Simple Tips to Create a Self Care Ritual You’ll Love

Last Updated on October 13, 2022 by Hollie Giglietti

Self care is hard.

It feels like a luxury when you’re working non-stop and barely have time for anything else. But it’s essential to your wellbeing as a creative entrepreneur.

That’s why we’re talking about taking care of yourself here on DAY 5 of our Reignite Your Creative Life & Business Challenge.

Haven’t signed up for the challenge yet? Click the image below!

DAY 5 of our Challenge

When you’re an Artist and a Creative it can be incredibly challenging to take care of yourself when you’re juggling so many different projects, constantly solving problems and coming up with new creative ideas – let alone having enough time to rest, refuel and recharge.

Self care rituals can seem unimportant. But just like sleep, rest and morning/evening rituals, self care is crucial in setting your creative life up for success. Taking care of yourself is also going to be one of the main things that helps you either come out of that foggy feeling and/or keep it away!

The benefits of self care for creative entrepreneurs

There are plenty of benefits of self care for creative entrepreneurs, both in the short and long term. When you get in the habit of regularly taking care of yourself, it can not only help you manage stress and feel more calm and balanced, it can also help you improve your productivity, create more ideas, achieve your goals and build a more sustainable business.

Self care can also help you maintain a healthy relationship with money, build better relationships with others and prevent burnout and serious health issues such as anxiety and depression.

Self Care: What It Is and Why It’s Important

Self care is about creating a balance between your work and other aspects of your life by prioritizing your mental health and wellbeing. It’s about nurturing your creativity and making sure it gets the attention and energy it needs to keep flowing.

Self care is about being gentle and kind to yourself, being honest about what you need and putting yourself first from time to you. Self care is not an indulgence, it’s a necessity, and it’s important for creative entrepreneurs because it will help you stay productive and creative for longer, prevent burnout, and make your decision-making better, which will lead to better business results in the long run.

How to create (and stick to) your own self care routine

Start by being honest with yourself about what you need and when you need it.

Self care doesn’t have to be a certain activity every day. It can be something as simple as taking some alone time at the end of a work day or stopping your work earlier than usual to spend time with friends or family.

It’s completely up to you and the type of person you are. What matters is that you choose activities that will help you relax, recharge and feel good. You can start with a few practices and then add more as you go along.

Self care can be anything from meditating, doing yoga, reading, going for a walk, spending time with friends/family, taking baths, going for a walk in nature, or anything else that calms and energizes you.

What kind of Self Care will work best for you?

Ask yourself a few key questions:

1. What small things really make me feel good, loved, pampered, or indulgent? 

2. What are two things I can have or do each day to remind myself that I matter? 

3. What is a weekly activity that restores me, and that I need to remember to schedule for myself without fail? 

4. What are the self-care activities or items I need available each month to keep my mental wellness at an optimal level? 

Now, fill in those blanks. 

Here’s a list of daily self-care ideas:

• Practice Self-Reflection:  Getting in touch with who you really are and what you want is a great way to begin making self-care a priority. Self-reflection gives you the opportunity to really evaluate your life – your thoughts, choices, attitudes and behaviors that have brought you to your current situation. If you’ve been putting self-care on the backburner, you could start to ask yourself questions like, “What is a choice I can make this week based on my needs alone,” or “How can I be more intentional with my time today?” You don’t have to spend a lot of time on this – 5 to 10 minutes a day is all you need to start. Once you begin reflecting on what is really important to you, making yourself a priority will be a much easier process.

• Artist Dates: This idea is originally from Julia Cameron’s book, “The Artist’s Way”. Have fun with your inner child and take yourself on an artist date. As we become adults, we seem to stray away from the things we loved most as a child. Think back to when you were little. What did you enjoy? Writing, painting, sketching, acting, reading? Get back some of that magic and make time to just play and be messy. Go see a movie you’ve been wanting to watch. Pick up a book and read. Try that new yoga class. Get yourself a canvas and some paint and create a masterpiece. Do what it takes to get your creative wheels spinning and allow yourself time to reconnect with the things you really love.

• Writing – This is a really simple practice that can help you get your day off to a great start and set yourself up for success. Free flow writing, creative writing, writing out your goals and dreams… Writing is a great way to get clarity on what’s important to you and what you want to achieve. It’s also a great way to fuel your creative spirit.

• Say No: Setting boundaries and learning to say no more often is probably one of the best things you could ever do. It allows you to get back in the driver’s seat and have more control over your own life. We often say we don’t have time for self-care because we are so busy, however, that’s only because we’ve said yes to everyone else’s demands. Instead of filling up your schedule in this way, start saying no to mundane tasks and leave more time for what you really want to do.

• Make Time for Connection:  Allow yourself to connect with people but not on Instagram, Facebook or TikTok – live, in the flesh, real people. As human beings, we need connection in our lives and sometimes that takes being very intentional with our time. Make an effort to get out of the house and do something that makes you feel good. Allow yourself the time to laugh, explore and have fun with others outside of normal daily life. Try volunteering at an animal shelter or soup kitchen or re-connect with someone you haven’t talked to in a while. Go on a much needed date night with your spouse or get together for a girl’s night out (or in) and catch up with old friends. You’ll be giving yourself some much needed time away and a chance to recharge your batteries.

• Spend Time Alone: On the flip side of the coin, spending time alone is important when prioritizing self-care in your life. We all need it. Life is hectic and we rarely give ourselves a moment to slow down and recharge, let alone be by ourselves when doing so. When you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, on edge and anxious, you need to reflect on what your body may be telling you. Spending even a small amount of time alone each day can help clear your head and relax your mind. It allows you to be present with your own thoughts so you can tune in to what you truly want and need.

• Meditation – This is another simple and powerful practice that can help you get your day off to a great start by setting your intentions and helping you to be more mindful and focused. It’s been scientifically proven that meditation helps reduce anxiety and stress, improve focus and productivity, increase creativity and boost your relationships.

• Yoga – Shown to boost your productivity by helping you to reset and recharge your energy. It can also help you manage your stress levels, improve your focus, reduce your anxiety and help you sleep better at night.

• Visualization – This is a fun way to set your intentions for the day and help you to be more mindful and focused on what you want to achieve. It’s also been proven to help you release stress and relax your body.

• Reading – Set yourself up for success by feeding your mind with empowering and curiosity-provoking information. Reading can also help you be more creative and open-minded, which will help you generate better ideas.

• Journal – This is a great way to reflect on your day and be more mindful about what happened, which will help you to notice your patterns and be more aware of where you’re spending your energy, which will help you to make better decisions.

• Connect with nature – Boost your mood and help your creativity flow by connecting with nature, which is proven to help you relax, feel more positive and be more creative.

• Move your body – Another amazing way to boost your creativity and help you sleep better at night is movement. Choose a movement that’s fun and feels good to you. This can help you manage your stress levels, stay present in your body and stay more focused on what’s important in life.

• Create – Not for a specific project or work. Create without any expectations, just for fun and just for you. Doodle, color, paint, walk around your neighborhood and take fun pictures. Whatever it is, have fun!

feeling different about self care?

Self-care can fall by the wayside when your to-do list is a mile long, yet it maybe more important for creative entrepreneurs than any other task on that to-do list. Taking care of yourself is essential to maintaining your health and sanity while boosting your creativity, productivity, and profits.

Share in the comments what you plan to do TODAY, to take care of yourself. I can’t wait to hear your ideas!