FIVE SELF-CARE HABITS TO YOUR BEST SELF EVERYDAY
If you thought self-care was something only the rich or people with too much free time on their hands could afford to do, think again. It’s one of the most important practices for every single human’s well-being. Think about it. If your life is full of responsibilities and others that depend on you, how good are you to these duties if you’re not operating at 100%? Self-care is something we truly value at Wuli, and we believe it’s something everyone can achieve with just a few, easy habits.
Immediate benefits are sure to make you feel amazing, but it’s the long-term advantages of applying them often that can help you awaken your best self every day. Here are five easy habits you can start tomorrow.
1. Get Walking For At Least An Hour
One of the greatest lessons the COVID lockdowns taught us was how much we took the outdoors for granted. Being allowed a few precious minutes or hours outside each day became almost like a prized gift! Whether it was exercise or a trip to the shops, we actually looked forward to the outdoors.
Now is the time to make it part of your regular routine. Walking even for just one hour a day is proven to offer dozens of benefits from stimulating our mind and body to of course getting in a good sweat. If you’re tempted to make a trip to the treadmill instead, don’t! Walking in the same space for an hour is not the same as passing by a new park or discovering a new coffee shop 5 kilometres from home. Get those feet on real pavement! Whether you do it first thing in the morning or after work, make time for this habit and watch how far it carries you.
Pro Tip: Of course, you’re gonna need some motivation and stimulation. So make sure you do the walk with a friend or loved one. If you prefer walking solo, ditch the music playlist and get into Podcasts! Music is great, but it can be a distraction. With Podcasts, you get to have a central thing to focus on while your feet are on autopilot.
Not sure where to start on Podcast? Pick a topic you are curious about and search channels like Spotify, Google or Apple. We guarantee you’ll find one to your fancy.
2. Check-In With 1 Person That Matters
If you’re in a relationship or have kids, this one is easy. But for the rest of us, it takes effort. If COVID taught us anything, it’s that humans crave connection. Zoom became so popular in the pandemic it’s basically now a verb! Love it or hate it, without the platform (and reliable internet) human connections would sure have been harder in lockdown. Now that we can all meet again, make it count. Whether it’s 15 minutes face to face over coffee, or 15 minutes on Zoom with that friends on the other side of the planet, commit yourself to checking in with someone who matters to you. It could be daily or every second to third day. Have a conversation on what’s happening in their world, ask questions that help you see how they’re feeling.
Remember that rule that most people love talking about themselves when prompted. So when you ask questions, you’re building and re-affirming your bond. How? Because one quality check-in will always be worth more than a few DMs on Facebook or Messenger.
3. Make Shower / Bath Time Really Count
Shower or bath time for a lot of people is the only real “Me Time” you get in a day. So whether it’s 20 minutes or an hour, make it count!
If you only have time for a shower, here are three easy things to help set you up for great self-care:
- Get a damn good showerhead – don’t just cleanse your body, give it a mini spa treatment. Plenty of showerheads exist with built-in massage features from as little as $23 on Amazon.
- Get your scalp tingling – For hair wash day, nothing beats a good scalp massager. Between the warm water jets and gentle scalp scrubbing your whole instantly get that heavenly feeling. Oh, and hair tangles will instantly get sorted.
- Get to scrubbing (your feet) – Carry that soothing sensation all the way to your toes with a pumice stone or foot scrub filer.
More inclined to a bath? Here’s what to do:
- Get some content roaring – Whether it’s your favourite TV show, movie or music playlist, set the mood right with content that entertains.
- Make a drink – tea, coffee or a cheeky cocktail. Remember, this is YOUR time, so treat yourself.
- Light a candle – might sound cheesy, but what’s the harm in bringing the spa experience home? Especially if it smells good.
4. Entertain Yourself Before Bed
Let’s be honest, that age-old mantra to avoid screen time before bed is just not what most us will do. If reading a book before bed is your cup of tea, great! Keep at it. But if there’s a TV in your bedroom, then make it count.
If you’re anything like us, there’s probably one TV show you’ve watched religiously for years and it’s now basically background noise. Give it a play with a sleep timer set and enjoy it while you doze off.
5. Get Your Hair On Point
Invest 5 – 10 spare minutes in your day to styling and nourishing your hair and watch your self-care game jump a few notches up. It’s one of the easiest new habits to adopt and even easier with Wuli’s no-fuss, all-natural range of styling products. Whether it’s the Curl Cream, Matte Balm, Shine Balm or Sea Salt Spray, adding some nourishment to your hair (and scalp) puts your best foot forward for the day or night ahead.