My Self-Care Routine

With summer coming to an end and work starting back up for me with a new school year and a new school district, I thought it would be a good time to write about self-care and my night routine. It is so important for me to have a lot of time when I get home from work to relax and unwind, and spend some time alone before going to bed. I am definitely an introvert, so I need alone time to recharge and be ready to take on the next day. But even if you’re not an introvert, taking some time to take care of yourself is still so important. Having a regular self-care routine helps to prevent burnout from your job and helps to keep stress levels regulated. People who work in helping professions such as psychologists and other mental health professionals, nurses, and teachers tend to have very stressful jobs but also tend to put the needs of others above their own. If you have a job like this, it is even more important to take some time to take care of yourself so that you can then do a better job of taking care of others. Hopefully this post will help give you some ideas that you can implement into your own self-care routine. Of course, my night routine will look different depending on if it is a weeknight or a weekend, but generally these are things that I like to include in my self-care routine.

One of the most important parts of my morning and night is my skincare routine. Currently, I have been using the RE9 Advanced line from Arbonne. I have used a lot of different brands and combinations of products over the years, and maybe I will write a whole post about my favorites sometime. Arbonne is definitely pricey, but it lasts months so you get your money’s worth, and I have gotten some of the best results more than any other brand I’ve used. When I am taking good care of my skin, that helps me to feel like I have my life together a little bit.

After I have finished with my skincare and brushed my teeth and everything, it’s time to get into bed. Before I get in bed I like to spray my pillow and comforter/sheets with an essential oils pillow mist I got from Bath & Body Works a couple of years ago. It smells like lavender but they have a couple of other scents as well. I love using it when I’m on vacations too, because it makes any bed smell like my bed back home. I also use a lavender essential oil hand lotion from Young Living when I get into bed. I love the smell of lavender, but again they have a few other options too.

Next, I write in my one-line-a-day and one-question-a-day journals. I got both from Barnes and Noble and I am on my second year with both of them. I love this because it gives me a chance to reflect on everything that happened that day, and also helps me look back and remember what happened on that same day during the previous years. I would highly recommend using these types of journals, it’s so fun but also takes no time at all.

After writing in my journals, I either read a chapter of a book, either physical book or on my iPad, or Brent and I will watch a couple of episodes of How I Met Your Mother. We’ve watched it probably 3 times all the way through but we don’t have actual TV, Netflix, or Hulu on the bedroom TV so we watch the one series I have all the DVDs for that Brent actually likes too. Right now I am reading Girl, Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis, and Educated by Tara Westover. I like to be reading one book that’s more of a story, and one that’s inspirational or self-help.

And that’s the end of my night! Having this routine is so important for me. Even if I am not able to do all of it, I always need to do at least a few of these things or else my night just feels off.

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Other self-care products that I could not live without:

Heating pad – Mine’s from Sunbeam and I got it from Target. Four heat options and it’s the perfect size. Here is one from Amazon that seems to be similar. I try to use this every night on my neck, shoulders, and lower back. Sometimes I have pretty bad neck pain, and also this is great to use for cramps…

Barefoot Dreams robe – It’s pricey but omg so worth it. I use it as a blanket too and it goes on all roadtrips with me. Super soft and fluffy and warm.

Essential oils and diffuser – I use Young Living, and I love my Desert Mist diffuser. I like the different color light options and I feel like it’s better quality than other diffusers I’ve used. If you get a starter kit, you get a diffuser with it. That’s the best deal in my opinion. Some of my favorite oils I have used so far either by themselves or with other oils include Lavender (of course), Stress Away, Thieves, Frankincense, and White Angelica. I also have made a few rollers, including one for pain relief and one to help me focus when I’m at work. Again, maybe I need to write a whole post just about essential oils. It’s something I really got started with last November but it’s already an important part of my routine.

Bath & Body Works candles – If I’m not using my diffuser, I’m probably using a candle. I especially love their floral scents, and any Fall and Christmas scents (especially Sweater Weather, Leaves, Mahogany Teakwood, and Fresh Balsam. Also, anything pumpkin). Definitely wait for sales because they have a lot of good ones. Target also has some great candle options that are super cute and more affordable.

Face masks – My favorites are from Lush. I like Mask of Magnanimity and Cup o’ Coffee, and need to try some more. I’ve used other brands before but Lush is definitely the best quality. I also love their bath bombs but honestly I haven’t taken a bath in a couple of years.

Tea – Some of my favorites are Sleepytime (multiple flavors) from Celestial Seasonings, and multiple kinds from Traditional Medicinals (Throat Coat if I have a sore throat, and they have a cinnamon stress-relief one that I love).
Another brand I sometimes get is Yogi.