Embroidered Apron 
Today is Saturday and if you want to have a self-care Saturday, it starts with reading this. Here are 9 things you can do on a self-care Saturday to lower your stress and feel better about tackling your upcoming week. Don’t allow your stress to become too much. Let self-care be the fuel that keeps you going.
Self-Care Saturday List
- Block out your schedule for YOU.
This may not seem like a novel concept if your calendar and to-do lists are filled to the brim with things you need to do. However, between all the errands you have to run, all the appointments you have to take your parents to, and all the activities you have to take your kids to and from… when was the last time you actually set aside time for yourself in your schedule?
Scheduling your self-care Saturday makes it intentional and more likely to happen. Scheduling time for yourself tells you that you’re just as important as your parents and your children are. We often need that reminder because with all the chaos, it can be very easy to forget. Your life doesn’t always have to revolve around them. When you schedule time for yourself, you have less of a chance of getting distracted or getting interrupted. This is because you schedule the things you have to take care of before and after but not during. - Do something you have been meaning to do for yourself.
Self-care Saturdays don’t need to consist of anything grand or luxurious. Have you been meaning to get that manicure/pedicure? Have you been meaning to book a spa day? Are you long overdue for a massage? When was the last time that you ordered your favorite meal from your favorite restaurant without considering if your parents or kids would eat food from there? Have you been meaning to finally take that relaxing bubble bath? Or, have you been daydreaming about being able to escape into a book you’ve been wanting to read? In fact, you can read while you’re in the bubble bath. The sky is the limit. - Exercise leisurely.
There’s no need to do a hardcore fitness routine on a self-care Saturday. However, some some gentle movement without all the pressure is much needed. Not only is it good for the body but it’s also good for the soul. The idea of exercising doesn’t always seem appealing but finding more attractive forms of movement transform it into a genuine way to take care of yourself. Instead of focusing on the exercises at hand, focus on how good you feel when you do things like dancing. - Meditate.
Meditation is very underutilized. Especially when we’re finally going to have a moment to ourselves, we rarely think about meditation because we’re trying to optimize all the free time we get. Some people may feel like it’s a silly practice. It really might feel silly if you’ve only tried it once or twice. However, with practice, it is a very good tool to use long-term. It is also a fantastic way to help recharge your batteries. - Spend time with a dear friend.
In the middle of trying to take care of everyone else, we forget to hang out with our own friends. Friendships can naturally grow apart but sometimes we unknowingly pull away from friendships that were keeping us mentally afloat. Perhaps there’s a friend you care for deeply and you haven’t had time to see them in a while. This would be a great opportunity to schedule some time to see them. Social connections keep us going. The right friends are the light at the end of our dark tunnels. Ask a friend if they’d be interested in having brunch. - Listen to nostalgic music.
Have you ever noticed how you feel when you hear a song you grew up on? How do you feel the moment the familiarity strikes you? Doesn’t it bring a smile to your face? And aren’t you amazed with how many of the lyrics you remember, even if you’ve last heard it over a decade ago?
Listening to older songs has a way of transporting us back to a simpler time in our lives. Listening to music is a way that we can time travel without actually leaving. It takes us back to the days where we were just kids, playing outside, and worrying about things like chasing the ice cream truck. While listening to music is not a conventional method for providing self-care, sitting around and jamming to your throwback playlist is a great self-care Saturday technique. There are also more benefits to listening to nostalgic music. - Get lost in a game.
Take some time to play a game that you like. It could be a game on paper or it can be a video game. Getting lost in a game helps us take our minds off of the now. It gives our brain a short break, allowing us to decompress. Simple, low pressure games like Sudoku or word search puzzles require a small amount of thinking and you may find that to be most relaxing for a self-care Saturday. - Go outside.
Have you ever wonder why there are people who like hiking so much? It’s because being outside is very therapeutic. You don’t have to hike exactly but, you can definitely take some time to go for a light stroll. Don’t fancy the idea of walking around? You can sit outside and still benefit from the outdoors. Get yourself a little sun to help your skin reap the benefits from synthesizing vitamin D. - Practice gratitude.
I may sound like a broken record but practicing gratitude will always be key here at Sammich Gen. Practicing gratitude has been shown to be a resource for sustainable mental health. Gratitude offers a fresh perspective for free. When you have a moment with yourself or a moment to finally hear yourself think, make gratitude part of your self-care Saturday.
Thank you for reading our blog. Subscribe below for updates on our new posts.
