uhm...

a non-cutesy self care guide, for when you need to bounce back after being really dysfunctional

Body

Wash your hands with warm water and soap. 

Trim, file, and buff your nails and toenails. 

Trim any hangnails. 

Push back your cuticles.

Put hand cream or moisturizer on your hands and/or feet.

If you have any rough skin, buff it off with a pumice stone. 

If it’s your style, give yourself a manicure and/or pedicure. 

Roll out your ankles, flex and point your feet a couple of times. 

Stretch your calves, hamstrings, quads, shoulders, triceps, upper back, lower back, chest, or any other part that feels tight. 

Roll your neck in circles in both directions. 

Shake out your hands and roll your wrists. 

If you want to, shave anywhere you want to shave. 

If you have any sore muscles, massage them with your hands or a foam roller. 

Go through your normal facial care routine. Splash water on your face, put on moisturizer, use a facial cleanser, or put on a nice mask. 

Take a warm bath or shower. Warm, not scalding hot. 

Take a cutesy, Instagram-worthy bath with a bath bomb, or use this guide for what to put in your bath.

Wash your hair. Shampoo and condition if you want. 

Dry yourself off gently with a soft towel.

Put on clothes that make you feel confident. 

Eat something, preferably healthy.

Drink a huge glass of water. 

Use the restroom, if you’ve been holding it for a long time. 

Use a warm washcloth and wipe off the crusty bits around your eyes and nose.

Blow your nose. 

Take any medications or vitamins if you need to do so.

Have a warm drink. Avoid caffeinated drinks if they make you jumpy.

Comb or brush your hair, then style it in a way that makes you feel most confident. 

If you have open cuts, put on bandages; if you have mosquito bites, apply anti-itch cream; etc.

Surroundings

Delete unnecessary photos and apps from your phone.

Close all apps running in the background of your phone.

Close all of the tabs open on your computer.

Delete unnecessary files from your computer.

Organize your files.

Check emails, and clean up your inbox. 

Clear every notification on your phone.

Take everything off your desk and wipe it down. 

Put all papers where they need to go. 

Put all books on your shelf.

Reorganize your shelf by author, series, rainbow colors, or whatever else you prefer. 

Untangle all of your cables.

Make your bed.

Change your sheets, pillowcase, and duvet cover.

Put all scattered clothes in a laundry bin.

Do that laundry. 

Turn off all the lights if it’s daytime, or turn them all on if it’s nighttime.

Put all of the random junk that doesn’t have a place into a box, and hide the box under your bed. 

Hang clean clothes in your closet, or fold them and put into drawers. 

Open your blinds and curtains. 

Straighten everything that is hanging on your walls, unless everything is slanted in a certain way for your ~aesthetic~

Vacuum the floor.

Clean your phone screen, laptop screen, keyboard, etc. 

Put all of your pens in jars. 

Mind

Take any medication you need. 

Dump all your thoughts in a journal. 

Make an appointment with a therapist/psychologist/psychiatrist/etc.

Tbh, beyond this I don’t know about each person’s circumstances. You can check out my mental health resource tag and find something to help you.

shower. not a bath, a shower. use water as hot or cold as u like. u dont even need to wash. just get in under the water and let it run over you for a while. sit on the floor if you gotta.

moisturize everything. use whatever lotion u like. unscented? dollar store lotion? fancy ass 48 hour lotion that makes u smell like a field of wildflowers? use whatever you want, and use it all over. 

put on clean, comfortable clothes. 

put on ur favorite underwear. cute black lacy panties? those ridiculous boxers u bought last christmas with candy cane hearts on the butt? put em on.

drink cold water. use ice. if u want, add some mint or lemon for an extra boost.

clean something. doesn’t have to be anything big. organize one drawer of ur desk. wash five dirty dishes. do a load of laundry. scrub the bathroom sink. 

blast music. listen to something upbeat and dancey and loud, something that’s got lots of energy. sing to it, dance to it, even if you suck at both.

make food. don’t just grab a granola bar to munch. take the time and make food. even if it’s ramen. add something special to it, like a hard boiled egg or some veggies. prepare food, it tastes way better, and you’ll feel like you accomplished something. 

make something. write a short story or a poem, draw a picture, color a picture, fold origami, crochet or knit, sculpt something out of clay, anything artistic. even if you don’t think you’re good at it.

go outside. take a walk. sit in the grass. look at the clouds. smell flowers. put your hands in the dirt and feel the soil against your skin.

call someone. call a loved one, a friend, a family member, call a chat service if you have no one else to call. talk to a stranger on the street. have a conversation and listen to someone’s voice. if you can’t, text or email or whatever, just have some social interaction with another person. even if you don’t say much, listen to them.