23 Genius Self Care Sunday Ideas (+ The Best Tips For A Stress-Free Day!)
Looking to de-stress your life just a little? Self care Sunday is exactly what you need to start loving your life and living for the little moments!
Self care is one of those things that tends to be overlooked in our busy, hectic lives. But, it is so important to spend some time focusing only on YOURSELF. That’s where self care Sunday comes in!
Self care Sunday is the perfect way to consistently give yourself some much needed time to relax and de-stress from the prior week. Filling your day with all your favorite things, you are not only able to enjoy yourself, but you set yourself up for success in the coming week.
This post is all about self care sunday!
What is self care?
Simply put, self care is whatever helps YOU and whatever you need it to be. It’s just something you actively do for yourSELF to better your life.
Self care is completely different for the person. One person might thing going for a run is a stress-reliving, self care activity, while someone else might think that sounds like torture.
why is self care important?
You need to have some sort of self care system or you are never going to know when to stop working and start enjoying your life. Without self care, you end up in a downward spiral of constant stress and burnout.
Self care is a perfect way to feel like you are treating yourself to something special and allowing your body and mind some much needed time to just turn off.
how do I create a self care routine?
The first and hardest step to creating a solid self care routine is to realize that you need one. Whether you think you are working too much or too little, everyone deserves some time to themselves. Hopefully after reading this article, you can mentally check off this step.
To create a routine, you want to figure out how much time you want to allocate to self care. This article is titled “self care Sunday,” so maybe you dedicate every Sunday to yourself. If you don’t have the kind of time to spend a whole day on self care, maybe try just Sunday morning or evening.
Whatever time frame you pick, just make sure you allocate the same time every week. If you did self care last Sunday night, do it again this Sunday night. If you do something small every night, stick with that system. That way, you can start to form your routine.
It doesn’t matter when or where or how long you are practicing self care for, as long as you are doing it. Even just 5 minutes is better than nothing at all.
The last step to creating a self care routine is the fun part: deciding what to fill your time with. Again, self care is defined differently by every person, so figure out what works best for you.
You can also spend the first few weeks trying out different activities to see which you like the best!
What to do on self care sunday?
To help you figure out the best things to do during your self care time, here are 23 amazing ideas for you!
1. slow down your morning
If every day of the week for you looks like early and rushed mornings, try taking some time on Sunday to slow down your morning. Either forgo the alarm or set it for a later time and just give yourself a relaxing morning.
I like to do this at least once or twice a week on the weekend to let myself slow down from the busy school week. Something as simple as this is the perfect way to start a self care day or morning.
2. move your body
Just get up and get moving. If you like running, go for a run. If you like yoga, do some yoga. Whatever movement you like to do, just have fun and do it.
Something that can make a world of a difference when it comes to exercising on self care Sunday is not tracking your movement. For many of us, our exercises are timed and tracked on apps and watches.
However, on this day, forgo the watch and fitness tracker and just do it for fun. Many times, without even realizing it, we take exercise too seriously because we are being timed or tracked. Instead, just have fun with it and take some of the pressure off.
3. spend time by yourself
Sometimes the best way to give yourself self care is to just spend time alone. Some peace and quiet can do wonders in relieving stress and setting you up for a successful week.
4. spend time in nature
If the weather permits, try to spend a day or time frame outside in nature. Regardless of what you do outside, just be out there. The fresh air and sunlight will make you feel so much better.
5. get lost in a book
If reading is your thing, spend an entire day lost in a great book.
For some amazing book suggestions, check out my top 50 books I read last year or the best 23 books for college students!
6. have a spa day
This activity requires some materials, but it is one of my favorites on this list. Treat yourself to a spa day, whether it be out at a spa or in your own home. Try painting your nails, taking a bath, or doing whatever is your favorite.
Because this could be costly, maybe do a spa day once a month or every other month so it still always feels like a treat.
7. relax with the tv
Sometimes all you really want to do is watch TV guilt-free. Self care Sunday is the day to do it. If that’s what calms you down and it’s something you enjoy, just binge a new show or watch some movies all day.
8. call or video call family and friends
Another amazing idea for self care Sunday is to call or video call people. Whether it be old friends or far away family, give ’em a call! It’s so nice to spend some time each weak catching up with people.
9. journal
If you don’t regularly journal, try spending some time on your self care day to reflect in a journal. If you have a weekly self care day, maybe write about the past week you had and plan for the coming week.
