Ways to Incorporate Self-Care into Your Daily Routine

Morning Mindfulness: Start Your Day with Intention

A new dawn is the ideal time to set the intention for the rest of the day. One way to do this is by incorporating a morning meditation or mindfulness practice. Doing so can help reduce stress, increase connection and focus and clear your mind—readying your psyche for the rest of the day. And it doesn’t have to be overwhelming or take too much time. 

Simple morning mindfulness can include:

• Stretching and waking your muscles, head to toe, before you do anything else, including getting out of bed or looking at your phone (especially looking at your phone). 
• Deep breathing for a few minutes—in through your nose, out through your mouth with focus solely on your breath.
• Practicing a mindful morning routine, including sitting down to eat breakfast and taking the time in the shower or on the drive to work to focus thoughts and calm your mind. 

Tips for setting a positive tone for the day:

• Exercise before work.
• Wake up early enough to give yourself ample time to get ready without rushing.
• Plan the night before.
• Enjoy a healthy, hearty breakfast.
• Avoid checking your phone, unless necessary.
• Hydrate.
• Outline goals and to-dos for the day.
• Establish a morning ritual.

Healthy Breakfast Habits: Nourish Your Body

If it feels like a line you’ve heard a thousand times, it’s because it bears repeating—breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Nourishing your body first thing is an essential building block for success. This powerhouse meal boosts energy, improves mood, stimulates the brain, jumpstarts metabolism, helps control blood glucose and improves concentration. 

Looking for healthy breakfast ideas inspiration? Aspen Valley Hospital Dietitian Demos are here for you. Try these wholesome, fun and flavorful breakfast dishes:

• Buckwheat granola
• Avocado toast with grapefruit salsa
• Veggie hash browns
• Veggie breakfast bowl
• Mango ginger kale protein smoothie
• Pumpkin pie or apple pie overnight oats
• Bacon and egg rice cake portables

Incorporate Movement: Daily Exercise for a Strong Body and Mind

Physical activity is an excellent way to boost your mood and get your blood flowing before the day starts or as a midday break. Benefits of physical activity are too many to count, but a few key ones include:

• Reduced stress
• Stronger bones
• Healthy muscles
• Reduced risk of some cancers
• Reduced risk of depression
• Better heart health
• Weight control
• Brain health
• Better gut health
• More self-confidence
• Better sleep
• Lower blood pressure
• Stronger immune system
• Increased life span
• Lower anxiety

Daily is Best

Incorporating even a small dose of daily physical activity can have big and long-lasting effects. If you don’t have time to get to the gym, consider a lunch hour nature walk, hike or cross country ski. Having a small selection of hand weights, yoga mat and stretch band can remove the barrier to entry for at-home exercise. 

Make a list of simple exercises you can do every day to strengthen your body and calm your mind:

• Squats
• Pushups
• Lunges
• Planks
• Burpees
• Crunches
• Pullups
• Jumping jacks
• Jumping rope
• Bridges
• Running

Aim for 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity every week. Consider walking, running, hiking, Nordic skiing, swimming or biking for at-the-ready options. 

Hydration Check: Drink More Water Throughout the Day

Drinking enough liquids—ideally enough water—every day massively increases your personal wellness. Benefits include increased energy and physical performance, skin hydration, joint health, improved digestion, fewer headaches, weight loss and better cardiovascular health. Women should try to drink at least 92 ounces (11.5 cups) every day and men should up that to 124 ounces (15.5 cups). 

Not a big water drinker? Here are some ways you can increase your daily water intake:

1. Flavor your water with cucumber slices, limes, lemons or seasonal berries. 
2. Track how much you’re drinking by using a water bottle that includes fluid ounce measurements. 
3. Get a water filter. If you don’t love the taste of tap water, consider investing in a filter that improves the flavor. 
4. Purchase a sturdy water bottle you can take with you on the go. 
5. Make drinking water a part of your daily routine, e.g. a glass every meal, after exercise and before you leave and as soon as you get home from work or school.

Scheduled Breaks: Give Yourself Permission to Pause

We live in a go-go-go society, so it can be hard to pencil in down time, but it’s a great way to maintain a healthy mindset—and reduce the risk of burnout—from sunup to sundown. Stepping back from work, screens, school or studying can give your brain a break and allow your mind to recharge for a few moments. This small reset can be enough to carry you through the next demanding part of your day. 

