Daily life can be overwhelming. Taking some extra time to care for yourself is important to help keep stress levels down. Why not enjoy a self care Saturday? The point of having a “self-care Saturday” is to carve out some time from your busy week for you — and to indulge the body and mind.
It’s easy to neglect self-care. You’re swamped at work, and you might also have children at home. You could be caring for an ailing friend or an elderly loved one. But spending too much time focusing on other people and not focusing enough on yourself could lead to burnout.
Here are a few self-care Saturday ideas you might want to consider. Setting aside one day each week to take care of your own needs might just be one of the best decisions you’ve ever made in your life.
Common Misconceptions Regarding Self-Care
There are a lot of flat-out nonsensical ideas floating around regarding why self-care is somehow a bad thing. But it’s critically important to your health that you take the time to rest and recharge – not just for your physical health, but also your emotional health and mental health, too.1
Before you commit to a self-care routine, you’ll want to clear your mind of some of the ridiculous noise that’s out there. Here are just a few examples.
- You’re being selfish – Actually, the opposite is true. When you rest and refresh, you’ll not only feel more energy, you’ll also be less likely to become frustrated with other people. It actually benefits those around you.
- The benefits won’t last long – It’s true, to some extent, that doing things such as taking a soothing bubble bath or indulging in a massage only bring temporary pleasure. But that’s not what true self-care is all about. It really means finding things that make you feel refreshed and re-energized over time.
- It’s just for women – Anyone can experience burnout, no matter their gender. So, it only makes sense that any person could reap huge potential long-term benefits from establishing a self-care routine.2
Why Have a Self-Care Saturday?
Whatever day of the week you choose, taking a day to turn off and focus on your self care is key. Just about everybody is busy. It’s very easy to fall into certain habits that can seem nearly impossible to break, like working 10-12 hour days. When you do this, it can be challenging to immediately switch into “relax mode.” By taking a day to unwind with self care, you might actually boost your productivity even higher.3
If you burn yourself out, you’ll put yourself at risk for physical or emotional issues. Getting into a self-care regimen may help.4
How To Create A Self-Care Saturday For Yourself
There is no black-and-white, set-in-stone manual for how to get into a self-care routine. Whatever works for you, and whatever gets you recharged is fine. Here are a few free self-care Saturday activities to think about.
Cooking
There are a lot of reasons to cook a fantastic meal – one you love to prepare. Here are just a few.
- It engages your creativity – Cooking a favorite meal is an excellent way to let your creative juices flow. Cooking is a legitimate creative outlet. Feel free to experiment with dishes you might not have previously attempted or to tweak current ones you have in rotation.
- You’ll save money – Sure, eating out is fun, and having something delivered is incredibly convenient. But it’s also expensive. Cooking lets you stretch your budget, and you – not someone you don’t know – will be in control of everything.
- You can keep it simple – Even if your favorite dish doesn’t involve trying to follow a long list of instructions, that doesn’t mean it can’t be delicious. A humble soup or entrée can be just as awesome as a more extravagant dish.5
Take A Nap With Absolutely No Guilt
Most offices would frown on naps during work hours. Even if you work from home, your days are probably so jam-packed with responsibilities that you can’t even think of getting in a quick snooze. But naps are great – and they’re great for your health as well. These are just a few of the reasons why a nap should be a big part of your self-care Saturday.
- You’ll see a performance boost – If you find yourself rundown on a regular basis, you’ll be amazed at how alert you’ll feel after just a 30-minute nap.
- You could experience memory benefits – Naps can help you do a better job of retaining new information.
- You’ll be in a better mood – When most of us are tired, we can get a little cranky. Taking a nap will help ease your stress and put you in a better position to handle frustrating circumstances.6
Take A Book Outside And Read
There’s nothing much more satisfying than reading a great book on a beautiful day. Reading in general is great, of course. But when you do it outside, there’s something that makes it even more special. These are just a few of the potential benefits of reading books, regardless of where you do it.
- Increased intelligence – Reading gives knowledge. The more knowledge you have, the more intelligent you are. Who wouldn’t want that?
- It exercises the brain – Heading to the gym exercises the body. Reading is a way to give your brain some exercise. Regular reading might even help slow the decline in brain function that can occur with age.
- You’ll relate to people better – Reading can also give you an insight to the emotions of others. While this can apply whether you prefer fiction or nonfiction, it appears that reading fiction can do a better job of promoting empathy.7
Get Away From Technology
Do you feel the need to check your phone or your computer every couple of minutes? If so, trying to get you to avoid technology – even for a day – is probably a huge ask. But there are actually a lot of potential benefits of doing just that, including the following.
- Strengthening your relationships – Imagine that – actually talking to people could help you form stronger bonds with them, and make you more empathetic to others in general.
- Your health will get a boost – Staring at a smartphone or a computer screen on a never-ending basis can lead to repetitive stress on the body. Turning off technology could help you get better sleep, and it might just make you a happier person as well.
- Your brain could use the break – Being addicted to your phone can be just as bad as a drug addiction – like it or not. If you can manage to unplug for just a day, that can help give your brain a little rest.8
Your Needs Are Important
Whether you follow these self care Saturday tips or you choose something else, just try to devote one day a week to your mental and physical health and well-being. You might very well reap the benefits for years to come.
Learn More:
How To Make A Self Care Checklist?
Self Care at Home: How To Create A Meditation Space To Help Calm Your Mind
How To Develop A Self Care Plan?
Sources
- https://www.afcurgentcare.com/blog/debunking-the-myths-of-self-care/
- https://www.afcurgentcare.com/blog/debunking-the-myths-of-self-care/
- https://www.snhu.edu/about-us/newsroom/health/what-is-self-care
- https://www.snhu.edu/about-us/newsroom/health/what-is-self-care
- https://mindyourmind.ca/blog/12-days-self-care-9-reasons-give-cooking-shot
- https://health.clevelandclinic.org/napping-3-proven-health-benefits/
- https://www.realsimple.com/health/preventative-health/benefits-of-reading-real-books
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/meimeifox/2019/09/24/8-reasons-why-you-should-unplug-one-day-a-week/?sh=a80e76e1b792
