Micro Self-Care

I’m getting used to living in a cooler climate and I’m starting to enjoy getting out for my walks, at least on sunny days. Otherwise, you’ll find me relaxing in front of the fireplace. And you know what? Both are valid forms of self-care.

Self-care is not just about manicures, pedicures, or massages. In fact, those things may create more stress than they take away. You have to work around the appointment time, travel to get there and get home, and they’re not always in the most relaxing settings.

I’ve come to appreciate what I call micro self-care practices: small things that give big results, that you can do in the midst of your regular routine. This way, we can take care of ourselves before we need to—before illness or injury force us to take time for ourselves.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Movement

• Take a brief walk outdoors, whether that’s beach, forest, or even the sidewalks around your neighborhood. When I come back from a walk, I feel like I’ve had a week’s vacation.
• Getting outdoors is just as important as moving. Some days it’s enough to go and sit outside for a few minutes, or take a drive where you can see relaxing natural landscapes.
• Join a yoga class (I prefer one that centers around relaxation, versus some of the more active styles of yoga). Yoga has become a form of exercise, but it’s always been meant to be something for our minds—movement for the purpose of getting into a relaxed, meditative state.
• Try to be at least a little bit active throughout the week (e.g., tracking your daily steps). This helps the body adjust to movement and get used to it, protecting you from the “weekend warrior’s” risk of fatigue or muscle strain.
• If you work at a computer or spend a lot of time on digital devices, give your eyes a rest throughout the day—even if you don’t get up, fix your gaze on something far away for about 20 seconds. Or dial back the screens even more by using a paper calendar or writing by hand (use it or lose it!).
• Find ways to move your body that work for you, and meet you where you’re at.

Art

Movement and art are both ways of expressing feelings and trauma in a way that you just can’t say with words. And it’s powerful watching it come together and be meaningful for each person as they express themselves for self-care through art or through the body.

For me, one of the most relaxing things is doing some kind of creative art. Putting paint on a page. Picking up one of my art journals—I usually have several on the go because paint may be drying in one so I pick up another.

Sleep

Sleep procrastination (also known as revenge sleep procrastination) has been getting attention online. It’s essentially making up for the fact that you feel stressed out and time-pressured during the day, by staying up later than intended and sacrificing sleep.

Prioritizing good sleep is a precious gift and an essential part of self-care. And this starts long before you lay your head on your pillow. Think about what you can do to ease your stress during the day, so you don’t need to compensate by seeking relaxation or stress relief by streaming one more episode or scrolling just a few more social media updates at bedtime.

Connection

Connecting with other people is another essential component of self-care. There may be many people who are part of your growth process—some you can share deeply with as you talk about your journey, others you can laugh with.

These trusted friends and helping professionals also help us learn to set boundaries, because we can practice with these safe people before doing this in relationships where it might be more difficult, like in family or work settings.

These self-care suggestions aren’t things anyone has to do; I’m presenting you with options because we all need to find our own ways to take care of ourselves. And that might look different on different days.

Try making it a priority to take breaks, adopt some of these micro-practices, and see a doctor or other healthcare provider regularly—before you need them. If you keep up with your self-care, you can stay ahead of many potential health issues.

Looking for more self-care inspiration? Check out this series.