The first things that come to mind when you think of self-care are probably hour-long baths and extensive skincare routines, but what if I were to tell you that self-care is a whole lot more than that?

Even though I definitely wouldn’t say no to a day spent at the spa, self-care doesn’t necessarily have to involve spending tons of money or magically having the time to spend hours soaking up in your bathtub every day (and girl can dream, hey!)

When self-care is involved, something, smaller things are what create the biggest impact. Everyday self-care is more about small actions we do in order to improve our overall wellbeing, including physically, mindfully, and soulfully.

If you’re currently looking for simple self-care practices anyone can do, here are a few ideas guaranteed to turn your life around!

7 Self-Care Practices That Will Change Your Life

1.     Make your bed every morning

I know this sounds like anything but fun, but making your bed virtually takes just a few minutes and such a small action can snowball into huge things. Making your bed as soon as you wake up will give you a sense of achievement and help you feel inspired to stay productive for the rest of the day.

2.    Stop being available all the time

In the smartphone era, we’re expected to be available every single second of the day. Even though I’m not saying you should completely switch off, try making an effort to completely ignore your phone at certain points throughout the day in order to fully focus on being present.

3.    Declutter your social media accounts

In today’s world, it has become pretty darn hard not to compare ourselves to people we don’t even know in real life. Be it their perfectly organized space, their flawless skin, or their ideal relationships, it’s pretty tough not to feel bad about yourself and your life after spending just a few minutes browsing social media. If you find yourself having negative feelings after looking at someone else’s content, remove them from your feed.

While unfriending or unfollowing someone may feel a bit rude, it’s absolutely okay to prioritize your mental wellbeing. If you really don’t want or can remove someone, snoozing their content is another option (they will never know you did!)

4.    Do something nice for someone else

Be it volunteering at your local charity or cooking a meal for that friend who’s been super busy lately, acts of kindness strengthen our relationships as well as give us a lil’ dose of dopamine.

Do note, however, that you should only give when you’re able to. If you’re currently struggling to make time for yourself, chances are signing up for volunteering isn’t the best of ideas. If you’re going through a rough financial patch, lending money to a friend isn’t ideal. Remember that giving doesn’t equal people-pleasing, so before you do, make sure your glass is full in order to be able to give without putting yourself on the backburner.

5.    Set boundaries

Boundaries are incredibly important in order to maintain healthy relationships, including those with friends, families, and co-workers.

Learning how to say no when something simply doesn’t feel right will ultimately change your life around. This can look like refusing to answer work-related calls during your time off or deciding to stay in when your friends are going out because you want to wake up early.

Only you know what boundaries you are okay with and which ones you aren’t, so take a minute to think about that and start implementing them right away! Not only will this lead to healthier, stronger relationships, but it will ultimately reduce stress and anxiety as well.

6.   Create a mindful morning routine

The way we spend our mornings can have a huge impact on how the rest of the day will go, so try to fill them up with mindful activities that fuel you to take on the day!

Depending on how much time you have before you head out into your daily activities, your morning routine can include actions like exercising, sitting on the porch drinking a cup of tea, writing down your goals for the day, going for a walk, or just about anything that pops to mind.

7.    Declutter your space

Decluttering may not sound like the most exciting activity out there, but it’s actually one of the best things you can implement into your regular routine.

By clearing out things you no longer need or use, you’ll reduce your stress levels, stop wasting time looking for things, make cleaning infinitely easier, and feel at peace in the space you live in. Simply put, decluttering can have an extraordinary long-term effect on your life, so making it a part of your self-care routine is an amazing habit.

Do you practice any of these self-care activities? If so, how has doing so improve your life? I’d love to know all about it in the comment section below!