We at Chuze take self-care very seriously—we see the simple act of caring for our bodies, minds, and hearts as a critical component of keeping us healthy and happy. We recognize that this necessary part of life can go overlooked, and that’s why we want to give this topic as much attention as we can.
Why You Need A Self-Care Routine
Having a daily self-care routine is a way to create a sense of grounding in a world that may feel otherwise chaotic. The beauty of being an individual is that you can shape and mold your day to fit your needs. You have the power to take time for yourself. Doing this will allow you more space to relax, sleep better, and build on the things that you find the most important.
A Self-Care Checklist
Here is a self-care checklist for you to borrow from, but don’t feel obligated to adopt all these suggestions at once. Pick and choose the pieces of this routine that work for you and fit into your schedule. After all, self-care is all about you!
1 | Gratitude Mantra
An excellent habit to form is a daily gratitude mantra. Having gratitude in our lives has been scientifically proven to improve our relationships, mental health and strength, physical health, self-esteem, and more. A fantastic way to start (or end) your day is by either sitting quietly and repeating a gratitude mantra. For example, “I have everything that I need”—or just taking a quiet moment to consider all of the people, things, and opportunities that you have and are grateful for.
2 | Make Your Bed
This may seem a little bit silly, but entire books have been written about how important it is to make your bed first thing in the morning. Doing so provides an immediate sense of accomplishment, which in turn gives your brain a small hit of serotonin and encourages it to seek more of those feel-good neurotransmitters by accomplishing more throughout the day. Making your bed is a simple catalyst for productivity and reduced stress!
3 | Nurture Your Body
Nurturing your body in a way that is special, productive, and meaningful for you is extremely important. Our bodies work their hardest every single day to keep us moving, the least we can do to repay them is try to keep them healthy. This may include a workout (at any level), which has been proven to improve mental health. Perhaps your brand of self-care is more about nurturing yourself with a 10-step skincare routine and putting on your favorite clothes. Nurturing your body might be more about food and finding balance in your diet. Regardless of what nurturing your body means for you, the important thing is that you give it the credit and support it deserves.
4 | Creativity
Bringing more creativity into your life is a way to relieve stress, expand your capacity for critical thinking, and generally bring a great sense of purpose and joy to your day. Just like nurturing your body, this will look different for everyone, and you definitely do not have to become the next Picasso to reap the benefits. Do you love the idea of painting? Great! Start with an easy-to-clean medium like watercolor. Is drawing more your style? Carry a sketchbook with you everywhere you go and get inspired. Prefer words? Keep a journal by your bed and jot something memorable down at the end of each day. Whatever you choose, making time for creativity is an excellent way to find a deeper connection to yourself in a very meaningful way.
5 | Make Time for Rest
Maintaining a consistent sleep schedule will help you fall asleep and wake up more peacefully and keep your head in the right place throughout the day. Not getting enough sleep will make you cranky, drowsy, and it can even reduce cognitive function. Nothing about that says self-care. Making time for rest is about what you do at night, as well as what you do throughout the day. Make sure to take rest breaks from any activity—work, exercise, you name it. If you feel tired, take a break. This will keep you charged throughout the day and help you maintain a positive mindset.
Because finding grounding in the way we treat ourselves is so important to us, we at Chuze have developed an entire library for you to work through and find what self-care means to you at Chuze On-Demand. Self-care looks different on absolutely everybody, so finding what’s right for you and creating your very own checklist is a surefire way to bring a little more grounding and a little less stress into your day-to-day life.