60 Self-Care Ideas You Can Do Today To Make Yourself Feel Better
We asked BuzzFeed writers and the BuzzFeed Community to share their favorite self-care tips. Here are some of the best ones.
1.Have a beauty-specific self-care day.
"At least one day out of the week, typically a Saturday or Sunday, I'll do a full-blown beauty or skincare routine. This usually includes cleansing, exfoliating scrub, hair mask, face mask, and moisturizer. Then, to end my night, I'll make a hot cup of tea and read. I find that reading before bed makes me feel more relaxed and refreshed, as opposed to scrolling through my phone for hours. Depending on how much or how little you spend on beauty or skincare products, you could easily find inexpensive but still-effective drugstore products!"
2.Go outside.
New Line Cinema
"Go chill outside for a bit (if you're in a safe area, of course). You don't have to get all ~meta~ about it. You can be outside and still chill on your phone or listen to music. The point is to LITERALLY get some fresh air."
3.Read for free using a library app.
"Reading more has helped me a lot. Joining my local library and using the Libby app was very useful during quarantine, and I've continued to use it."
4.Save posts that make you smile.
"If you're on something like Tumblr or Reddit, you can save posts. Personally, I like to save things that I know will make me smile, like funny posts or cute animal videos, and then when I'm struggling, I go to my saved posts and scroll through them."
5.Splurge a little and get a mani-pedi every once in a while to help you feel a bit more put together.
6.Ease those tired muscles with a yoga session.
"Costs nothing — there are a ton of free yoga videos on YouTube."
7.Set firm boundaries.
"Costs nothing, might be difficult at first, but it is so worth it and will save your mental health in the long run. Stop wasting too much of your own mental sanity on other people’s problems. Put your oxygen mask on first; take care of yourself so you’re more able to take care of those who need you."
8.Get a haircut.
9.Take a very long, involved shower.
Screen Gems
"Not all of us are bath people, and many of us view showers as a chore, when bathing in any form can be a great form of self-care. Take a shower, but really take your time. Focus on the way the water feels, how the body wash smells, how the shampoo changes the texture of your hair...it's SO calming."
—Allie Hayes
"Once a week on a Saturday or Sunday, I take what I call a serenity shower. I found shower steamer tablets that last really long and have a strong aromatherapy to them. I turn off the main lights and use only the dim night-light in the shower. I play spa music from YouTube on my phone. I have one of those scalp massagers for shampoo. It's a long, luxurious shower with nothing planned after, so I take my sweet time. Totally serene and calming."
10.Sit by a peaceful body of water.
"Sitting at the water's edge. Doesn't matter if it's a lake, a river, or the ocean. It always helps me relax and breathe easy for a moment. When I'm stressed, I look for the nearest body of water to visit."
—eell
11.Try a relaxing hobby like cross-stitching.
"I took up cross-stitch during lockdown last year, and it's so relaxing. If I'm in a bad mood, I can stab something, and instead of a murder charge, I've made something cool. There are loads of awesome patterns on Etsy; it doesn't always have to be old lady–style stuff, either. For example, I recently commissioned a pattern of the characters from my favorite TV show!"
12.Unwind with a coloring book.
"Coloring books and coloring apps. It's always calming, and it helps me sleep when I'm having bad insomnia."
13.Watch your favorite childhood movie.
Disney
"We all have some piece of media that gives us that punch-you-in-the-gut nostalgia, and those movies can (sometimes) be really therapeutic to rewatch when you're an adult. Take a couple of hours out of your day or night to chill, watch a personal favorite, and allow yourself to feel like a kid again."
—Allie Hayes
14.Put an end to doomscrolling.
"Doomscrolling has been one of the biggest causes of stress for me. I've started identifying what kind of news I need to be aware of and what is just causing unactionable worry. I stay aware of how much caution I need to exercise about COVID, and get involved in tackling issues in ways that are affordable and safe for me, but I've cut way back on how much news I read."
15.Bird-watch.
—Rachel Wilkerson Miller
16.Use YouTube to find free guided meditations.
"YouTube has tons of free ASMR, guided meditations, etc., and it's all free. You don't need apps like Calm or Headspace."
17.Cultivate creative playlists as a mood booster.
"Listening to music. Have a playlist ready to go of your favorites!"
—J M
18.Listen to your favorite album from when you were a preteen or teen, one that you haven't heard in a WHILE.
Fox
"Music is the best, and similar to the movie suggestion, it's nice to reminisce and feel the way you felt when you first heard it. Might I suggest some My Chemical Romance or Blink-182?"
—Allie Hayes
19.Drink. Water.
"Look, water is not a cure-all, but it'll help. At work, I'm the patron saint of STAY HYDRATED because growing up, I didn't drink a ton of water (I was a soda gal). Just have a few glasses throughout the day. You don't HAVE to overdo it, but you will definitely feel better when you wake up tomorrow."
—Allie Hayes
20.Try meditating.
—Allie Hayes
21.Go to a barbershop for a traditional shave.
—Rachel Wilkerson Miller
22.Call a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while and have a nice, long catch-up session.
—Rachel Wilkerson Miller
23.Shake off the energy of a long day by having a hot shower followed by a pampering session.
"Take the kind of shower where you can feel the day wash off, and then lotion and face-mask it up to feel like you're starting fresh and not taking your day to bed with you."
24.Do a crossword puzzle or sudoku.
