Do you ever feel that you recharge your phone more often than you recharge yourself? Whether you treat Sundays as the end of a long week or the beginning of a new one, setting a day aside – or at least part of one – to rest and rejuvenate yourself has many benefits.
Practicing self-care shouldn’t be a chore – a “perfect” self-care Sunday can be whatever you want it to be. In this blog, we’ll give you 24 tips for a Sunday self-care routine that you can work into any part of your weekend.
What Is Self-Care Sunday?
You can easily put a self-care routine aside when life is busy (and when is it not?). Self-care Sunday is just a way of prioritizing your needs and ensuring that taking care of yourself is just as important as taking care of everyone else in your life.
24 Tips to Create the Perfect Self-Care Sunday Routine
Don’t let all the ideas here stress you out! We’ve broken out some self-care Sunday routines for morning, afternoon and evening if you only have part of a day to spend on yourself. Feel free to mix, match and find a rhythm that works best for you.
Morning Self-Care Routines
Sleep In (But Not Too Late)
Sleeping in on the weekend is great, isn’t it? But oversleeping can wreak havoc on your body clock and make getting up on Monday challenging. Instead, try sleeping just a bit past your regular wake-up time, and if you want to, take a short catnap (not more than 20 minutes) in the afternoon.
Hydrate
The benefits of drinking water cannot be overstated. Water can help control calories, is good for healthy-looking skin, and energizes your muscles.
How much water should you drink? Probably more than you’re drinking now. The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that an adequate daily fluid intake for women is about 11.5 cups per day. About 20% of your daily fluid intake usually comes from food and the rest from beverages, so start the day hydrated!
Start With a Good Sweat
Exercise: the word we love to hate. If you’ve fallen out of doing 30 minutes of daily exercise (or never did it in the first place), remind yourself how good it feels to get a good sweat going. A long walk or hike, swimming, jogging, or cycling are great for your mind and body and a great way to start the day.
Eat a Good Breakfast
If you’re working full-time, hustling kids out the door for school (or both), a relaxing breakfast may be a distant memory. So pour yourself a hot cup of coffee or tea and enjoy the breakfast of your choice. If you can get someone to make it for you, even better!
Read 18 Easy Self-Care Ideas for Moms
Journal
Journaling has been shown to reduce stress, reduce negative thoughts and emotions, and boost goal-setting efforts. You don’t need to purchase a fancy journal that you might be hesitant to use – any notebook and pen will do. Plus, writing with a pen (vs. a keyboard) is thought to reduce distraction, improve creativity, help memory and even improve eyesight.
Not into journaling? Try doing crossword puzzles or coloring books to get out of your head for awhile.
Meditate
Like journaling, the benefits of meditation are well documented and include enhanced focus, peace of mind, and improved sleep. In addition, meditation may even help you manage symptoms of medical conditions such as asthma, cancer, chronic pain and depression.
Avoid Screens For a Day
The constant input from television, social media and texting can put your nervous system into overdrive. So why not detox from all media one full day a week? Once you get over the initial panic, you may feel much calmer by the end of the day.
Work In Your Garden
Before the heat of the day sets in, spend some time with your hands in the dirt. If you’re an apartment dweller or have no plantable yard, planting herbs for a kitchen windowsill also counts.
Wear Comfy Clothes
Need a pajama day in the worst way? We all do. Whether you’re a pajama or loungewear lover, wearing clothing that envelopes you in softness and comfort is a must on your self-care Sunday list. We know you’ll fall in love with Softies’ functional pieces, timeless styles and high-quality fabrics.
Afternoon Self-Care Routines
Try Something New for Lunch
If your weekdays are jam-packed with work, school, or family events, you may repeatedly eat the same old things. So why not try that new recipe you never have time for?
Do Something You Enjoy
If you can’t think of anything to do that you enjoy, it’s been too long since you’ve paid attention to your own needs. We feel you. If nothing immediately springs to mind, why not try something new? Take a class, go to an outdoor concert, try a new restaurant – anything that makes you feel alive rather than just existing.
Remember the Great Outdoors
If you work outside the home (or even inside the home), chances are you need to get out. Being in nature helps boost your immune system, reduces depression, and is good for your mental health. Remember to be present: look around, try deep breathing, and appreciate the beauty around you.
Burn Incense
Incense is often burned for aromatic or spiritual purposes, and it is available in a variety of shapes and scents. Burning incense is a way to invite positive energy and transformation by energetically cleansing a space – or yourself – with smoke. It rejuvenates the air in your home, purifies the space in your environment and releases a fresh, revitalizing smell.
Read
Are you an e-book or paperback reader? Whether you’re into the latest best-selling novel or a personal growth book, lazy Sunday afternoons are a perfect time to slow down and get away from the pressures of daily life.
Visit With a Friend
If you’ve only seen your friends on social media, do yourself a favor and make time to see people you love in person if you can. Spending time with friends and socializing is quickly becoming a lost art. Strengthen your connections rather than let them wither away.
Go To The Movies or Binge-Watch a Series
If you don’t want to get away from screens, there’s nothing wrong with a bit of escapism to add a bit of happiness to your life. Whether you go to a theater or stay home to binge-watch your favorite series, break out the popcorn and enjoy yourself.
Craft
If you’re a knitter or can crochet, consider donating your talents to a good cause! Here are some resources for organizations who are looking for items you can make:
- NEGU: Knit beanies for kids with cancer
- Annie’s Caring Crochet Kit Club: A monthly subscription kit that includes all the instructions, patterns, and yarn you need to do projects for organizations that are making a real difference in people’s lives.
- Knots of Love: Free downloadable patterns for charitable projects
Evening Self-Care Routines
Turn On Some Music
Books and podcasts are great for learning, entertainment or catching up on current events. But when was the last time you danced in your living room? So pour a glass of wine or sparkling water, crank up some tunes you love and release some pent-up energy.
Have a Light Dinner
Ease your digestive system by having a light dinner early in the evening. If you enjoy cooking, why not spend some extra time preparing a special meal, just because? However, if cooking’s not your favorite thing, you can also visit a nearby restaurant and support your local economy.
Plan For The Week Ahead
One of the best things you can do for yourself is to prepare for events in advance. Leaving everything to the last minute increases stress on yourself and those around you. Look at your calendar, ensure your loved ones are apprised of upcoming events and make appropriate arrangements for shopping trips or child care. Make sure to plan fun things too.
Take a Luxurious Bath
Soaking in the tub is excellent for relaxation and multi-task pampering. Put on a facial mask, deep condition your hair, shave, and follow with your favorite body lotion for soft skin. Lastly, don a luxurious robe for the ultimate post-bath comfort. You’ll sleep like a baby later.
Practice Affirmations
Practicing affirmations is yet another thing you can do while soaking in the tub. Affirmations are phrases you repeat to yourself to help decrease negative thoughts and self-talk while instilling confidence and peace of mind.
Stretch
After your muscles are warmed up from a bath or shower, stretching is an effective way to improve your posture, increase your range of motion and enhance relaxation.
Get To Bed Early
Cap off your Self-Care Sunday by going to bed early. Not only will you get the extra sleep you probably need, but you’ll also be ready to take on the day when you awaken on Monday.
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Love Yourself In Softies
We hope you’ve enjoyed our list of self-care Sunday tips and found a few you can incorporate immediately into your weekend.
At Softies, we’re all about comfort and self-care. Our ultra-soft loungewear, sleepwear and robes have you covered, whether you’re working from home, running errands or winding down in the evenings.
Why save your self-care for Sundays when you can indulge yourself every day? Stay cozy, comfy and relaxed around the clock with Softies!
