5 Ways to Add Self-Care to Your Day

By: Jessica Fatih. Published January 25, 2023

Prioritizing self-care and making it a part of your daily routine can help improve your well-being. Adding self-care into your daily routine will help to honor yourself and make each day feel more intentional.

Can you gift yourself the time for self-care throughout your day? Of course, you can. You can always make time for something important. You are important!

Creating a Morning Routine

I get up one to two hours before the rest of my family rises. There is something so sacred about these early morning hours. I wake, get my coffee, sit, watch the sunrise, meditate, pray, think, reflect, and ready myself for the day. I set my intentions for the day. Each day is different but follows a similar pattern.

Here is how you can do it…

Wake up earlier. Create a morning routine that prepares you for a great day.

The time is meant for you. You can structure the extra time in the morning to be most beneficial to give you the best start to the day.

Ideas: work out, walk, meditate, pray, sit, watch the sunrise, journal, or read.

One more tip: When you wake up, think about your intention for the day. Daily intentions can vary each day or follow a theme for the week. Discover your intention by sitting quietly, inhaling and exhaling, and focusing on your heart (or thinking of people or things you love).

Focus on breath

Throughout my day, I ground myself by using deep breathing. I often will focus on my breath and take a few deep breaths. I may add a mantra or take a quiet moment to breathe.

Focusing on breathing throughout the day can help to center yourself and feel calm. When emotions arise, use deep breathing to ride out the feelings. Emotions come and go like waves in the sea. The emotions will subside if you can ride them out with your breath.

Try this…

Another quick and helpful technique is breathing in for a count of four, holding the breath for one second, and exhaling to a count of four.

Honor Yourself

How we take care of ourselves matters. Lovingly take care of yourself. I often think of how I cared for children when they were babies. Feeding them healthy foods and ensuring they were hydrated, comfortable, and dressed appropriately for the temperature. Do they need movement, rest, or play? It’s similar with us. We need all those things throughout the day.

Could you check in with yourself? What do you need to make yourself more comfortable?

Present Moment Practice

Thich Nhat Hanh said, “All rituals are nothing if they are empty of the energy of mindfulness and concentration.” Throughout my day, I often take a minute to be mindful and experience the present moment.

Here is how… 

Use the five senses to slow down and appreciate the present moment. Your five senses (sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell) can help to ground yourself in the present moment. For example, listen to the liquid filling the cup when you pour a cup of tea. Feel the warmth of the cup. Then look at the cup, the liquid, and the color. Look at the world as if you were an artist. See all the details, colors, shadows, and how the light changes. Observe and take it all in. It will feel like you are seeing and experiencing a whole new world. Taste and smell the tea and be aware of all the flavors. 

All that can happen in about a minute and could be done at your desk. Enjoy!

Nighttime Rituals

At the end of the day, take care of yourself and prepare for a night of restful sleep. Nighttime is the perfect time to reflect on your day.

Try This…

Reading, journaling, nighttime meditation or yoga, or taking a bath. Give thanks for your day and focus on the good.

I’d love to hear from you.

Share your tips in the comments below.