Whether you work in a traditional 9-5 job, own your own company or are a stay-at-home/work from home kind of person, one thing that all of these positions have in common is that they all work hard throughout the week and can find it hard to build some self-care into their days. While the weekends are a nice break from the usual responsibilities of work life, carving out time for self-care throughout the daily routine is a way of taking care of ourselves in the midst of the chaos of everyday life. We all have responsibilities, chores, tasks, admin, appointments, meetings, etc. but that is no reason to not also take care of yourself in the process of being productive. Here are some ideas on how you can build some self-care into your daily routine no matter what kind of work situation you have.
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take some time in the morning to journal with a hot drink
Before the busyness of the day even starts, take some time out in the morning to journal with your favorite hot drink. I have a previous post on how to create a luxurious journaling practice where I provide many journaling prompts to help you get started if you’ve never journaled before. I like to make a Nespresso latte, light a scented candle and sit down first thing in the morning to journal and enjoy some quiet time. It helps to start the day on a calm and inspiring note each day.
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take 2 dedicated 15-minute breaks when working
I know this tip can certainly depend on the type of job you have, but if it’s possible try to take 2 dedicated 15-minute breaks each workday. I do 15 minutes in the morning at 11:00 a.m. and one afternoon break at 3:00 p.m. These breaks are used to stretch, take a walk, peruse social media, or simply just sit outside in the sun. I make sure to leave my desk and to do something that will refresh me before getting back to work. I almost never skip these breaks as I have them built into my daily routine to make sure that throughout the day, I take time for myself.
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moisturize your hands throughout the day with a scented hand lotion
A luxurious aromatherapy is always nice to experience throughout the day and if you work in an office, you can’t simply bring in scented candles to light, but you can use a scented lotion for your hands throughout the day. Keeping the hands moisturized is a good idea for overall hand and nail health anyways, so why not use a quality, luxury scented lotion? I use the one from Ouai in the scent of Rue St. Honroe. The scent makes me feel chic and cozy when I use the lotion. It’s a simple way to delight the senses in the middle of a workday and only takes a few seconds to apply.
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indulge in a hobby after work
After the workday and the usual chores of cooking dinner and cleaning the kitchen, I will tuck away in my room and get cozy with a favorite hobby. This can be anything from reading a book, coloring, doing a jigsaw puzzle, crocheting, knitting, doing a crossword puzzle, etc. You already know I elevate every experience I can, so I will put on some music, dim the lights, and enjoy a few hours of doing something purely for fun. This not only serves the purpose of simply relaxing, but also to help ensure that we do not spend each and every night that we have scrolling through social media. I do love social media, but I do not want that to be my only source of fun after a long day of work.
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do some nightime/bed yoga
A few times a week I like to do some nighttime or bed yoga as a way to stretch out my body, especially as one who works a desk job Monday thru Friday. It feels good to move and stretch the body in a gentle way and there are many YouTube videos on this guided yoga practice that you can watch. I will light some candles, turn the lights out and just stretch for about 15-30 minutes after a long day of work.
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elevate your nightly skincare routine
Most of us have a nighttime skincare routine that we do, so why not elevate the experience a few times a week? I like to light a few candles, put on my Luxury Hotel Vibes Playlist and take my time working through my nighttime skincare. I may bring in the iPad and set up a fireplace ambience from YouTube and even add a couple of extra steps like a dermaplane or face mask. It’s a simple way for me to pamper myself and give myself some spa-like treatments in the middle of the week. My skin feels smooth and refreshed and it also has the added benefit of making me feel like a woman who takes time out of her busy day to care for herself on a regular basis.
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