January 1st is the day many of us have ambivalent feelings toward. On the one hand, it means the start of a new year and an opportunity to set goals and make resolutions for self-improvement.
But on the other hand, there’s also that inherent pressure to make these changes stick – after all, social media rushes to leave us feeling like we haven’t accomplished enough by the time year’s end.
But there’s a way to mitigate this pressure, and that’s with self-care activities. By taking the time to think about those daily habits and schedule self-care accordingly, you can ensure that your new year starts on a positive and productive note – no matter what comes your way.
And even if the year doesn’t go as planned, having ideas to fall back on will make self-care much more attainable. Here are some of the best self-care planner ideas I’ve used over the years, and I know you’ll find value in them as well.
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Weekly self-care plan
When coming up with a to-do list for the week, you want a holistic planner like the one shown above that offers you space to incorporate affirmations and personal growth goals for the week ahead. I love the ability to pace myself by taking self-care one day at a time and having the flexibility to fill in those self-care appointments as I go.
Other weekly planner ideas you can include:
-Listing the self-care activities like guided meditation and mindfulness exercises
– Setting aside time for self-reflection and goal-setting each week
-Adding a weekly self-care checklist to ensure you’re implementing self-care strategies consistently
With more than a daily planner, a highly rated weekly self-care planner like this may be just the right for those who prefer support the entire 52 weeks of the year.
Self-care activities for bad days
We all have those days when our mental health is being tested, and self-care seems like something we can’t even fathom. A great way to curtail self-care planning on these tough days is to have self-care activities already mapped out.
A weekly planner can include engaging in an exercise routine, sticking to your water intake, or special meal planning for those days when eating something extra tasty feels like an indulgence.
Other self-care ideas for bad days include:
-coming up with a list of period self-care items to set aside
-creating a list of exercises for scary Sundays or the holiday blues
-creating a unique list of self-care products to use during the holiday chaos
Self-care routine plan
A simple self-care plan is an easy way to create a foundation for improving your overall health. Whether you’re looking to improve your mental health, physical health, or track all aspects of your health, self-care routine planning can help you get started on the right track.
Fill those blank pages with self-care ideas you’ll look forward to doing because that is where an apparent shift will start.
Another great option is this holistic wellness planner that can be used daily to help plan meals, support your daily schedule, space to tap into gratitude and intention, plus more.
Some key self-care routine planning tips include:
-Change your self-care routine plan monthly. Feel free to stick to a different self-care routine day after day – try something new each month or even week to keep things exciting and challenging.
-Challenge a friend to join you in your self-care routine. A buddy system can help you stay accountable and motivated to continue your self-care journey.
Commit to self-care monthly challenges
Whether trying new self-care activities or current self-care practices, committing to monthly self-care challenges can help you stay motivated and focused.
And for those with busy schedules, monthly challenges give us a set time frame to explore self-improvement and self-reflection, helping to keep self-care front and center in our minds.
Some self-care monthly challenge ideas include:
-Exercise-themed self-care challenges, such as taking a walk every day or committing to a new movement each day
-Challenging yourself to learn something new each month, whether it’s trying out a new skill like cooking or learning a new language
-Answering one shadow work prompt each day or reciting positive health affirmations to yourself
-Increasing meditation or self-reflection practices each month to improve mental health and well-being.
Engage in seasonal self-care
Your self-care deserves to be supported every step of the way. And that starts with ensuring that you are making sure your specific needs are being addressed for each particular season.
Whether it’s preparing for harsh winter weather or enjoying the summer sun, seasonal self-care can help you stay on track and improve your overall well-being.
Some wellness planner ideas for seasonal self-care include:
-Creating a bucket list for summer activities, such as camping or planning a self-care vacation
-Setting self-care goals for the winter months, such as improving sleep habits or getting your fix on self-care podcasts
-Creating a cozy fall self-love playlist featuring BIPOC artists
-Commit to spring cleaning in the areas with the goal to promote relaxation
Craving self-care rituals, to support a more grounded you? This book was highly recommended to me and I use it throughout the year for each season.
A-Z self-care ideas
I love this idea for its creativity and wellness focus. With self-care ideas that start with every letter of the alphabet, you can explore new self-care activities and keep yourself engaged and motivated all year round.
For your personal use, this digital planner could become a monthly challenge with the option to reset it with all new self-care ideas each month. It places you in the best position to tap into ways that address your sensory, emotional, mental, and spiritual needs.
Some self-care ideas that start with each letter of the alphabet include:
-Acupuncture
-Breathing exercises for self-care
-Dietary changes for self-care
-Escape rooms for self-care
-Filling out journal prompts in your self-love workbook
-Gardening
-Hiking for self-care
–Journaling for self-care
-Kegel exercises for self-care
Self-care daily checklist
Often, a daily self-care checklist is just what you need to maintain structure, focus, and self-awareness in your self-care journey. I’m a sucker for a list that offers morning, afternoon, and evening activities because life can be draining. A productivity planner can boost your confidence around starting something like this.
If you prefer pre-filled planners, using this in your day-to-day life will make the commitment much less intimidating. But if your daily self-care routine shifts quite a bit, you can create your own checklist or find one with a blank template to track all aspects of your health.
This tear off wellness checklist is easy breezy for the bloomers who prefer to have one page to refer to each day. 4 direct sections that get to the good stuff that you need with intention.
Get a habit tracker
For an easy self-care idea, try a habit tracker. This self-care planner tool is super versatile and simple to use. A habit tracker is a perfect fit if you’re looking for a printable tool to utilize for your day-to-day activities.
With a self-care focus, you can set goals, track your progress, and reflect on the impact of how tracking parts of your life does to you, both physically and mentally.
Some self-care tracker ideas include:
-Having no spend days
-Making infused water to drink each day
-Creating a wellness themed bath time
-Getting enough fruit and veggie servings
Tracker for mood patterns
As a board-certified behavior analyst, one of my first introductions to working with adult clients was creating a mood pattern or tracker for a client. I was met with so much success that I created one for myself.
It can be the ultimate self-care planner for those who experience mental health challenges like anxiety and depression. What’s more? You can find ones incorporating self-monitoring, reflection, and self-reward to support your day-to-day journey.
A mood tracker journal is also a great option for those who prefer a notebook inspired item.
Daily gratitude journal
A printable self-care planner idea is to use a gratitude journal daily at the top or end of your day. We’re big on gratitude here; I couldn’t imagine self-care without it. Not only does it foster awareness to hold space for it, but I’ve personally experienced stress reduction from being more intentional with it.
With over 77 pages included, you can choose your weekly spread of pages to focus on self-care, productivity, wellness, self-exploration, and more.
Some gratitude journal features included in this:
-Writing 3 things you’re grateful for
-Coming up with gratitude activities
-Evening reflection exercises
-Highlight of the week
More grattiude reads to read on the blog:
50 Gratitude Affirmations to Remember Now Through The Holidays
The Most Touching Gratitude Gift Ideas to Purchase Now
Printable self care planner ideas
No matter what self-care goals you set for yourself in the new year, having ideas that suit your needs will lead to you achieving success. Whether you’re looking for printable mood trackers or daily habits to help you stay on track, there is something out there that will make self-care a more manageable than ever, bloomer.
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