Self-care. It’s a phrase we hear often from our family, friends, health care professionals, and social media. But what exactly does that look like on a daily basis?

Often when people think of self-care they think of something big like a vacation or spa day, but self-care doesn’t have to be big and elaborate. In fact, daily self-care can be simple and easy. Learn more about what self-care is and strategies to incorporate self-care into your daily routine, including ways to overcome barriers. 

What is self-care?

The essential activities we deliberately do that improve our physical, mental, and emotional health are self-care.

The University of Buffalo School of Social Work describes self-care as the activities and practices we do on a regular basis that help reduce stress and improve our health and well-being.¹ Mental Health America further explains that self-care can help us become more aware of our personal needs and builds confidence, resilience, and self-esteem.²

What are some self-care strategies?

We often see self-care portrayed in the media as going on vacation, visiting the spa, or taking a bubble bath. But self-care is so much more! It can be something simple like listening to your favorite song, savoring a cup of coffee with no distractions, or taking a walk.

The important thing to remember is that self-care is personal. What works for one person may not work for someone else.

Find the things that work for you. If you’re looking for some new or different ideas to try, here are some suggestions. 

Individual self-care strategies

• Read a book—listen to an audiobook, try a new-to-you genre, or connect with a local book club.
• Get creative—draw, color, paint, dance, or decorate.
• Cook or bake something—try a new recipe.
• Listen to music—cater the music to your mood, do you need something slow and steady or upbeat to get your body moving.
• Mediate, journal, practice mindfulness or gratitude.

Physical activity self-care strategies

• Go for a walk—pay attention to what’s around you in nature, listen to the sounds and take in the scenery
• Work out—go for a bike ride, dance, or take an exercise class. Always check with your health care provider to ensure the workout is appropriate for you.

Connecting with others self-care strategies

• Volunteer—find an organization or project that’s meaningful to you and get involved.
• Join a book club, card game group, or other hobby group.
• Schedule time to connect with family and friends.
• Join a CDMSE or Falls Prevention class.
• Do a good deed for someone else.

What are the barriers to self-care, and how can I overcome them?

Most of us can relate to hearing the words "self-care" and feeling like it's yet another item on our already long mental to-do list. Here are some common barriers and solutions:³

• Time —When we have competing priorities it can be difficult to fit another “thing” into our already busy schedules, especially if we’re providing care to someone. The good news is self-care doesn’t need to take hours, carving out even 5 minutes to listen to music, talk to a friend, or take a quick walk adds a drop to your bucket. You may also consider scheduling self-care time like any other appointment or get creative about when you engage in self-care. If you’re spending time in a waiting room for an appointment, listen to an audiobook or podcast while you wait.
• Guilt—It’s a common misconception that self-care is selfish. In fact, we know that it is essential to our health and well-being. When we take care of ourselves, we can be a better partner, friend, or caregiver. Remember the airplane oxygen mask analogy (put your mask on first before helping someone else with theirs). You won’t be able to support others if you’re not taking care of your needs.
• Motivation—Forming a new habit takes time and motivation. If you’re already feeling overwhelmed with responsibilities, you might not have the motivation to incorporate self-care into your routine. Start by acknowledging your feelings and then consider some of our tips for getting started.  

Tips for getting started

Start by naming your needs.⁴ Plan to check in with yourself a few times throughout the day and identify what you need. This will build self-awareness and help you tailor your self-care strategies to your specific needs. For example, if you’re feeling lonely considering a self-care strategy that involves connection, like grabbing coffee or tea with a friend.

The goal of self-care isn’t to be a burden but to uplift and bring you joy. If self-care practice is new to you, start small.

Pick an activity the resonates with you and try it for a few weeks. Creating habits doesn’t happen overnight, on average it takes about 66 days ;to form a habit according to research.⁵ The key is consistency. Doing your best to engage in self-care daily will help make it a routine practice.

Try practicing self-care in the morning. A recent study⁶ found that those who followed a structured morning routine were less stressed and anxious throughout the day. Physical activity provides the best opportunity for mood stability. Further research shows that having wake-up tasks can help maintain behavior. This study⁷ showed that participants with wake-up tasks found they helped them get up and complete the targeted behavior.

To translate this into real life: engaging in a specific task immediately when your alarm goes off like solving a math problem or taking a picture allowed participants to overcome sleep inertia and engage in physical activity. Self-care activities can set the stage for a more positive day. 

How to create a self-care plan

Self-care is an ever-evolving process. Our needs may change over time depending on our responsibilities. 

These helpful resources from the University of Buffalo School of Social Work can get you started:

• My Maintenance Self-Care Worksheet 
• Emergency Self-Care Worksheet

No matter what, write down your plan and adjust when needed. And remember, “Taking care of myself doesn’t mean ‘me first.’ It means ‘me too.’” —L.R. Knost

Photo ©Yuchen Liu for NCOA use only

Sources

1. University of Buffalo School of Social Work. Introduction to Self-Care. Found on the internet at https://socialwork.buffalo.edu/resources/self-care-starter-kit/introduction-to-self-care.html 

2. Mental Health America. 50 Self-Care Activities to do When you Don’t Know Where to Start. Found on the internet at https://screening.mhanational.org/content/50-self-care-activities-to-do-when-you-dont-know-where-to-start/ 

3.  Meryl Witkin. How to Overcome the Barriers to Self-Care and Prioritize Your Well-Being. ReFresh Psychotherapy. Found on the internet at https://refreshpsychotherapy.ca/how-to-overcome-the-barriers-to-self-care-and-prioritize-your-well-being/

4. NAMI Colorado Springs. Self-Care Isn't Selfish: Daily Habits for Your Mental Wellness. Found on the internet at https://www.namicoloradosprings.org/self-care-isnt-selfish-daily-habits-for-your-mental-wellness/

5. Lally, P., et al. How Are Habits Formed: Modelling Habit Formation in the Real World. European Journal of Social Psychology. October 2010. Found on the internet at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ejsp.674 

6. Bu, F., et al. Will things feel better in the morning? A time-of-day analysis of mental health and wellbeing from nearly 1 million observations. BMJ Mental Health. January 2025. Found on the internet at https://mentalhealth.bmj.com/content/28/1/e301418

7. Oh, K.T., et al. Using Wake-Up Tasks for Morning Behavior Change: Development and Usability Study. JMIR Formative Research. September 2022. Found on the internet at https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9529170/