Take better care of yourself and your psyche without spending a cent! Our free self-care ideas help you help yourself and your business through a healthier you. The more you care about a healthier you and put those thoughts into practice, the more productive you become. Your future self and your business will be more successful as a result of actions you take today. Reap the benefits of the compound effect of self-care.
Self-care must be part of your day, and not only is it beneficial, it can be completely free! As an entrepreneur, time is always of the essence. You maximize your own productivity when you are at your best.
You maximize your creativity when your mind is healthy and less stressed. Since your budget is also something that probably weighs on your mind, you need to take care of yourself without taking away precious time or dollars. Wellness matters, but your choices don’t need to come with a monetary price tag.
Adding completely free self-care actions and activities into your day is the solution. Taking care of you and nurturing your wellbeing can be as simple as taking a walk or using a breathing app to make sure you pause throughout the day. It can be affirmations or repeating positive mantras.
You can have a routine – or not. Maybe your routine is no routing at all. Your goal might be to include something for you each day, be it ever so simple. What matters is that you prioritize taking care of yourself.
Self-care actions work best when you allow the effects to compound over time. When you do a little at a time, consistently over time, it’s not overwhelming for you, and the effects add up. Each positive result basically layers on top of the other positive results.
Have you read Darren Hardy’s book, “The Compound Effect?” If not, look it up. Maybe that can be your next act of self-care – read just 1 page a day. Or 1 page per week, if that’s all the time you’ve got. Don’t create something stressful, just understand how compounding works.
I refer to the concept of compounding all the time. We often think of it as a banking term, but it’s much more. Just saving early on in life allows compounding interest gets you to levels that are so hard to make up later in life, the same thing happens with eating, vices such as smoking, drugs, alcohol, and sunshine.
Eating for fuel vs. fuel leads to energy or short-term sugar spikes, and a host of long-term positives – or negatives.
Sunshine is so good for us both mentally and physically, but gone are the days when baking in the sun, slathered in oil was a good choice. Some love the color and summery feel, but later in life, we’re fighting weathered skin, extra wrinkles, sunspots, and cancer. Now we put sunscreen on before heading out to the pool or beach, and we take extra good care of our children. But how long does it take to put on a day cream or a heavier sunscreen before working outside or going for a run? Keep small ones in your car or purse or on a keychain. We all forget. Don’t get mad at yourself, just make it handy. Help yourself succeed.
What else? Where else can you add bits of self-care that will compound and help your overall situation?
Write a list – A literal list
a gratitude list ~ a playlist
a to-do list that includes: go for walk + bring your water bottle
maybe you bring it but remembering to refill your water bottle never comes to mind!
A bucket list.
How do I begin to practice self-care?
It starts with knowing who you are, and using mindfulness and metacognitive insights.
Well, who are you? Self-care is about all that person.
This week, take 15 minutes a day and ponder.
- What about my life is perfect?
- What do I like?
- What do I do for me?
- What should I do for me?
- What makes me smile? When do I feel happy?
What can I add in that’s big or small but totally free that will make me smile and create satisfaction?
It could be remembering sunscreen. It could be exercising for the good endorphins or because future you will benefit.
Lift your mood. Consider your mental wellbeing.
Think of it as layering in some help or as a type of reset with new goals. Focus on whatever part of your life needs that positive boost.
For me, it was what I ate, avoiding exercise, and my bedtime routine became pumped full of negativity on social media due to my changing algorithm.
I didn’t (and still don’t) have extra money to spend, so retail therapy or expensive coffee was not the solution.
For me, surviving lean years is about the compound effect of using free napkins or using the backsides of printed paper for notes. It’s making coffee at home, so I can splurge on seafood or pineapple that’s already cut. It’s cutting my own pineapple for $2 so I can buy premade salad for 2x the price of a head of lettuce. When you live in the land of high taxes or lose your job or you kids need new sneakers – or YOU need new sneakers – you find ways to get by.
