There is no doubt that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us are experiencing change in our lives. Some more and some less than others. Staying at home away from people can be mentally exhausting, anxiety-inducing, and can overall change your day-to-day mood. Some days you may feel super productive and happy while other days you’d rather lay in bed all day. I totally understand if you’re in this weird place of trying to figure out your new normal because I’m right there with you. During this every-changing time, self care is more important than ever, which is why I put together a 30 day self care challenge.
With this self care challenge, I hope that it can help you re-focus your energy and inspire you to implement daily acts of self care beyond the 30 day challenge. Before we jump into it though, I just want to stress that you can do this self care challenge in any order. It really doesn’t matter as long as you do something every single day for the next 30 days!
Day 1: Read a book
Is anyone else getting tired of watching TV all day? Turn off the tv, put down the phone or other electronical gadget, and pick up a book. I really enjoy doing this on the patio to get some fresh air and a beautiful scene.
Day 2: Do a cleansing face mask
My favorite cleansing masks are the Glamglow Super Mud and the Origins Active Charcoal Mask. Pick a mask that pulls out all of your black heads and really cleans your face for an instant refresh.
Day 3: Go out for a walk
Take a walk around your neighborhood or on a trial nearby to get some fresh air. A breath of fresh air is a sure way to lift up your spirits!
Day 4: Do a digital detox
Use this extra time at home to do a digital detox from social media. With all of the news reports about the COVID-19 pandemic, it is hard to get away from the news unless you get off your phone for a day.
Day 5: Unfollow people on social media
Remove any negativity in your life or really anything that doesn’t bring you a joy. Every few months go through your social media and unfollow people who don’t either make you laugh, inspire you, or make you feel good about yourself.
Day 6: Start a journal
Something about writing really helps calms your nerves and relaxes your mind. Start a journal today and write about whatever you want.
Day 7: Facetime a friend or family member
Social distancing doesn’t mean that you have to lose touch with your friends and family. Set up a few Facetime dates throughout the week to get re-connected and some face-to-face interaction.
Day 8: Delete unnecessary apps from your phone
Clutter in your life including your cellphone can make you unnecessarily stressed. Because the environment around you is a direct representation your mental space and well-being. Take today to delete all of the apps that you no longer need or haven’t used in awhile.
Day 9: Write out 5 life goals for yourself
I’m highly goal-motivated; there’s something so fulfilling when you can cross off a goal of yours. Spend today writing down your goals and making a plan to achieve them. When you write things down, you’re more likely to achieve them. Because there’s a thing called manifestation that comes in handy too. An example could be paying off your student loan debt or becoming the manager at your job, etc.
Day 10: Declutter your closet
Like I mentioned earlier, clutter in your home and in your life has impact on how you feel. Spend today to get your closet in order. I’ve written a helpful guide to get you started, and I promise it won’t take up your whole day.
Day 11: Paint your nails
When’s the last time that you painted your own nails? Yea me too! Grab your favorite nail polish in your collection and have a fun day out of painting your nails. Go for a classic mani or play around with some fun designs.
Day 12: Try a new workout
Sometimes self-care isn’t about lounging around the house in your pajamas but actually getting your body moving. During this time, I’m focusing on improving my endurance and getting a good sweat in. Today, try a new workout to get your blood pumping! Some free at-home workouts you can try are Barre3, Fiton app, and Youtube!
Day 13: Organize one space in your home
Not going to lie: cleaning during this time has been very therapeutic for me. Now that I’m spending more time at home, the extra clutter has really been bothering me. In the past few weeks, I’ve already decluttered my closet, my bathroom, and working on the kitchen now. Take 1 hour a few times a week to finally organize a problem spot in your home.
Day 14: Plan a future vacation
While you can’t travel right now, you can 100% plan for a future vacation. Make a budget, set a timer, and see where your imagination goes. You’ll be surprised of what you come up with when you’re not in a rush to plan. Check out Pinterest for some travel inspiration!
Day 15: Make a plan to save for the vacation
Now that you’ve planned your future vacation, use today to make a savings plan to reach your goal with a little bit extra for fun. I love using the Qapital app to help me save money without me having to think about it (read this blog post for more details on how I use the app!).
