Being busy seems an inevitable part of modern daily life. Whether it was the deadlines on your calendar or the meetings at your office, this past week has been full of demanding tasks and the stress you’ve felt with having to accomplish all of them.

When we’ve got too much on our plate, it affects our bodies and the brain’s reaction. Feeling overwhelmed, burnout, and lethargy are the signs that perhaps we need to slow down, check in with ourselves and find a little breathing room out of our busy day.

To refuel your energy and refresh your mind this weekend, here are 9 acts of self-care you can try:

1. Spend the Afternoon Reading Outside

There’s nothing better than giving yourself a boost of Vitamin D while reading an amazing book. The book choices are endless, from books that are turning into movies to books that are inspiring.

Grab your sunglasses and pick one that sparks your interest and enjoy a day soaking in the sun and sinking into a new story.

2. Create Your Own At-Home Spa Experience

When you’re busy building your career, your body also needs the same attention it wants. Take this opportunity to pamper yourself. Instead of making an appointment at your favourite spa centre and spending time there, save the cost by having your own at-home spa.

Do a face mask, take a long hot shower, or go for a warm bath. Do anything you can think of when you walk into a spa centre. Create an environment in your home that feels a bit spa-like. This can be playing some relaxing music, lighting a candle in your bathroom, and creating something aromatherapy.

Take the time to do and enjoy the things you often skip over or rush through like exfoliate.

3. Cook and Eat a Healthy Meal

When we have access to basically any food we want out there, we almost never thought of cooking our own meals.

It sure is a hassle to cook every single meal when we are busy but the food outside is never as healthy as homemade.

So, start your day off right by having enough time to cook a healthy meal for yourself. Do recipe research beforehand so you can plan your trip to the supermarket too.

4. Disconnect from Your Phone for the Day

We are connected all the time. If we’re available 24/7 365 (24 hours, 7 days a week, 365 days a year), then we get distracted all the time. We are constantly connected to our devices, available at the touch of a button at any moment.

So, unplug for the day and allow your notifications to be silenced and your world to go quiet. When you unplug, you get to sit down peacefully and enjoy what’s around you. Also, you can spend those unplugged time doing what you always wanted to do but no time.

5. Take a Nap

We take the naps we think we deserve, especially after such a long week and this one is much needed. Although it’s easy to feel guilty for napping instead of making it one of your productive days, remember that your mind needs to rest in order to function fully and think positively.

6. Try a Different Type of Workout

Get active this weekend with a workout that you’ve been meaning to try! From the yoga class you walk by every morning to the latest trend of pilates class you hear about from your friends, choose a new workout to challenge yourself.

If you’re not someone who works out regularly, sign up for a trial class or try an at-home workout to get your body moving and inspiration flowing before paying for a real workout class.

7. Listen to an Inspirational Podcast

With so many podcasts to choose from, it’s no wonder that tuning in to the stories of others and listening to them unfold is a convenient way to stay motivated and remain humbled.

What’s even better is that many podcasts are offered for free! Now you can be entertained or learn a new lesson whenever you want, wherever you are.

8. Enjoy the silence

The world we’re living in now is a very fast pace world. Everything moves very fast before you even know it. This is extremely bad for our mental and physical health because we never get a chance to really sit down and rest.

So, take a moment, at least 5 minutes to sit still and do nothing. Pay attention to your breathing or surrounding – how your body moves when you breathe in and out or how the sky looks.

9. Plan a Mini Getaway

If you’ve been working so hard throughout the entire week and needed a getaway for the weekend, this is the time to give yourself some slack and enjoy your life.

The weekend is a great time to go on a quick vacation or even a staycation. This self-care idea may take some more planning compared to the other ideas on this list, but travelling is one of the best ways to unwind.

Pick a place you’ve been wanting to visit and start planning!

In Summary

I know that for many of us, self-care seems difficult, especially if you have little kids or a jam-packed schedule. However, you need to take good care of yourself before anything else. Give it a try on some of the self-care ideas above and see how different you’ll feel at the end of the day.