Ideas for quick relaxation techniques during work or busy days include:

• Practice deep breathing
• Spend a few minutes meditating mid-day
• Find a yoga class you like
• Spend time doing art or reading a book
• Listen to music or a podcast
• Try aromatherapy
• Get up from your desk to make a cup of tea
• Walk or spend time with a pet
• Go for a short walk

Practice Gratitude: Cultivate a Positive Mindset

Being grateful has taken center stage in our post-pandemic world. We’re more comfortable expressing gratitude and identifying the people in our lives we’re thankful for and with good reason. Gratitude has many benefits, such as:

• Healthier relationships
• Better mental health
• Stress relief
• Decreased negative emotions
• Increased empathy
• Resilience
• Happiness
• Lower stress
• Improved mood

Making gratitude a part of your daily routine creates a ripple effect of positivity. You can integrate gratitude into your daily routine by making a habit of it. 

• Think about one thing you’re grateful for every morning. 
• Practice journaling with a focus on the things in your life for which you’re grateful.
• Give money or time to the organizations you’re passionate about and might have benefited from in the past.
• Spread the love by sharing your gratitude with friends or family via letter, kindness or other quick correspondence that might make someone else’s day.

Mindful Eating: Pay Attention to Your Meals

Food has a tremendous effect on our ability to be present and mindful. All too often we treat food as something we must do instead of something we should enjoy and that nourishes our mind and body. Mindful eating habits are a key way of maintaining a healthy relationship with food and with ourselves. 

Practice these mindful eating habits for an extra boost of self-care and greater food enjoyment:

• Eat when you feel hungry
• Sit down and chew your food thoroughly
• Be grateful for each meal
• Take small bites
• Eat without distractions and put the screens away
• Listen to your body and stop eating once you feel full
• Engage all senses when eating
• Choose smaller portions

Digital Detox: Limit Screen Time for Mental Clarity

Excessive screen time is a quick way to destabilize your personal wellbeing. While we rely on our screens for work and social connection, there is a time and a place to use them, and even more importantly, a time to put them out of sight and out of mind. Too much time on our screens can increase stress and anxiety, affect sleep, impact self-confidence and increase anxiety. It can also cause eye strain and headaches, not to mention potential physical changes to your brain. 

Instead of turning to your phone for comfort, consider these strategies for reducing screen time and staying present:

• If in front of a computer, take regular breaks—stand up, walk around, move into a different room or look out a window
• Don’t eat in front of screens
• Keep screens out of the bedroom
• Use timers or apps to monitor your screen use
• Turn off notifications

Creative Outlets: Engage in a Hobby or Creative Activity

Creating space for creativity is an important aspect of self-care. Creativity comes with a trove of benefits, including:

• An ability to express yourself
• Improved teamwork and collaboration
• Improved mental health
• Stress management
• Enhanced cognitive skills
• Mental stimulation and growth
• New skills
• Personal development

If you’re not feeling inspired about incorporating creativity into your daily routine, here are some things you can try:

• Puzzles
• DIY arts and crafts
• Watercolor painting
• A nature art walk
• Ceramics
• Origami
• Flower arrangements
• Knitting or crocheting
• Photography
• Photo collage
• Scrapbooking
• Sewing

Evening Wind-Down: Create a Relaxing Night Routine

Just as important as kick-starting your day is, so is transitioning into a restful evening. This is another key time to set a routine that lets your body and mind switch from an active daytime state to a more restful nighttime mindset. 

Again, this is an important time to turn away from screens, skip the alcohol, and opt for more relaxing and organic practices. Try turning down the lights, especially during longer summer days, to help prepare your brain for winding down. Play soft or relaxing music or a meditative podcast. Practice restful yoga or pick up your favorite book. Take a warm bath and enjoy a cup of herbal tea. These are all peaceful ways to relax your body and mind and get ready for a restful night’s sleep. 

Reflect and Adjust: Assess Your Self-Care Routine Regularly

Practicing self-care is just that—a practice. It requires reflection and adjustment to ensure it’s sustainable and effective. Take time to think about what’s helpful and what isn’t working, and then adjust your routine accordingly to maintain balance. 

Conclusion

Incorporating self-care into your daily routine is a pillar of wellbeing. It contributes to happiness and longevity. Self-care helps reduce stress and anxiety. It can nurture creativity and strengthen relationships. Spend time assessing which self-care practices might work well for your schedule and lifestyle, then be proactive about pursuing the activities that bring you peace of mind and body.