8 Fun Self-Care Activities For A Better Life

Despite the many benefits of self-care activities, they are not a priority for most people. Many believe they don’t have the time. So, if you’re having difficulty squeezing one into your routine, be reassured that you’re not alone.    

A recent Harris Poll reported that 44% of respondents believe self-care is only possible for people with ‘enough time’.  

“When life gets busy or overwhelming, people often drop their self-care activities first. But cutting yourself off from pleasure can be counterproductive. So even when time is tight, look for opportunities to do something for yourself,” Dr Richard Reid, celebrity psychologist, CEO of Pinnacle Wellbeing Services and Member of The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), tells Beauty Daily. 

Self-care is about you, but it requires consistency, intentionality, and a splash of fun to reap all its benefits.  

We’ve listed eight fun expert-approved self-care activities you can squeeze into your busy schedules to spark joy from within every single day.  

What is a self-care activity?

Self-care activities can be physical activities you enjoy, such as nature strolls, having a hearty meal, practising mindfulness, and spiritual or social activities, such as praying or catching up with family and friends.  

They are a set of leisure pursuits that fill your spirit, feed your mind, and satisfy your soul. It’s unique for everyone.  

Self-care doesn’t have to be time-consuming or expensive. For it to be effective, you must focus on short, frequent self-care activities instead of infrequent and elaborate ones. In addition, self-care shouldn’t add stress. Self-care is self-love, and it should be a way of life.   

How to create a self-care list?

During the week, take a few minutes to figure out some self-care activities you genuinely enjoy or want to try. Make fun and rejuvenation a priority. Then, figure out the minimum or combination of these activities and integrate them into your days and weekends to ensure they happen. 

Three ideas for self-care strategy

You can strategically create your self-care list by focusing on three elements as advised by Corina Zanner-Entwistle, Mental Health and Burnout Prevention Strategist.  

1. Lifestyle

Create self-care activities that will exponentially improve the quality of your life. Re-assess your current lifestyle and do more things you think are paramount to your physical and mental health.  

“Go to a pottery or cooking class, get active and exercise, breathe fresh air, eat a healthy and hearty diet, and prioritise sleep.”  

2. Mindset

Shift your focus and adopt a positive mindset. For example, do more mindfulness activities or engage in daily breathing exercises. This creates self-awareness and cultivates a sense of inner peace throughout your everyday life.  

“Focus your thoughts on the positives and what you can control rather than the things you can’t.”  

3. Support

Build activities around spending more time with your greatest support system or people who give you positive energy.  

“Having a support system and someone you can talk to when you are struggling is vital. This can be a friend, a family member, a colleague or a therapist. Therapy works because it provides a safe place where people are listened to and heard without judgement. When times get tough, having somebody to talk to can make all the difference.”  

Expert-approved eight fun self-care activities to squeeze into your busy life    

1. Challenge yourself to learn something new  

Self-care can involve upskilling. Create a space in your life for working on yourself. You can start by allocating 10 or 15 minutes to practise your chosen skill. Want to be a pro on a specific subject like photography or personal development? Enrol yourself in a free course on Coursera. Learn from top universities and companies and advance your career skills or expand your knowledge on specific interests outside your job or industry.  

Researchers found that one of the things that people need to be happy is to be engaged in difficult-but-doable activities. For example, if we consistently improve and learn something new, it fills us with positive and pleasant emotions such as contentment, pride, and confidence.  

2. Schedule a spa day

When we think of self-care, the spa first comes to mind. But it’s all for the right reasons.  

“Spa days are the perfect way to unwind, relax and recharge your batteries. Whether it’s a zen-like indulgence or result-driven treatments, your skin and body will thank you for it,” Lucy Mcclure, Clarins Treatment Training Development Manager, says.  

While it’s often perceived as luxury, there are free spa treatments you can take advantage of, like the Clarins Express Skin Services. In addition, you get to choose from nine complementary services. All treatments last for 10 mins, and you get to experience ‘The Clarins Touch.’  

“At Clarins, the basis of all our professional treatments is The Clarins Touch. This unique professional massage method utilises over 80 intricate hand movements. Our therapists use different rhythmic strokes to stimulate the lymphatic system and blood circulation, to maintain the integrity and health of the skin and to restore the natural balance and energy of mind and body,” Mcclure explains.  

Book here Clarins Express Skin Services. 

If you’re willing to spend on your spa days, do yourself a favour by booking The 60-min Ultra Relaxing Facial, £72.  

“This treatment is designed for anyone feeling stressed and mentally ‘overloaded’, looking for a ‘digital detox’ and a break in their busy lives to ‘reconnect’ with themselves and their true nature. In addition, those expecting all the relaxing benefits of a facial massage will love this treatment,” says Mcclure.    

