By Brad Krause

Are you feeling burnt-out, stressed, or just plain uninspired?

With all that’s going on in the world, there’s never been a better time than now to practice self-care. Taking care of your mind and soul with healthy daily routines is the ticket to looking and feeling your best. Below, My Best Choice Today shares six fast and effective self-care tips for looking and feeling your absolute best.

1. Make Sleep a Part of Your Self-Care Routine

As much as we’ve heard it all before, a good night’s sleep promotes wellness and is a critical piece of the puzzle when it comes to looking and feeling your best. Even one or two nights of deep sleep could boost your mood, motivation, and productivity.

The National Sleep Foundation suggests adults below the age of 65 should aim for 7 to 9 hours each night. It helps to stick to a regular sleep schedule, avoid caffeine later in the day, increase bright light exposure during the day, and limit blue light exposure at night.

2. Fuel Your Body With Nutritious Foods

Proper nutrients are like fuel for your body. Eating a diet high in fat and processed foods will have you feeling sluggish, bloated, or even suffering from headaches and brain fog. Some quick tips for a well-balanced diet include:
 

  • Fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables
  • Choose lean proteins, such as chicken, turkey, eggs, fish, and seafood
  • Opt for whole-grain foods, such as brown or wild rice, quinoa, oatmeal, and buckwheat
  • Swap out sugary drinks for water
  • Ensure you’re eating enough healthy fats, such as avocado, olive oil, walnuts, flaxseed, and salmon 

3. Move Your Body for Self-Care

You likely already know that your physical self-care is key in looking and feeling your best. The Mayo Clinic suggests aiming to move your body for 30 minutes daily to boost your mood, improve your health, control weight, and strengthen your muscles and bones.

The good news is exercise doesn’t have to be something you dread. If getting a gym membership is putting you off exercise, why not learn to run, join a dance class, go rock climbing, take up bike riding, go stand up paddleboarding, or play a team sport?

 

4. Take Up a New Hobby

Starting a new hobby is a great way to take some time for yourself and declutter your mind. It also gives you a sense of purpose, which can help de-stress and will work wonders to help you feel more inspired.

Not sure what interests you? Consider learning a new language, taking up calligraphy, volunteering for a cause you support, practicing yoga, or starting a YouTube channel. Get creative with it — there’s something fun out there for everyone.

5. Set and Achieve Goals

Did you know that goal setting is a basic but crucial form of self-care? Not only will it give you a better vision for the future, but it also ramps up your daily motivation. Each time you reach a goal, you’re directing your life more towards where you want it to go — which will make you feel like you’re thriving.

Let’s say you’ve always wanted to get your master’s degree. Why not go back to school by enrolling in an online program? As one example, an MBA is a great way to develop skills in business, increase your job opportunities, as well as improve your leadership, communication, and self-awareness. It can open up doors or a variety of careers while helping you network.

6. Pamper Yourself

When was the last time you set time aside to pamper yourself? The relaxation you get from this form of self-care is highly effective in reducing stress. This could look like anything from taking a bubble bath, going for a massage, getting your hair done, or giving yourself a manicure. However you do it, taking time to unwind despite the hustle and bustle of daily life is equally as important for your wellbeing. When was the last time you made time for yourself?

Self-care is a critical part of our overall wellness, but it’s easy to let it fall by the wayside. Use this guide to establish habits that will help you feel and look your best every single day!