Journaling completely varies based on the person, so do what you enjoy!
10. plan for the coming week
Speaking of planning for the coming week, that’s another great thing to do on a Sunday to set yourself up for a successful week.
Spend some time looking over your schedule for the week, planning out your days, and planning your meals. Just spending 10-20 minutes doing this on a Sunday can make a huge difference in your week.
This is something I love to do as part of my weekly reset as well!
11. meal plan and meal prep
A big part of planning for the coming week is planning what you will be eating. Sit down with your schedule and plan out your meals for the week ahead, including when you want to cook, when you want to eat leftovers, and when you want to go out/bring in food.
You can also meal prep some of your food as well to make for an even easier week!
12. do something creative
Get those creative juices flowing and just do something creative that you enjoy. Whether that be drawing, painting, singing, or doodling, just try something.
And remember, you don’t have to be good at something to enjoy it.
13. clean/organize/declutter
If it’s something you enjoy, try cleaning out a closet or organizing the counter on your self care day.
For someone like myself, this sounds like something that I’d love to do. However, cleaning is the last thing other people want to do, so only choose this activity if you will enjoy it.
14. explore around your town
Whether you are new to town or have been living there awhile, go exploring some time! You’d be surprised how many secret spots there are that you may love to see!
Walk around, try out a new restaurant, whatever you want to do.
15. try something new
This is a very vague activity, but I did that on purpose. This day is supposed to be for YOU, so you should be able to decide what you want to do.
Try anything you want, even if it’s just for the day. Maybe you want to learn a new skill or try a new food. Whatever it may be, give it a try on your next self care Sunday.
16. listen to a podcast
Take some time to relax and listen to a podcast. There are literally thousands of podcasts that you can try out and see if you like!
17. eat something healthy
You’d be surprised how much better you feel after you just eat something healthy. Even just having a bowl of fruit instead of chips as a snack can make all the difference.
This is something super simple that you can do to make your whole self care Sunday so much better.
18. listen to your favorite music
Like the podcast activity, try spending the day listening to all your favorite songs and artists.
19. take a bath
Give yourself time to unwind and relax while taking a bath. This is a great activity because it gets you off your phone and other technology and just gives you a moment to think.
20. look at old photos
A fun self care Sunday idea is to spend some time looking at old photos and/or videos. Especially if you do this with other family members or friends, it can be a great way to spark some memories and reminisce over old times.
21. take a walk
Just go out and take a walk down the block. If the weather doesn’t want to cooperate, walk on a treadmill or walk around your house. Whatever and wherever, just get up and walk!
This is a great activity to combine with others on this list. Maybe try walking while listening to a podcast or your favorite music.
22. bake your favorite treat
For a special treat, try baking your favorite recipe on self care Sunday. Then you can either have the goodies for the rest of the week or share them with friends and family.
If you want some recipe inspiration, try the delicious 5-in-1 cookie recipe from the picture! For the chocolate lovers out there, try these amazing homemade brownies!
23. relax at the beach or in the park
If the weather permits, try spending the day at the beach or in the park. If you aren’t near any, just go outside and find a trail or somewhere to relax.
Tips for a successful self care sunday
Do: get motivated
Self care Sunday (or whatever day you do it) should be a special treat that you look forward to every week.
Try to keep some of the activities exclusive for these days so they are something special to do. That way, you are always excited and motivated for the day to come.
Do: Say no
Protect your self care Sundays like they are your baby. If possible, say no to any plans or other commitments on that day to make sure you always have some “you time.”
It’s ok to say no to people, even if you feel like you can just “reschedule” your self care Sunday. This is a day for you, so make sure you have it.
Don’t: over plan
One of the worst (and easiest) things to do on a self care Sunday is over plan the day. You get so excited to have a day to yourself that you fill the day to the brim with activities.
This is something you want to avoid doing, because it ends up adding more stress to what’s supposed to be a stress-relieving day.
Don’t: be too serious
Going off of that last tip, remember to just have fun and take the seriousness out of the day. If you don’t have time to do something, just do it next week. If things do go exactly according to plan, just shake it off.
Above all, just remember that the day is supposed to be fun, carefree, and enjoyable! I hope these ideas are the perfect inspiration to get started on your own self care Sundays!
This post was all about self care sunday!
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