20 Self Care Tuesday Tips to Take Care of Yourself

The beginning of the week can be such a struggle, so I hope these tips for a self care Tuesday can help you feel empowered and motivated.

If you enjoy self care content, be sure to check out how to have a wonderful self care weekend.

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Self care Tuesday tips

1. Reduce your mental load

What can you decide on today that’ll make the rest of the week easier? Can you plan your outfits for the week? Meal plan or order food for the remaining days? Brainstorm all the things you have to get done for the week and create a plan on achieving everything. Delegate where you can.

2. Set reminders

It’ll be tough to remember everything in your plan for the week. So, be sure to set reminders to make it easier on yourself. Use Alexa, alarms, emails or even a good ole sticky note. The less things you have to worry about remembering, the easier it’ll be for you to relax.

3. Journal

Journaling is a wonderful way to get everything out of your mind and onto paper. It helps you record how your day went, process events, and explore important questions with journal prompts. According to WebMD, journaling can help improve mood and reduce anxiety and stress. So, reduce your mental load and try journaling.

4. Do a small load of laundry

If you can do small chores around the house during the week, then you’ll have less menial tasks to do on the weekends. That means more time for fun, adventure and rest.

If you’re the type to completely forget about clothes in the washer, then set a timer on your phone. When it goes off, head over to the laundry to add the clothes to the dryer. You can add another timer to remember to fold and pack everything away (but you don’t have to if you’re too tired.. this is enough).

5. Water your plants

Much like laundry, this is all about doing smaller chores when you have a little time so you don’t get overwhelmed by a long to-do list. Water your plant babies to save yourself the guilt later. LOL!

6. Make your steps count

Moving your body causes happy hormones to be released like endorphins (the body’s natural painkillers), dopamine (the pleasure-reward hormone), and serotonin (the calming one). While it may be tough to hit the gym on Tuesday, getting your steps in counts as exercise. The more, the merrier!

7. Just dance

There was a recent 2024 Australian study that found dancing was one of the best forms of exercise to treat depression. The researchers believe it may even be more effective than walking, yoga, tai chi, strength training and even antidepressants.

So, have a great self care Tuesday with an impromptu dance party!

8. Boost your nutrition

Nourishing your body with the right foods is always a wonderful self care idea. Have a handful of nutritious nuts and seeds. Add in some veggies to your dinner and check your protein intake. Calming teas like chamomile are also wonderful and relaxing.

9. Take your vitamins

Besides more protein and fiber, take your vitamins and preferred supplements to ensure you’re feeding your body everything it needs to be healthy. Be sure to consult with your doctor to find the best options that are right for you.

10. Do a 15 minute meditation

There are so many ways to meditate today. Sitting quietly and just taking slow deep breaths with the exhale being longer than the inhale can activate your parasympathetic nervous system. That’s the system responsible for your rest and digest mode. You can also try emptying your mind, focusing on the breath and releasing any thought that comes to you.

Short simple meditations like these can reduce anxiety, stress, and blood pressure and improve happiness (according to this 2021 study).

11. Try a gratitude exercise

Think of five things that happened today that made you smile and feel grateful. Now, think of someone you are grateful for having in your life and imagine them smiling at you and you smiling back at them. These little exercises are so simple to do and can help to improve happiness, anxiety, immunity and overall wellbeing.

12. Explore mindfulness

Mindfulness seems to be everywhere right now and it’s all about being present in the moment. My favorite way to be mindful is the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique. To do this, answer the following questions: what are 5 things in the room you don’t usually notice? What are 4 things you can physically feel right now? What are 3 sounds you can hear? What are 2 scents coming to you? What is the 1 taste in your mouth?

This helps you to notice your senses and be mindful in the moment.

13. Enjoy nature content

Soothe your mind on your self care Tuesday with nature sounds and sceneries. This 2023 study out of the UK found visual images and sounds depicting nature improved mood and wellbeing in participants.

So, give any of David Attenborough’s documentaries a go. Or explore videos of water sounds, streams, waterfalls, and forests on Youtube.

14. Remind yourself you are safe

After a long day at work when your nervous system feels fried, try reminding yourself you are safe. The reassuring feeling that it’s okay to breathe and relax can help so much to regulate your body and calm the mind.

15. Stay off social media

Getting quick dopamine hits from doom scrolling and exposing ourselves to difficult news online are not good for our mental health. Not to mention, the effect blue light has on our sleep patterns. I know this is a tough one, but protect your mind by staying off social media. If this is too much for you, try setting app timers to limit your exposure.

16. Read

As you wind down for bed, ditch your phone and Netflix and pick up a book instead. Get lost in wonderful stories about heroes and adventures. I personally prefer to ditch the self help books for fiction at night so my brain can just rest instead of memorizing new self growth ideas. But, feel free to enjoy your favorite books.

17. Call someone for a quick chat

Feel warm and fuzzy with this self care Tuesday tip. Call a family member or friend and check in on them. Ask them how their day was and build that bond of connection, love, and friendship.

18. Prioritize physical touch

Take connection one step further and prioritize physical touch with your loved ones. Hugs, kisses, cuddles and intimacy release oxytocin, the love hormone that promotes relaxation and a sense of overall wellbeing.

Cuddling with pets, snuggling under a weighted blanket and getting a massage also have similar positive benefits.

19. Wash your face

Wash your face to get all the makeup off and do your night time skin care routine. Nothing screams self care like taking care of your skin. Cleanse, tone, moisturize, add your night creams or serums and climb into bed.

20. Sleep

Last but not least, self care Tuesday should end with a wonderful night’s rest. Seven plus hours are ideal since poor sleep quality is linked to terrible increased risks of anxiety, depression, and heart disease. Sleep also helps the body rest and restore itself.

Take care this Tuesday with these simple self care tips. You can pull even more inspiration from this self care menu.