Are you struggling to take care of yourself amidst a busy schedule? Between work, family, friends, volunteering, errands and the myriad other things life demands, caring for our own needs often falls by the wayside. But it’s critical to take time for self-care. What this means can look different from person to person, but taking care of yourself means prioritizing your physical and mental well-being through intentional activities and practices.
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When you’re looking for effective self-care practices, consider trying things that you already feel comfortable with as well as testing out new strategies. Whether you want to relax, get your blood pumping or light up your brain, you may want to choose things that work with your schedule and won’t feel overwhelming to you. After all, learning how to take care of yourself means finding routines that work for you and help you show up as your best self—not things that will add more stress to your life.
If you want to take good care of yourself, there are plenty of simple practices you can integrate into your life. To help, we’ve garnered some advice from the experts. We asked the Young Entrepreneur Council, “What is one thing you can do every day to take care of yourself?” to find out.
1. Set Up Specific Time Slots When You Don’t Work
If you’re struggling with burnout or not having adequate time for your mental and physical health, consider setting aside specific time blocks where you don’t work. Instead, use this time for personal relationships, hobbies or self-care practices. Prioritizing downtime can help you recharge. It can also help improve your work-life balance.
Joshua Dorkin, founder and former CEO of BiggerPockets, says:
“Focusing on work is a great excuse for not taking care of yourself. I have set specific time slots where I won’t work and will instead spend time on my family and me. These slots are first thing in the morning (before 8 a.m.) and dinnertime (5 p.m. to 8 p.m.). Except for events I must attend, these slots are sacred times for me to spend with my family and not work. Setting this up has been life-changing.”
2. Start Your Day Off With Self-Care Through Meditation
Kristopher Jones, an entrepreneur, investor, author and CEO of LSEO, provides some advice on how to take better care of yourself through self-care practices like meditation.
Jones says, “I start every morning with a short 5- to 10-minute meditation using an app called Beditations. The meditation helps me visualize the things I’m most grateful for and allows me to minimize negativity and distractions.” It’s also important to find a time frame that works for you when it comes to these types of intentional practices. For Jones, that means finding a space in the early morning hours: “I find that early morning meditation increases my self-awareness and helps me put into perspective what really matters. I also tend to be much more positive, energetic and happy.”
Jones isn’t alone. Experts suggest that there are numerous benefits to meditation, including less stress, improved mood and healthier sleep. It can even help you think more clearly and have better emotional health, making it a worthwhile practice to add to your arsenal of self-care tools. Whether you use an app, spend time in breathwork or prayer, or just spend time quieting your mind and focusing on gratitude, your meditation practice can be unique to you.
Related: 15 Simple Self-Care Tips to Add to Your Routine
3. Take Better Care of Yourself by Working Out
It’s no secret that exercising consistently can improve our physical health, but it can also improve our mental health. This can make it one of the best ways to take care of yourself by integrating the body and mind, helping reduce stress and improving overall well-being. John Dillard, entrepreneur and founder of Big Sky Associates, Inc. and ThreatSwitch, says, “I get up early most mornings and head to a free, outside workout called F3. Aside from obvious health benefits, it clears my mind and gets me in touch with the outdoors and in the company of good friends to start the day.”
Working out helps boost mood, increases energy and even promotes better sleep. For the best results, work exercise into your schedule regularly. According to the Mayo Clinic, average adults should have at least 75 minutes of vigorous exercise or 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week, which you can work in through different types of activity. To help make it fun and keep you accountable for taking care of yourself, consider inviting friends to work out with you, or consider joining a community group like a running club.
4. Get Enough Sleep as Part of Your Self-Care Routine
When is the last time you can remember getting a great night’s sleep and feeling well rested the next day? Though many of us may struggle with getting enough quality sleep, this can be an important part of your self-care routine.
Entrepreneur, business strategist and coach Ryan Stephens says, “The scientific benefits of sleep are innumerable. More sleep equates to more happiness, better health and improved decision-making. Not to mention that it detoxes the brain. In order to do your best work, it’s critical to consistently recharge your batteries.”
5. Try a Creative Activity for Self-Care, Like Writing a Poem
Matthew Manos, founder of design strategy practice verynice, turns to poetry as a creative practice to fuel his self-care. He says, “It sounds silly, random even, but this is something I’ve done every day that has dramatically reduced my stress while simultaneously opening my mind to many details in the world and opportunities that I would not have otherwise noticed. Start your day by writing a poem—even something as simple as a haiku.”
Creative pursuits can be a powerful form of self-care. Whether you turn to poetry like Manos or try other creative outlets like art or music, there are benefits. A study on creative pursuits for mental health and well-being suggests that creative activities can help promote mental wellness, increase our sense of authentic self and promote positive focus.
Related: 40 Self-Care Quotes for Inspiration & Reflection
6. Incorporate Journaling Into Your Self-Care Practice
Journaling has many benefits, making it another great option for taking care of yourself on a daily basis. It can increase self-awareness, improve self-confidence and help you make progress toward goals. Plus, there’s no right or wrong way to journal—there are many different forms and ways to do it so you can choose what’s right for you.
