HEALTH

Winter is arguably the time of the year that is hardest to practice self-care—despite that more time indoors means that you have more time to do it. Cozy TK and winter break can lead to lazy habits, like binging Netflix, noshing on junk food and staying in pajamas...all day long. 

While it can be *so* fun to have a PJ party on your own, it more fun when you work in some self-care. We've put together tips, tricks and how-tos to make it easier to treat yourself all season long.

1. Create a well-rounded routine

Reese Regan has saved the day and provided an entire self-care ritual on her YouTube channel, complete with skincare, haircare and more! You can take some inspo from Reese's list and create a routine that works for you, or make one that's all your own.

2. Start bullet journaling

Keeping yourself organized (even when you feel like you have nothing to do) is a great way to care for your mental health. AmandaRachLee created this guide to get you started on a brand new bullet journal (an intentional way of scheduling and tracking your life) so you can learn how to stay creative *and* put together.

3. Unplug (literally)

Flipd is an app that allows you to create settings for locking your phone during busy times of your day, and it's great for when you need a break from social media. No matter how much you may love scrolling through your Twitter timeline, it's not healthy to have your eyes glued to your phone screen all the time. Take a breather!

4. Try volunteering

If you want (or need) to get out of the house, try going out and volunteering locally for a group that needs it. VolunteerMatch, a site that lists all open volunteer opportunities in your area, is a wonderful start to finding a new niche over break!

5. Meditate

Take some advice from Annie Tarasova - she has described her personal experiences and created a list of tips for meditation beginners. Sit down, take a break and be mindful of yourself for the *best* self-care.

6. Watch ASMR

Sure, there's some...interesting ASMR videos out there, but giving yourself the trademark tingles can actually be great for your health. According to Elite Daily, it can even bring down your heart rate during times of stress.

7. Exercise

Running in the cold is just not fun. But exercise is one of the best things you can do for your physical *and* mental health. That's So Zaity shares some of her fave exercises for self-care, and they're def worth a shot!

8. Cook it out

Cooking is now used by therapists as a therapy technique, so now's the time to whip out that cookbook and try your hand at a new recipe. You may not be Gordon Ramsey by meal one, but you'll feel de-stressed and breezy when you're done.

Photo credit: Flipd, GIPHY

by Logan Potter | 11/21/2018