Determining your personal list of self-care ideas
If you determine your primary issue is physical health that will benefit from better food choices and/or exercise, start there.
If it is financial and what you want vs. what you actually need spell “opportunity?”
An answer to both might be: “beans and rice, and rice and beans.”
Choosing food that is actual fuel vs. wasted calories may mean passing on a dozen donuts, but allowing yourself to have 1 every other week.
Choosing food for the price, may have you making coffee at home but knowing compounding interest as the phrase “live long and prosper” speaks to you.
Self-care ideas that are completely free!
Think in categories ~ or be purposely random.
Whatever is interesting and might help you relax is a great place to start & will spark new ideas!
Let your mind wander.
If that’s too stressful… think about what you’re grateful for, and create your own list.
There are PLENTY of ways to practice completely free self-care!
Stay in or go out. Immerse yourself in a crowd – or in nature. However you personally recharge is what you are looking for.
You’ll find your self-care in apps, though the ideas of others, and by journaling. Be open to new ideas!
Read.
- Wander through a bookstore and just look through various sections. Sit. Flip some pages.
- What speaks to you? Hardcover, soft cover, download – electronic versions?
- Free is completely possible. Go to the library. Borrow from neighbors.
- What type of books? It could be a novel. A classic. Simply a great story.
- Reading is also books of jokes, pictures with captions, and recipes.
- If you like stories but can’t sit and read, listen while driving or while walking 15 minutes a day.
What did you think of the library? Is there a network of libraries in your area? Use them.
- Take a walk or drive to a historical library. Sit and rest. Absorb. Look at the windows. Flip through the books. Read a page.
- Go find beautiful libraries 2x a year. Make it an adventure to walk through and browse. Share with neighbors and friends or post a positive recommendation.
Use a planner.
Journal.
Organize yourself – with containers, boxes, or brief lists on a planner.
Dream and list what you need to put off today but can do next season.
Need inspiration? Think “pictures” and images that speak to you.
Create a vision board.
If you don’t have time or don’t want to, make a Pinterest of FB save file and just save pins or posts with great images or recipes for another day. At least you won’t lose them.
Meditate.
Stretch.
Go outside and walk.
You can run up and down your driveway.
You can walk or run up and down steps.
Be the gal on TikTok who simply uses a concrete foundation block.
Go to a gym – or literally create inspiration using a garage or a curb.
Assess your skincare routine.
Create a simple skincare routine. Start with 1 product you already have in the closet.
Create a face mask from items in your pantry. Do it once a week. Once a month.
Take a bath
Add bubbles.
Or don’t.’
Some people do say though, “Happiness is a long hot bubble bath.”
Take a shower
Set aside 5 extra minutes 3x a week to use lotion.
Borrow a magazine.
Read a book.
Listen to a book.
Google online stories.
Listen to a podcast.
None of this needs to break the bank. Use what you have. It can simply be choosing to sit for 5 minutes a day in an area of your home that you love with coffee or water. It’s sitting there with a piece of paper or your notes app and working on your meal prep ideas for next week. Those moments count as self-care. Taking time for you is showing self-love.
Take a nap.
Go for a walk.
Or a bike ride.
Practice yoga.
Do a good turn – do a random act of kindness – planned or unplanned.
A smile is a random act of kindness. More so than we know.
Massage your neck and do shoulder rolls.
Stand up.
Give yourself a manicure.
What do you have around that can be repurposed? Take it to a shelter or donation center.
Bake or take a surprise gift to your local VFW.
Message a friend.
Cook a good meal for yourself..
Or for that friend.
Surprise a family member just because.
Light a candle.
Back to walking…
Walk the beach
or a trail. or around the block. or up and down your driveway.
Breathe deeply.
You don’t drink water?
Drink 1 extra glass of water first thing in the morning.
Just 8 ounces. Or 6.
Do it twice a day.
More ways to practice self-care
Unplug.