—Rachel Wilkerson Miller
25.Look through old family photos.
—Rachel Wilkerson Miller
26.Reach out to someone, anyone, you'd like to speak to (call, email, text, etc.).
Paramount Pictures
"You don't have to make a big deal about it — just talk to someone you like. Even if it's someone you talk to every day, it'll be nice to talk to them knowing that you needed them in that moment."
—Allie Hayes
27.Visit a natural science museum, history museum, or the zoo.
—Rachel Wilkerson Miller
28.Find an activity or hobby that relaxes you.
29.Drink the most delicious hot beverage you can think of — coffee, tea, hot chocolate, warm milk with honey, etc.
—Rachel Wilkerson Miller
30.Cook or bake.
"Not only will this engage all of your senses, but you’ll also be left with something incredibly delicious to eat, which is a second form of self-care. A loaf of homemade bread and/or a delicious pot of soup is my go-to for this."
—Rachel Wilkerson Miller
31.Commit to a daily skincare routine that not only is something you enjoy but also gives you time to focus on yourself.
32.Watch the sun rise or set.
—Rachel Wilkerson Miller
33.Organize something small.
NBC
"Whether it's your wallet, a single desk drawer, or your book collection, organizing things makes you feel a little more put together, no matter how small it is."
—Allie Hayes
34.Spend time with someone you like, and whose presence always leaves you feeling energized.
—Rachel Wilkerson Miller
35.Look up at the stars/moon/night sky.
"Maybe identify a planet or constellation if you're feeling brainy."
—Rachel Wilkerson Miller
36.Wash your feet.
"When I don't have the bandwidth for a full shower, washing my feet always helps a lot."
—Rachel Wilkerson Miller
37.Make a mood board (IRL or online) dedicated to something you're passionate about or something that calms you down.
Universal Pictures
"You love cool makeup? Make a board. Want to try some new, neat hairstyles? Make a board. YOU JUST REALLY LOVE PUPPIES? Board. It. Up. That way, you'll be able to look back at things that visually stimulate joy in you."
—Allie Hayes
38.If you have unused vacation days...use them.
—Rachel Wilkerson Miller
39.Listen to birdsong or nature sounds.
"If you can’t get the real thing, a YouTube video can still get the job done."
—Rachel Wilkerson Miller
40.Have a good, long cry.
ABC
"Crying is a GD bodily function. Your body WANTS you to cry. You're not weak, you're not selfish, you're not anything except a human being. Lock yourself in a bathroom and let it out, honey."
—Allie Hayes
41.Go to the doctor for a physical if it’s been a while, or if there’s something you’ve been meaning to get checked out.
—Rachel Wilkerson Miller
42.Do a puzzle.
—Rachel Wilkerson Miller
43.Take a stretching break.
Cartoon Network
"No matter what kind of job you have (sitting, standing, walking, etc.), taking a few minutes to stretch out your back, legs, and arms will make you feel loose and give you some much-needed breathing time."
—Allie Hayes
44.If you've got the time, indulge yourself with a bath, some music, and a nice beverage.
45.Write a letter to a friend or loved one telling them how much they mean to you.
—Rachel Wilkerson Miller
46.If you have access to a fireplace or outdoor firepit or campfire space, build a fire and then hang out by it.
—Rachel Wilkerson Miller
47.Catch up on all those books you've been meaning to read.
48.Go for a drive.
—Rachel Wilkerson Miller
49.Take some time to unfollow toxic people on social media.
SME
"If you follow people who make you feel bad about yourself or who are just, you know, dicks in general, UNFOLLOW THEM. Even if they're from high school or college or work, it's not worth it. If they're not contributing to your well-being, they're detracting from your happiness."
—Allie Hayes
50.Do a little light yard work — nothing too strenuous, just something that’ll get your blood moving and make you feel accomplished.
—Rachel Wilkerson Miller
51.Get a no-polish manicure (often called a “men’s manicure”). Having neat, clean nails is such a small thing, but it’s so nice.
—Rachel Wilkerson Miller
52.Revisit a hobby you loved when you were young — drawing, playing a musical instrument, woodworking, model trains, etc.
—Rachel Wilkerson Miller
53.Get very cozy — cozy socks, soft pants and top, a robe, a great blanket — and then settle in to do one of the other things on this list.
—Rachel Wilkerson Miller
54.Create or follow a system to keep yourself from feeling burnt out.
55.Reread your favorite book.
—Rachel Wilkerson Miller
56.Watch a super-engaging documentary that won’t rile you up.
"Planet Earth is my fave, but several Ken Burns docs — The Roosevelts, Prohibition, and The National Parks — are incredibly mellow and good without being depressing."
—Rachel Wilkerson Miller
57.Go through your closet and donate things you no longer wear or want.
HBO
"It's a nice way to clean out what is likely an outdated, cluttered section of your life while simultaneously giving to others."
—Allie Hayes
58.Do a big purge of your garage, your linen closet/bathroom cabinets, or even just your mail pile/paperwork. Ahhhhh.
—Rachel Wilkerson Miller
59.Treat yourself to some comfort food.
60.Or prepare your favorite meal from scratch.
Some entries have been edited for length and/or clarity.
This post contains content from Farrah Penn, Allie Hayes, Rachel Wilkerson Miller, and Isha Bassi. It was compiled by Laura Frustaci.