Day 16: Light a candle and take a bubble bath
Unwind after a long day and pour yourself up a bubble bath. Go a step further and a light candle for an easy at home spa day experience. You totally deserve a relaxing night!
Day 17: Watch a documentary
My fiancé really enjoys watching documentaries, and I won’t lie, but it’s actually kind of fun. Just to sit down for an hour or two to learn about something new that you wouldn’t normally search for. Some good ones to watch on Netflix are Drugs Inc., Our Planet, Dirty Money, and the Pharmacist.
Day 18: Write down 1 thing that you are grateful for today
Sometimes we forget about all of the good things happening in our lives, which is why today I want you to write down 1 thing that you are grateful for. It could be simply waking up this morning or getting that apartment you wanted. Whatever it is, write it down.
Day 19: Buy yourself flowers
More time at home means more time to smell and enjoy a fresh cut bouquet of flowers.
Day 20: Brain dump all of your ideas
Once a week, I like to schedule a 15-minute brain dump of everything that I’m thinking about. Being a creative and thoughtful person, I tend to have a million things running through my head at a time. A brain dump allows for me to get all of my ideas out of my head, which helps me to relax and reorganize my thoughts. Use today to do that for yourself.
Day 21: Write a letter to someone
I really wish people wrote more hand-written letters like they used to, but alas usually time and convenience is the problem. Now that you’re stuck at home, spend time writing a letter to someone that you love, miss, or just don’t get to see as often anymore. I promise they’ll be so excited and appreciative of seeing a letter in the mailbox. Want to get fancy? I love adding a wax seal to my letters to make them stand out even more.
Day 22: Do a DIY
Have you been postponing a DIY or project that you’ve been meaning to do? For me, I need to create Titi’s graduation shadowbox with all of this extra free time. Grab the supplies that you need next time you’re at the store and get started!
Day 23: Meditate for 10 minutes
Self care starts in your mind so spend today mediating for 10 minutes to help you relax and re-center yourself. If you’ve never meditated before, definitely try the app called Headspace! It’s beginner friendly and a great resource to get started.
Day 24: Try a new makeup technique or look
On an every day basis, I tend to go for a simple makeup look, but now that I have all this extra time, I’ve been dabbling and playing around with more colorful looks and different application techniques. It’s a great time to get creative and expand on your makeup skills.
Day 25: Recite some positive self-affirmations
Pick out some of your favorite self-affirmations and repeat them to yourself throughout the day. You deserve to be happy, to feel strong, and to love yourself.
Day 26: Create a bucket list
With this task you can be as adventurous and creative as you’d like. In your phone or laptop, write a bucket list of the places that you want to travel to and adventures you want to take. One idea on my bucket list was to swim with the dolphins, which I did a few years ago on a trip with my mom!
Day 27: Blast your favorite songs
There’s something so therapeutic about blasting your favorite music throughout the entire house. Make a playlist and see where the day takes you.
Day 28: Clear out photos/videos from your phone
Something that has been on my to-do list for awhile now is to clear out my photos and videos on my phone. I currently have around 2500+ photos on my phone that I desperately need to download on my external hard drive. If you need to do the same, then definitely use today to get the job done!
Day 29: Reflect on this past month
At the end of the month, sit back and reflect on this self care challenge to figure out what worked for you and what didn’t. Utilize this time to think about what you want to learn next and where you want to focus your energy more. Trust me, a good reflection moment keep me motivating to keep this new self-care routine going.
Day 30: Make a game plan on how to maintain your self care
Now that you’ve thought over this past month, make a game plan on how you’re going to keep your self-care routine next month. Is there something that you want to learn or getting better at next month? Maybe you want to take more baths or spend more time reading. Whatever it is, make a plan that you can stick to!
I hope that you found this post useful and helpful during this crazy time! Even if you only have a few minutes or the whole day, doing something for you every single day is so important to keep your mind clear, happy, and focused. If you would like to download a calendar for the 30-day self care challenge, you can grab it down below!
Before you go just remember that we can’t change what’s happening in the world,
but we can control how we respond to it.
