What self care have you done this week?

[GarlicMushroom]

Okay...so this week has been pretty difficult for many of us, and it's not looking like it'll be getting easier any time soon.
During the last lockdown my mental health was really poor, on maternity leave with my son and feeling massively isolated. I'm now back at work (frontline NHS) and feeling much better from a MH perspective, but when the lockdown was announced I knew I needed to do something for myself to keep feeling okay. So this week I have:
Gone to bed before 9pm once, left the house a tip and just went to bed. Felt bloody brilliant, even when ds woke for the day at 5am
Plucked my eyebrows. Okay this may sound ridiculous but little things like this make me feel like I'm taking care of myself and just generally better.
Joined a family film club. We all watch a film separately then tomorrow evening we are having a zoom call to discuss. Not our usual type of socialising but about as good as it gets for us all at the moment!

I thought we could use this thread to share inspiration of those small, sometimes silly, sometimes dull things that we have done for self care and maybe get some inspiration to try new forms of self care!
So what have you done this week?

[InsertRudeWord]

Such a good idea OP. I'm using an app to colour but my mother is being very difficult, so as fast as I colour and relax she winds me back up again.!

[Bargebill19]

Slept in today till 1pm. Bliss. Soaked my feet and moisturised them.
(having done 13 hour shift yesterday and 12 hours shifts all week)

[dementedma]

Started using better skincare on my face
Been out for a couple of short walks
Not had any alcohol

[Spied]

I'm using up all my Xmas/Birthday body lotions and shower gels.
I choose a different one each day and I feel it's a little bit of pampering.
I look forward to it.

[Spied]

I'm also taking time out of my day to watch rubbish tv and have a cup of green tea.
It's supposed to be good for you so I feel I'm looking after myself a bit

[JoeNotExotic]

I’ve had a thoroughly shit week. DH got up with our DD today so I was able to catch up on sleep. We’ve been out hiking which I absolutely needed.

[GarlicMushroom]

Some really good ideas!
@insertRudeWord which app is this? Keep colouring!
Think I will use some of the christmas toiletries I got next week instead of saving them for 'best'...not sure what that is anymore!

[Strugglingtodomybest]

I sat down and watched TV all afternoon with the kids today. Something I would never normally do because it's not 'productive'. It was lovely listening to them laughing at The Office though.

[MirandaWestsNewBFF]

I made sure I got out for a walk and did a workout every day, and didn’t push myself to do loads of cleaning - the house is a shit tip but I do feel a lot less stressed.

[relievedlady]

Have planned to hijack the bathroom tomorrow evening and lock myself in there with a hot bath with the new salts I got for Xmas,a good face pack and hair treatment at the same time.

Then I'm going to use the new face oil and night time cream,oh and eye mask I treated myself to.

Then I'm going to paint my nails fingers and toes.

A good dermaplane on my face and eyebrows plucked and tinted and il feel a million dollars.

[ShirazSavedMySanity]

I’ve been waking up early (worrying etc) so I’ve got up, sat downstairs with headphones on and done a 10 minute meditation on YouTube. I’m the last person you’d expect to see doing meditation (and I think I’m fairly shit at it) but I’ve found myself looking forward to that tiny bit of quiet in my day.

I’ve worn perfume every single day. Drowned myself in it.

I’ve made myself leave my laptop for at least 30 mins in an afternoon to have a change of scenery and it’s done me the world of good. Being outside even in the freezing cold helps my mind.

[Mol1628]

Had a bath and binged watched Netflix. I’m also using my Christmas toiletries and appreciating them!

[CarolEffingBaskin]

I haven’t had a moment in which to do anything. Home schooling during the day, studying in the evening and parenting 2 children with ASD means there isn’t any. I took a shit alone, that’s about as close as it gets these days.

[OhioOhioOhio]

Great idea for a thread. I'm off for a bath.

[Mum2jenny]

My self care has been ensuring I have a bottle of wine a night available to me — only slightly joking!! 🥂🥂

[Piggyhoolier]

I waxed my flaps on Wednesday. Sorry if that sounds flippant, but it made me feel like I was taking control instead of letting everything slide. Also been running lots, without my commute I have more time for it which is great. And like a PP, I put perfume on which also made me feel happy.

[polarbearoverthere]

This is a lovely thread! So nice to hear everyone’s ideas for self care. I slept in this morning which was a treat I usually feel guilty for, but I’ve realised I could be doing more nice things for myself! New goal for next week I think

[Chimeraforce]

Walked 2 miles daily and 3 miles yesterday and today
Nothing else. I count getting up and wfh as a success.

[OohImBlindedByTheLights]

Today I tinted my brows, put a face mask on, had a hot bath with new bath bombs and shaved my whole body haha! Slathered on the conditioner and then used my new Rituals shower oil. Finished off with using the matching rituals Sakura body cream and put on my new pyjamas. Feel so good after it!

[Shinyletsbebadguys]

I've had a hell of a week
I've also spent most of it trying to remind myself how lucky I am. So today i didn't. I have been watching what i eat. Today i didn't.
I washed my hair for the first time this week , I ate what i wanted without going mad and eating everything in sight. The biggest key really was to take the pressure off of myself and rather than every day starting with "I should do....." " X , Y , Z must be done" I did what the hell I liked. (Which did include vague sorting out , but it wasn't a required task).

DC are at their dads and for one day , no pressure, no timetable , no list. It was lovely. I have myself permission not to try to be perfect.

[Msfoxy17]

No alcohol,lots of herbal tea, walks and yoga daily.
And quite a few baths.. instead of having a rushed shower interrupted multiple times by toddler DD.

(Have had a tons of chocolate though and cant seem to get to bed before 12!)

[JovialNickname]

Put a bit of fake tan on. It sounds shallow but it gives me a bit of a healthy glow even without make up which makes me feel a bit better!

[HalfShrunkMoreToGo]

Spent an hour knitting this evening with music playing, just listening to my favourite tunes and the clicking of the needles. It may take me 3 years to finish this hat at the rate of an hour a week but I'll enjoy my quiet hours 😂

[SatsumaFan]

I signed up for a charity walk thing on NYE. Have to walk 100km in January. So bloody glad I did as it's saving my sanity after last week trying to wfh and home school two primary aged dc. Getting out for a 5km most days, even when it's sub zero and dark and foggy.

Did 13km/8 miles with a neighbour this am then went to bed this afternoon for a 2hr nap/rest.

Definitely having a bath and pamper tomorrow.

[GarlicMushroom]

Some really really good ideas! So glad to see so many of us have taken that little bit of time back for ourselves. Definitely going to be using some of these in the future! Love the idea of drowning myself in perfume to sit in my pyjamas most of the day😄
@carolEffingBaskin I'm so sorry you are having a shitty shitty time. I didn't want to gloat or make anyone feel bad. I really hope that next week you get that five minutes to yourself that you absolutely deserve