for busy women that will have a huge impact on your life.

Whether you are in college pulling all-nighters, a new mom that hasn’t had a full night’s sleep in months, or in a busy career, we all know what it’s like to neglect our own needs.

As women, we can pour so much of our energy into external sources that our needs can take a backseat, leading to major stress and burnout.

Why is self care important? Self-care is the purest form of self love. When you prioritize yourself, you will have higher self-esteem, confidence, and overall life satisfaction.

Whether you are a stay-at-home mom or work full-time, implement these self-care ideas and watch your life change for the better.

This post is about 7 life-changing self care ideas for women

1) Prioritizing Quiet Time

It’s common in today’s day and age to feel overstimulated and overwhelmed. As women, we tend to carry a heavy load from juggling our many responsibilities. Whether that’s the constant noise of children, our never-ending to-do list, excelling at our careers, or keeping up with the home, we all can benefit from quiet time to help regulate our nervous system.

I have two small boys under 5; if I didn’t prioritize quiet time, I would be constantly stressed out and overstimulated. (helloo burnout!)

Whether it’s 15 minutes in the middle of the day or two hours in the evening, carving out this time for yourself will help you find peace and clarity among the chaos of daily life.

As you can see, incorporating quiet time into your self-care routine doesn’t have to be complicated. Allowing yourself the space to clear your thoughts will help you feel more relaxed and increase your overall happiness.

2) Wake Up Early

I know you have heard this before, but it’s true: Waking up early can profoundly impact your life and is one of the best ways to help incorporate self-care into your daily routine.

Waking up early allows you to prioritize your needs before tending to everyone else, whether it’s caring for your children or answering the early morning work emails. You owe it to yourself to take care of YOU first. (Remember, you cannot fill up others’ cups if yours is empty!)

I began to wake up an hour earlier than my kids when my youngest started sleeping through the night around 1 year old. (I see you, sleep-deprived mamas!) This allows me to fill out my morning self-care journal, do some light stretching, drink my coffee in peace and get ready for the day.

I can’t express how much this has helped me as a mother. Filling up my cup before tending to everyone else’s needs has helped me to feel calmer and happier throughout my day.

Try waking up an hour before you need to and use this time to do your morning routine (see next point), and I promise this will help you improve in every area of your life!

3) Start A Morning Routine

This goes with my prior point of waking up early. Having a morning routine that sets your day up for success is crucial to your daily self-care checklist.

I once read that you should aim to implement something from all 4 of these categories in your morning routine.

Depending on how much time you carve out in the morning, your morning routine can take as little as 30 minutes or hours. Here are some examples from each category that you can add to your morning routine:

I highly suggest that you leave off all electronics during your morning routine. I do not touch my phone or go on social media until at least 2 hours after I wake up, and I find this makes a huge difference in my mood and the productivity of my day.

An Example Of A Morning Routine Geared Toward Self-Care:

4) Starting A New Hobby

There is something special about achieving goals that are not attached to your work or personal life but are simply for your own enjoyment.

Doing something you love or always wanted to do can feel motivating and fulfilling. Starting a new hobby or nurturing an old one can be done at any age and is a beautiful form of self-care!

At 31 years old, I’ve decided to take up tennis in the spring as a form of physical self-care. Some other hobbies I have are exercising, reading, baking and hiking. All of these activities bring me joy and fulfillment outside of my personal and work life.

My mom is proof that you can start a new hobby at any age. She took up playing pickleball in her 50s, and she now travels to play in tournaments and is in the best shape of her life!

Think of something you are naturally good at or are interested in. Maybe you have always wanted to learn to make pottery; consider joining a class with a friend. If you have always wanted to learn to crochet, try watching some beginner YouTube videos. There are so many free sources on the internet to help you in whatever you are interested in!

5) Disconnecting From Technology

In this tech-crazed world, being intentional about disconnecting from your devices is crucial to your mental health and spiritual well-being.

Our ancestors never had to worry about anything outside their immediate communities, but in this day and age, the amount of information we are bombarded with daily can be extremely overwhelming for our nervous system.

The constant comparison to others’ perfectly curated lives or the stress that comes with reading every bit of negative news can lead to feelings of anxiety and dissatisfaction with life.

This is where boundaries with technology come in. Being intentional about your social media usage can be one of the best forms of self-care. This allows you to protect your time and energy from the never-ending doom scroll and allows you to be more present in your relationships.

By implementing these tips to disconnect from your device, I know you will be happier and more satisfied in your life!

6) Creating New Connections

In the world of social media, we are as connected as ever, but many have never been as lonely as they are today. Finding new friendships can be challenging at any age, but it is especially hard in adulthood.

When I became a mother, I felt lonelier than ever. I decided to find a new community that aligned with my adult self and interests. I joined a gym, I met new mom friends at the park, and I went to baby classes.

Think about what you love to do or is a big part of your life, and join a group or community that all share similar interests as you.

For Example, if you love hiking, join a hiking group. Or, if you love to rock climb, you can find a group that will go climbing on your days off. Facebook is great for meet-ups and hobby groups.

Meeting new people with similar interests can give you a social and creative outlet from the day-to-day stressors of your life.

7) Prioritizing Your Physical Self-Care

Natural endorphins are nature’s medicine. Exercising can reduce stress, improve your sleep and mood and overall increase your self-esteem. Staying committed to yourself by eating healthy, exercising regularly and taking care of your appearance is the purest form of self-love.

When you are healthy, everything you do becomes easier. Your confidence will shine through and will affect other areas of your life.

When you neglect your physical self-care, it is likely your body will eventually break down, causing illness or injury. You only have one body, treat it with respect, love and care.

Some examples of physical self-care are joining a gym or workout class, planning healthy meals for the week, getting 8 hours of sleep, walking in nature, and taking a relaxing bath.

I am confident that implementing these examples of self-care will have a positive effect on your life. You do not have to implement every one of them, but simply pick what suits your life the best.

If you are a new mom, try to take a bath to relax in the evening while reading a book, or if you have a busy career, maybe try to start a new hobby on the weekends that will fulfill you. There are so many ways we can show ourselves self-love.

Just remember, self-care is not selfish!

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