SELF-CARE IDEAS FOR THE WEEKEND

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April 7, 2023

After working through the week, taking some time off during the weekend for self-care is essential for your mental health.

Ideas about self-care may vary from person to person. Listen to your needs and take responsibility for fulfilling them.

Spending time with family can be a perfect idea for weekend self-care, whereas alone time spent watching your favorite movies and sipping a glass of wine can also be a way to take care of the self.

The idea about self-care is to unwind from the usual schedules of work and deadlines and spend your weekend intentionally taking care of yourself.

While self-care on a daily basis is recommended, there are impediments to attaining the ideal self-care routine on a daily basis.

Attending to family members, longer hours for commuting to work, working beyond the schedule, and tiredness and exhaustion can result in not having intentional time for self-care.

Well, you ought to believe that you deserve a few days off of the grind. Self-care is not selfish. In fact, it helps you recharge yourself and deal with the stresses.

What is self-care?

Well, self-care means committing to taking care of yourself. It is a building block for developing self-love and fostering growth and positivity.

If you feel drained by the end of the week, consider dedicating the weekend to self-care practices. Make it a part of your monthly goal.

Self-care for me means scheduling time for the things that I want to do free of obligations.

Before starting off your self-care journey, remember to manage your guilt. Indeed, the feeling of guilt often comes in the way of enjoying what we love to do. Keep the sense of guilt off and begin with your self-care journey.

How to plan a self-care routine for the weekend?

Here are a few ways you can plan for your self-care weekend.

Figure out what is the perfect idea of self-care for you.
Inform people around you about your self-care weekend. You can even include them to have a fun social self-care activity.
Plan your routine beforehand.
Keep all the essentials ready for your weekend.
Be guilt-free and enjoy.

Self-care ideas for the weekend

For the weekend, starting from Friday evening, you can indulge in some self-care activities. It doesn’t mean isolating yourself but creating space for yourself with intention.

Not every idea in this list needs to be followed. Choose what fits your need and priority and get started.

Journalling

Journalling will help you pour your heart out on your personal journal. It can clear your mind when you share your personal thoughts in your diary.

It can be a source of inspiration as you jot down your thoughts. We tend to overlook our ideas and thoughts, but the habit of journalling can be an absolute stress reliever for the weekend.

Watch a movie

You definitely have that movie you’ve been wanting to watch. You can go for a movie night in the theatres or enjoy some good movies at home while sipping some wine.

I have watched many good movies in the past. Some of my recent favorites are The Schindler’s List, The Menu, Dead Poets Society, Everything Everywhere All at Once, and Luca.

Get some extra sleep.

One thing you owe yourself on the weekend is to delay your time to wake up. You can sleep for a few extra hours on the weekend.

I know how sleep-deprived we can be when we work throughout the week. So, dump your guilt and sleep for some extra minutes or hours.

Meditate and exercise

Since you are already taking a few extra hours of sleep, you can choose another relaxing activity in the morning for your mind and body: meditation and exercise.

Both activities should be a part of your daily routine for your well-being, and do not skip them during the weekend. You can just do a couple of stretches and a short meditation for your weekend.

Skincare

A simple skincare regime can be a part of your self-care Saturday routine. A gentle cleansing, toning, and moisturizing followed by your SPF is the simplest form of skincare.

In addition to that you can apply facial masks, oil your hair, exfoliate your body and feel refreshed and ready for the weekend.

I have been committed to skincare consistently for my AM and PM routine and can acknowledge the difference it has made it to my skin. No need for expensive high-end products; some drugstore variety of products have incredible performance.

Buy some flowers

Inspired by Miley Cyrus or not, buying yourself flowers is the best gift for you.

Take a walk to the nearby market to shop for flowers as a gesture of self-love.

Stay hydrated

Summers are approaching, and stepping out has already started to feel like an ordeal.

Do not let the heat soak all of your energy for the weekend. Remember to stay hydrated. I love drinking fresh fruit juices during summer. It’s an absolute saver.

Cook your favourite meal

If cooking is not your least favourite thing to do, you can cook a special meal on the weekend. You can even try your hands at baking.

Personally, cooking is not something I would prefer as self-care, but let the new season of Masterchef Australia begin, and I will be on a cooking spree inspired by the varieties of cuisines in the show.

Declutter

Cleaning is the most common activity on my weekends, and it gives me so much satisfaction and relief.

Decluttering is a great way to make space for positive energy in your life. After all, the space and environment we live in affect our well-being. Remember to take steps to declutter, even if it is just one part of your residence.

Here is a decluttering guide to help you on your cleaning spree.

Read

Weekends can be a great time to binge-read your book of the month.

Reading is part of my role as a Ph.D. scholar, so I consider some non-academic reads during the weekend. My recent favorite is Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom. It is a heart-warming true story of conversations between a professor and his student.

Play with your pets

Pets are a great source of happiness and love. Give time to our pets, and receive a tremendous amount of love from them.

I cannot imagine my life without my two little cats: Lili and Lalu. They’ve brought so much love and laughter into my life. Self-care can also mean spending time doing things that bring you joy.

Spend time with your friends or family members

I’ve realized that it’s the people in our lives and their presence that can make our lives interesting. We tend to focus so much on our work and career that scheduling or planning a day out with friends can seem difficult.

Adulting doesn’t mean disconnecting from people, in fact, it is the presence of good friends and family that makes living meaningfully as an adult.

Consider a weekend spending time with your friends or family.

Have a mindful cup of tea

On your self-care weekend, take some time to sip that cup of tea mindfully.

Just enjoy the moment without thinking about what is next. Just the tea and you.

I always say that evening tea time is my favorite time for unplugging and being mindful.

Put on some music and dance

It may seem weird but never waste a good beat. Move your body and dance your way out. You will definitely feel lighter and your mind will feel clearer.

Sing a song on a Karaoke

If you are someone who loves to sing, connect those speakers and microphones and have a fun musical night singing your favorite songs.

It’s a great activity to boost your mood as a part of your self-care weekend.

Make time for your hobbies

You can schedule some time on your weekend for your hobbies. Whether you like painting, gardening, cooking, or cycling. Do make time for your hobbies.

Watch the sunset

Time just passes by when we are observing nature. While we waste so much of our time mindlessly scrolling our smartphones, you can spend the evening watching the sunset.

Watch the sky change its color as the sun goes down the horizon. Be mesmerized by its beauty which looks like an orange ball but has so much impact on every living being on this planet.

Well, these were some of the simple ideas for self-care on the weekend. Self-care doesn’t just happen; it requires an investment of time and effort resulting in benefits to your mental health.

You may want to do everything on your weekend; remember to keep complexity away from your self-care routine. Otherwise, it may exhaust you rather than recharge you.

Hope you have an awesome weekend!!!