Meditate.
Pray.
- Go to church this week.
- Try a new church.
- Take a drive to a historic church and walk the ground.
- Celebrate the works of art in an historic cemetery.
If you haven’t been getting a good night’s sleep, consider options that help boost your ability to relax at night.
- Create a new bedtime routine.
- Assess your timing, your lighting, caffeine intake throughout the day.
- Write a thank you note to yourself.
If you appreciate yourself and your mind isn’t racing, perhaps you will sleep. If you do or if you don’t, give yourself grace. If your mind is racing, use a notepad beside your bed to write down what you need to do or remember in the morning, and let it go.
- Sleep in on your day off.
- Go to bed early one day each week.
- Play nature sounds or try colored noise.
- Try a calming breathing techniques.
Watch the clouds.
Look at the stars.
Use a free app like Skyview, and notice what’s up there.
Watch the sunrise.
Or sunset.
Put seeing the next full moon rise or set on your calendar.
How about a self-care routine that changes day to day?
Today it’s about a clutter on your desk. Tomorrow it’s packing a healthy lunch. The day after you are journaling or reading a new favorite newsletter.
For example, you planned to take a walk in the park. But it rained. Or you ran out of time. Don’t be frustrated. It’s an opportunity for another day. So walk up and down your steps 5x. Or listen to an inspirational or fun podcast. Do an online word search.
Google the word self-care and see what comes up. What tops someone else’s list? Go do that instead.
Do you like to draw, or paint
What are your hobbies?
Don’t remember?
Never had any?
There’s no better time to enjoy a hobby.
It could literally be noticing birds as you walk.
Taking 25 pictures and keeping or sharing a favorite.
Draw. Paint.
Color.
Needlepoint. Knit.
Detox. Declutter. Your body. Your closet. Your relationships. Whatever. Pick one.
Too scary?! Okay. Just sip a cup of green tea. Hot or iced. Dilute it, and squeeze in a couple drop of Mio or honey.
Play music that inspires you to dance alone.
Or go out and dance.
Visit someone.
Spend quality time with a loved one.
Like actual quality time. 30minutes. 2 hours.
Write a list of compliments to yourself.
Do a jigsaw puzzle.
Declutter your social media.
Consciously update your social media algorithms – stop doomsday scrolling and purposely watch for fun.
For example, I used to relax at night by watching videos. They were fun, and made me laugh. Then suddenly I used the videos for news and to hear opinions and my feed became much more negative and political. The news made me so sad, and I couldn’t shake it. My kids noticed. I felt it.
As much as I felt addicted to the sensational aspects of it, I knew I had to stop it. Where I once enjoyed news that was interesting and led to great family discussions, this was no longer interesting to talk about and lightly debate. It was just sensational and depressing
I started unfollowing those posting these items, and those that argued and spewed hate toward anyone. I didn’t want to become uninformed, but I also needed to save my sanity.
Self-care tips
- Check in with yourself regularly.
- Remember consistency yields dividends.
- Consistency can be a set routine or doing something different each day.
- Create checks and balances that offset laziness and forgetfulness.
- Even when it’s helping someone else, the self-care aspect benefits you too.
- If self-care becomes a negative stressor, make a different choice.
- Self-care is not a chore.
- Give yourself grace.
Think about you. Past. Present. And future. How do you make yourself proud? Did you build on what younger you learned? Will your you benefit from the choices you make today?
Go for a walk. Or don’t. This is about you, but…
Start somewhere. One extra flight of steps or 6 ounces of water on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Taking 15 minutes in the morning to clear your phone or email. Small steps are steps, and they add up. Adding a reminder to go out and see the full moon – or if it’s cloudy, to catch tomorrow’s sunset are all steps. Free ways to incorporate self-care activities are all around you.
You are human. Give yourself grace. Be grateful that you were given the opportunity to wake up and experience this day. What will you do with the gift of tomorrow? You got this.
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