‘Self care’ is definitely a 2016 buzz word.

Endless blog posts, podcasts and articles have been published on the importance of it.

But after I wrote a post about taking time out to invest in myself, the questions and comments I got showed me that actually, most people my age don’t know how to practice self care at all, and find the whole concept alien and dated.

Here are some ways you can spend some time on you this week, without the lavender oil and meditation.

1. Take a working bath. 

The prospect of siting in the bath for an hour stewing is boring for some people, so take a iPad to watch a TV show on; something that doesn’t require too much concentration, like Love and Hip Hop (obviously rest the iPad on a stool outside the bath, don’t hold it.)

Depending on the time of day, take in a cup of tea or a rum and Coke, and chill.

Once you’ve finished your drink, its time to get round to those tasks you always dread: deep conditioning your hair, exfoliating your skin and shaving your legs (OK, maybe the rum wasn’t such a good idea.)

Lush do the most amazing bath bombs that will turn the water all kinds of crazy colours and leave you smelling pretty good too.

 

2. Turn off your damn phone. 

It’s OK to be unavailable sometimes. We don’t realise it, but we can’t truly relax if our phones are on, there’s always that voice in the back of our minds telling us to check it.

The lights and noises from a phone also interrupt your sleep pattern, so make sure it’s on airplane mode when you go to bed for maximum relaxarion.

 

3. Download Pinterest and put together a goals board. 

I have a secret board called Future Phoebe, you don’t have to show anyone at all, but it’s a good way to focus yourself at the begginning of a week.

Pinterest is the most positive social media platform I’m on, and it’s great to surround yourself with positive imagery of where you want to be, and what it will look like when you get there.

 

4. Make a playlist full of only chilled out songs. 

No trap, no grime, and no one needs to see it. It should be full of songs that you could get a massage or fall asleep to. Listen to it when you get home from work to get rid of any thoughts of work.

 

5. On that note, get a massage. 

I thought massages were so weird until I had one at Lush Spa. DJ Khaled gets one every week, don’t feel the need to snapchat yours though.

 

6. Write down your thoughts or record them. 

Start with a question like:

– what are the most important things in the world to me?
– what traits do I have that I really don’t like?
– when was the last time I was truly happy?

And let your answers flow freely, no one needs to read it.

 

7. Make decisions with yourself at the centre. 

Stop going to lunch with someone you don’t like because they’re bored. Or going to that same club because your friends like it.

Learn the power of the word no, while still being respectful.

 

8. Get your room or house in order. 

Whether you live at home or alone, a clean and tidy space can instantly change your mood and make you feel in control.

I’m scared of fire, but candles are a great way to change the atmosphere of a room if you feel like it’s full of failure, sadness or bad habits.

Instead of candles I use gospel music and a reed diffuser (I got mine for about £1.50 from Primark.)

 

9. Plan ahead of time. 

Going in to a week with a schedule means you actually get things for yourself done, when someone asks you “do you want to go to Shoreditch on Thursday” you can look at your schedule and say “I can’t sorry, I’m going to the gym.”

 

10. Spend a Friday and Saturday night at home. 

Scary right?! But when I spoke to people about whether they felt they took good care of themselves everyone said something like “I’m always out” or “I never stop, my weekends are so busy.”

Whether you spend it working on your side hustle, catching up on RHOA or sleeping, take a weekend off, you don’t get paid to party.

What are your best self care tips? Share them in the comments.

 

You can now sign up to my email list to receive my free workbook on how to market your content effectively on and offline: http://eepurl.com/b2rdHP 

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” – 1 Corinthians 6:19 – 20