Self-Care Ideas: 75 Simple Ways to Look After Yourself

Self-care isn't about expensive bath products. It's the small, regular things that help you feel more like yourself.

Here are 75 ideas, most of them free. Pick one today. If you're struggling for a long time, please talk to your GP or someone you trust.

Five-minute self-care

  • Drink a glass of water
  • Step outside for fresh air
  • Stretch
  • Open a window
  • Put on a song you love
  • Text someone you miss
  • Take five slow breaths
  • Make your bed
  • Write down one good thing
  • Tidy one surface

Body

  • Go for a walk
  • Have an early night
  • Cook a proper meal
  • Take a long bath or shower
  • Dance in the kitchen
  • Try a beginner's yoga video
  • Eat something green
  • Book that appointment you've been putting off
  • Put your phone in another room an hour before bed
  • Change your bedding

Mind

  • Read for pleasure. Ideas: Feel good books
  • Journal. Prompts: Gratitude journal prompts
  • Do a puzzle or crossword
  • Unfollow accounts that make you feel bad
  • Learn something small
  • Say no to one thing
  • Watch a comfort film
  • Listen to a podcast on a walk
  • Try a colouring book
  • Repeat an affirmation. Ideas: Positive affirmations

Connection

  • Call a friend
  • Have a cuppa with a neighbour
  • Write a card to someone
  • Join a class or club
  • Spend time with a pet
  • Plan something to look forward to
  • Do something kind. Ideas: 30 day kindness challenge

Home and environment

  • Light a candle
  • Declutter a drawer
  • Bring in flowers or a plant
  • Make a cosy corner. Ideas: Hygge ideas
  • Clean out your bag
  • Play music while you tidy

Weekend self-care

  • A slow breakfast
  • A long walk somewhere new
  • A day with no plans
  • A film marathon
  • A spa day. View guide
  • A Sunday reset. View guide

Key things to remember

  • Start small: one idea a day is plenty.
  • Self-care looks different for everyone; do what genuinely helps you.
  • Rest is productive.

Frequently asked questions

What are examples of self-care?

Getting enough sleep, going for a walk, eating well, seeing friends, reading and saying no when you need to.

What is free self-care?

Walking, journaling, early nights, calling a friend, stretching and time outdoors all cost nothing.

What is a good example of self-care ideas?

"Drink a glass of water" is one of 49 examples on this page. Pick the one closest to the tone you want, then add a specific detail of your own - a shared memory, a date, a name - so it reads as yours rather than copied.

Can I copy these messages word for word?

Yes. Everything on this page is free to copy, print and read out - no permission or credit needed. Changing one detail so it fits the person is all we would suggest.

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Browse the full range Gratitude journal prompts Positive affirmations Compliments list

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