Kate Levenstien, founder of Cannonball Productions and one of Entrepreneur’s 2021 Women of Impact, says that journaling is one way she takes care of herself. She says, “Life is very busy. My journal is in bullet form so I can jot down things I did, people I met, how I felt, etc. It’s been a great outlet to help me be present, remember the little moments and sort out challenges in both my personal and professional life.”
7. Talk to Friends and Family
Trying to deal with struggles and problems on our own can feel challenging, but calling on our support networks like family and friends can help. One study from the University of Kansas, in fact, suggests that just one conversation per day with a friend can improve mental well-being, reducing stress and increasing happiness. Take care of yourself by connecting regularly with people in your life who you have healthy relationships with. Get encouragement and support with this simple self-care idea.
8. Wake Up Slowly
Could the way we wake up be a form of self-care? If rushing out of bed each morning isn’t working for you, try this self-care idea: Wake up slowly.
Jesse Lear, housing entrepreneur and co-founder of V.I.P. Waste Services, LLC, says: “It’s not unusual for me to answer 10 to 15 emails before even getting out of bed in the morning. But starting the day off like this often sets a negative tone for the day, and truthfully, most issues can wait. I’m learning that I’m much happier when I take 30 to 45 minutes to wake up slowly and shower before checking email.
9. Read a (Fiction) Book
Reading top-selling business books or books about personal growth can help us aim high and achieve more. However, there are multiple benefits of reading fiction. Taking a break from nonfiction reading and grabbing a novel could be a great self-care idea to give your mind a much-needed break—and it could even improve decision-making and increase empathy.
Mark Krassner, a two-time founder and coach, shares this self-care tip: “Refresh your mind by taking an afternoon break from your workflow and escaping to another world. Reading fictional stories stimulates… your brain, sparking creative thought. That stimulation can make your day go a little smoother by thinking differently, solving problems in abstract ways and, most importantly, rejuvenating your soul.”
10. Take Care of Yourself Through Yoga
Yoga has long been known as a practice that helps calm and center the mind, body and spirit, making it a favorite self-care activity for people from all walks of life. It’s a highly recommended self-care idea because of its many benefits, from stress-reduction to heart health to increased energy.
Torrey Tayenaka, co-founder of Sparkhouse, says, “I have always been a very active person. I played water polo, swam, surfed, tried every sport out there. But in the last few years I started doing yoga a few days a week and it has changed my life. It’s the only place my phone is completely off and my mind is focused on myself only—no clients, employees or projects. It’s the easiest way to reset your mind and body in 60 minutes.”
11. Listen to a Podcast
Part of the beauty of self-care is that there are so many different ways to do it. For some of us, listening to podcasts can be a simple idea to add to our self-care routine to recharge, refresh and renew our minds.
Matt Wilson, author, adventurer and co-founder of Under30Experiences, shares why listening to podcasts is a favorite form of self-care: “I find that one of the best practices to get fresh air and stimulate my brain is simply to take a walk and listen to a podcast with the podcast app that now comes standard on the iPhone.” He continues with recommendations: “Do yourself a favor and listen to something non-business-related.” For a little health or mindfulness, he names Buddhist Geeks as one of his favorites.
12. Put Yourself on Your Schedule
Another self-care tip is to think carefully about your daily schedule. Are you prioritizing taking care of yourself? Carving out time to reset your mind and body can be a game-changer, and actually putting down times in your calendar for it could be the impetus you need to stick to it.
Media entrepreneur and leadership coach Natalie MacNeil says, “When you put yourself on your schedule, you won’t have meetings and appointments that prevent you from taking care of yourself. I prefer to put myself as my first appointment of the day to make sure I don’t get caught up in the day and decide to skip out on important things that keep me grounded, like exercise and meditation.”
Quick tip: Consider incorporating simple daily practices like positive affirmations or “knowing your worth” to remind you of your value and to motivate you to continue making time for your needs.
13. Make Time for Play
Children have an innate ability to gravitate toward play. This can be so powerful and life-giving, yet as adults, many of us have fallen away from this beautiful habit. The reality is that even as adults, play can have a host of health benefits, like lowering stress, boosting energy and enhancing overall well-being.
Derek Fitzpatrick, president of ios Optics, shares this self-care tip: “Before becoming a father, I would have given an answer like many others: workout, meditate, yoga, etc. These are all exceptional ways to nurture yourself. After becoming a father, the greatest joy I can experience is playing with my children. It’s like taking that deep refreshing breath of sea air after a hard workout, but better.”
The Importance of Taking Care of Yourself
By making an effort to take care of yourself, you’re investing in your long-term health and happiness. Remember, self-care is ongoing, so make time daily to invest in yourself and your well-being. The more you implement self-care, the less likely you are to burn out in the future. You’ll also set up your physical and mental health for the future so you can reduce stress, live better and achieve more.
Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprising the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs.
Editor’s note: This post was originally published in June 2015 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy and comprehensiveness. Photo by LightField Studios/Shutterstock
