Sunday self-care. I’m sure you’ve encountered this term at least once. It’s a hashtag, it’s a selfie of your friend with a facemask on, it’s a way of being. While I agree that self-care is beyond facemasks and bubble baths, I also see massive value in these rituals. Who doesn’t love that extra bit of pampering, right? A facemask and bubble bath may not solve all your problems but it sure is nice to soak in nice-smelling potions and have nice skin!
I do think Sundays are the ultimate day for self-care. On one handyou’ve had all weekend to do weekend activities, catch up with people, do errands like the weekly grocery shopping, recover from a hangover. You know, all of those things we keep ourselves busy with on our days off. Then on the otherhand there’s the dreaded Sunday night feeling creeping in.
You know what I’m talking about, right? When you realise that the weekend is almost over and you’re back to the daily grind. Sunday self-care routines always make me feel as if I get to hold on to the weekend just a little bit longer.
Keen to adapt your own Sunday self-care routine? You picked the ultimate day to start because daylight savings mean we get that extra hour this weekend! Hooray!
3 pm
If you’re anything me, you’re probably just waking up from a little (well, longish) nap. It’s okay. I get it. Nothing better than a lazy afternoon of napping after a delicious brunch. Lie in bed a bit more, feel how soft your sheets are, notice how nice and warm your pillow is. Enjoy! It’s what you deserve.
3:16 pm
Okay, time to get up. We have some serious self-caring to do! While I don’t really do a full-blown workout on Sundays, I do like to do little stretches to wake my body up. I also find it oddly relaxing! So I’ll stretch for a bit, preferably near a window. Or now that the days are getting warmer, outside.
3:30 pm
Snack and hydrate! I’d like to say that I always go for the healthier option and snack on some fruit or bliss ball, but most of the time it’s really just what’s within reach. I do try and not drink anything with caffeine in it during the afternoon but some days you just gotta have a cup of tea so I let myself indulge in a bit of that.
4 pm
Bring out the pen and paper for some good old fashioned to-do list writing! This is primetime to take stock of everything you need to do for the week, work-wise and personal life too. If you have time, go do some free writing too. Personally when I free-write, I unintentionally start writing down my fears and what I’m worried about too. You may find this step a bit odd. I mean, isn’t this self-care routine about prolonging the weekend and being more relaxed? Yes, yes it is. Which is why this step is absolutely essential and something that needs to be done before we get to the good, pampering stuff. Writing a to-do list frees up your brainspace. It makes you more relaxed and by doing it now, this means that while you’re in the tub covered in bubbles with a glass of bubbly, you won’t have to worry about the week coming up because you’ve already made a list of things you have to do or what’s bothering you!
4:30 pm
Welcome to the good life! Time to draw a bath, throw a bath bomb in, light some candles, pour some bubbles and R E L A X. How does that clear mind feel? Good? Good. This time is purely for you! I like to add a little deep conditioner to my hair and slap on a facemask while I’m at it. Sometimes I go in with a juicy book, othertimes I prefer to just be still and silent.
5:30 pm
Aaaahhhhhh. What. A. Bath. Why on earth is it so comforting to lie naked under water and bubbles/soapy water? After that long soak, you’re hopefully feeling more relaxed than ever. Maybe a little sleepy even. Do your skincare routine and make sure you hydrate your skin with your fave moisturizer. Get into your loungewear or straight up PJs (I totally would).
6 pm
Dinner prep! I opt for something light and easy. Maybe even one of my earlier prepared meals for work. Something that doesn’t require much work to put together, really. I eat my dinner and do the dishes and get it all over with so I can make way for more relaxing!
7 pm
Look, it’s 7 pm and you’ve already eaten, you’ve made a list of what you’re going to be tackling this week, AND you’ve even had a bath! The best part is the fact that you have a few more hours to do as you please before bed time. A good book, your latest binge series on Netflix, a Sunday night movie… the possibilities are endless!
9:30 pm
This time really varies depending on what time you have to get up and how much sleep you want to get for the evening. I try to go to bed by 10 most days (right now it’s 11:30 pm so I’ve failed massively tonight) and I actually set myself a reminder on my phone an hour before. I usually try and shut off technology by this time, even going as far as turning my wifi off so I’m not distracted by notifications. I love to spend this time to really wind down. I keep a journal by my bedside table so I’m usually writing. A good place to start if you’re keen to do something similar is to start a gratitude list. I usually start with three things first but find that some days these just come so natural to me and I feel there’s a lot to be grateful for. Other days I really need to reflect and look harder to feel that gratitude. But either way, it’s a great way to end the day and it’s so relaxing to lie down and just write. I also spritz a bit of lavender spray and rub some sleepy lotion in my wrists and pulse points to help me sleep better. The scent relaxes me while I’m writing so by the time I’m done, I’m really ready to hit the hay!
10 pm
Bedtime. Good night, everyone!
Happy #selfcaresunday! Hope you enjoyed these tips and that you can use some of these when creating your own routines. I raise my bubbles to you!