Want a body massage instead? Then we recommend the 60-min Hot Stone Treatment, £60.    

This body massage provides an escape from the hectic pace of everyday life, helping you slow down and find a moment of peace.  

“Our therapists use nine individually shaped stones over the entire body to melt away tension and restore energy levels. You will find yourself in a heavenly state of in-between dreams and awake. Don’t fight it! Allow yourself to drift away into an oasis of calm and emerge from the treatment room as a new you,” says Mcclure.    

3. Get moving

As cliché as it may be, one self-care activity you should consider is getting moving. Don’t get us wrong; you don’t have to go from being a couch potato to a triathlon athlete. All you need to do is decide and take small steps towards increasing your physical activity. It can be taking a walk on your lunch break. And remember to make it fun!  

Choose activities that appeal to you— hiking with a friend, swimming outside, doing hot yoga at a studio, dancing at a club, or maybe even stationary biking in your own home. If you don’t choose something you enjoy, it will be infinitely harder to stick with it. 

Physical activity may also cancel out some of the adverse effects of stress, including the impact of stress on the immune system. Adding physical activity doesn’t need to be expensive or complex: A brisk 30-minute walk or a dance session in the living room can do the trick. 

4. Book an overnight reviver break 

Sometimes, all you need is an overnight stay at a peaceful destination to recharge and relax. Set in the charming Ragdale Hall, Leicestershire Countryside, you can enjoy a relaxing overnight spa break while filling your belly with nutritious and sumptuous food.  

Offer starts at £237 Book here.  

Enhance your stay and book one of Clarins spa treatments on-site. Beauty Daily recommends the Well-being Beauty Sleep Massage, £93 for the much-needed beauty rest. 

5. Create your self-care playlist

New research has found that singing, listening to, or playing music can have as much of a positive impact on mental health and well-being as exercising. As a result, music is one of the best things you can incorporate into your self-care list.   

Studies show that music stimulates the section of the brain that produces dopamine, a hormone that affects our emotional behaviour and mood. So, use music to evoke the emotions you want to feel.  

Create your self-care playlist and be your music therapist. Choose songs that evoke positive emotions, give you butterflies or always make you want to dance.  

Researchers have mapped 13 key emotions triggered when we listen to music: amusement, joy, beauty, relaxation, sadness, dreaminess, triumph, anxiety, scariness, annoyance, and feeling pumped up. 

6. Go to a wellness retreat

Forget life’s craziness and stresses and de-stress for a day (or a week.) Do yourself a favour and book an immersive rest and relaxation break at the newly opened Glass House Retreat.  

This wellness retreat is located in the tranquil Essex fields and is less than an hour from busy Central London. 

It’s a place where you can reconnect with yourself, get fit, transform your diet, and discover a fresh sense of wellness.   

We specifically recommend the two-night stay Time To Breath retreat package starting at £259 per person.  

Your days will be filled with activities that will allow you to fully focus on your physical and mental wellness such as mindful yoga, guided relaxation, mental well-being sessions, cryotherapy (reduces stress and anxiety), use of relaxing spa, pool, steam and sauna, and outdoor natural swimming pond and barrel sauna.  

All meals are included. You’ll be spoiled with the choice of any of their three interchangeable dietary plans (click here to view menus). 

Book here. 

7. Go on a mindful walking retreat 

Want to talk your nature stroll to greater heights? For this one, we recommend booking extra early for next year.  

Organised by Sharpham House, this walking retreat will take you on long, meditative walks around the beautiful and scenic Devon countryside.   

With breathtaking scenery and periods of silence, this mindful walking retreat will help you develop much appreciation and respect to the nature.  

There are also guided meditations and relaxation sessions throughout the retreat, and you’ll be treated to delicious vegetarian food, all sourced locally and sustainably. 

From £460 for four nights. Book here   

8. Make treating yourself a healthy self-care practice

Go on retail therapy or treat yourself to a fancy restaurant once in a while. Gift-giving is a form of love language and an expression of self-love. A study shows that pursuing short-term pleasure is important for our well-being. So go ahead and spoil yourself with material things occasionally.  

There is also evidence that we release happy hormones such as serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin during gift-giving behaviours. So send out self-care packages to the ones you love.  

Black Friday is just around the corner; it’s the best time to do self-care shopping. Read Our Favourite Black Friday Beauty Deals: What The Editors’ Are Adding To Their Baskets 

Another self-care activity you can do daily is reading a book that inspires, empowers or comforts you. Read next: The Best Self-Help And Self-Care Books To Read Right Now