How To Have The Perfect Self-Care Night – Our Ultimate Checklist

Life can get pretty crazy, and sometimes all you need is a Friday night at home to decompress and unwind. And what better way to get you through a long week than knowing you’ve got a cozy self-care night waiting for you? We’re here to help you plan that perfect self-care night to pamper yourself and show yourself some much-deserved self-love! So get ready to set your phone to “do not disturb,” put your feet up and CHILL. Let’s get into it. 

Firstly, What is Self-Care?

Self-care is a super trendy phenomenon making the rounds on all social media platforms. But what is it, you ask?  Self-care is any activity or action that tends to your needs. Those needs can be emotional, physical, mental, or for some people, spiritual. It can be as simple as drinking enough water, getting enough ZZZ’s or taking the time to move your body. 

Why You Should Practice Self-Care

You might not think you have the time to add yet another task to your to-do list. But by practicing self-care and tending to your needs, all areas of your life can reap the benefits. Self-care helps us take a step back, breathe, and check-in with ourselves.

It can help you de-stress, improve your emotional and mental health, increase positive thinking and make you a better friend and partner. By practicing self-care, you’re also avoiding burnout from a stressful job or heavy workload. And most importantly, it will allow you to experience a deeper connection with yourself. 

Your Guide to The Perfect Self-Care Night

Set up Your Sanctuary

The first step to having the perfect self-care night is setting up your sanctuary with the right atmosphere and ambiance. You might want to light some scented candles to diffuse scents of jasmine and sandalwood throughout your home to promote relaxation. Or, if aromatherapy is more your thing, grab your preferred essential oils and turn on your diffuser.

Play your favorite music, brew a cup of chamomile tea, and have your robe at the ready to get your cozy self-care night started!

Unwind in The Tub

What better place to unwind and melt away the stresses of the week than in the tub? A glass of red wine is optional (but recommended!) Otherwise, opt for iced tea to keep your thirst quenched.

Level up your bath time experience with a luxurious, hydrating bubble bath. Or soothe your body and promote relaxation with some Epsom salts. Want to binge reality shows while in the tub? This bath tray will allow you to do just that, plus it doubles as a wine (or tea) holder. Win-win! 

Set Your Phone to “Do Not Disturb”

Your self-care night may not be so relaxing if you’re constantly getting work emails or text notifications from your group chat. I know it sounds scary switching your phone off for the evening. But, it will allow you to relax without distractions. 

Tell your loved ones you’ll be switching your phone off for the night and not to freak out if they don’t hear from you. Don’t worry! You’ll be able to catch up on the latest social media goss after your self-care night. 

Process Your Thoughts by Journaling

Now that your sanctuary is zen and your phone is out of sight, it’s time for the ultimate self-care activity – journaling. Journaling might sound a little daunting, but it’s really quite simple. Journaling is the act of writing down your thoughts and feelings to get them off your chest and to understand them better.

There aren’t any rules to journaling, and you can simply write about how you’re feeling. But, if the thoughts aren’t flowing, try a journal prompt instead. “What am I grateful for? What do I love about myself? “ These are all excellent prompts that will help you kick-start your journaling practice. If you need more tips on journaling for self-love, click here. 

Breath With Meditation/Yoga

Would the ultimate self-care night be complete without meditation or yoga?! Allowing yourself the time and space to sit alone with your thoughts is extremely beneficial. It lets you process the information overload in your mind to de-stress, practice mindfulness, and gain a new perspective on stressful situations. 

You could opt for a guided mediation, mantra meditation, or mindfulness meditation. Or you could take your meditation to your mat and flow through yoga poses while you breathe. 

Do Your Thing

The last and maybe the most important step to having the perfect self-care night is doing what you love. Take the time to do activities that bring you joy – be it baking cookies, watching 90s romcoms, or crocheting. Or use your self-care night as the perfect opportunity to try something new! Wine and paint night?

After your self-care night, keep prioritizing doing things that bring you joy. It’s easy for a busy schedule to get in the way while your passions take the backseat. But you might find the more you make your passions a priority, the happier you’ll be. Try it out!

Make Your Perfect Self-Care Night a Habit

Could your self-care night be your new self-care routine? Now that you know how you can practice self-care at home, it’s time to make it a habit! Perhaps you want to reserve one night a week for your dedicated “me-time.” Or maybe, after work, you set aside one hour a day to tend to your needs.

If you’re worried you won’t be able to fit your self-care practice into your busy schedule, can you set aside 10 minutes instead? I know it doesn’t sound like a lot. But in 10 minutes, you can complete a page in your journal and practice 5 minutes of mindfulness meditation! Even simple activities like that can have an immense impact on your mindset for the day. You got this!

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