What Does Self-Care Actually Look Like? Hint: It Isn't All Bubble Baths
What Does Self-Care Actually Look Like? Hint: It Isn't All Bubble Baths
Self-care has become one of those words that can mean almost anything.
A bubble bath. A massage. A weekend away. A facial. A quiet moment with a cup of coffee or tea. A day off.
All of those things can be enjoyable. But self-care is not supposed to be another thing you have to squeeze into an already packed schedule.
Sometimes self-care is much less glamorous than finding an open spot on your calendar.
It is eating lunch instead of working through it.
Going to bed instead of staying up to finish one more thing.
Making the doctor's appointment you've been putting off.
Saying no when your schedule is already full.
Asking someone for help.
Or simply allowing yourself to rest.
Self-Care FAQ
What does self-care actually mean?
Self-care means taking actions that support your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. It can be as basic as eating regularly, getting enough sleep, resting, or making a needed appointment.
What are some realistic examples of self-care?
Self-care can include eating regular meals, getting enough sleep, moving your body, setting boundaries, resting, going to healthcare appointments, and asking for help when you need it.
Is self-care only about mental health?
No. Self-care includes mental and emotional well-being, but it also includes physical health. Eating regularly, sleeping, moving your body, attending appointments, and managing daily demands are all forms of self-care.
How can someone practice self-care when they are very busy?
Start with the basics. Eat when you need to eat, protect your sleep, take short breaks, make necessary appointments, and say no to nonessential things. Self-care does not have to take hours.
Does self-care have to cost money?
Not at all. Self-care can be free. Taking a walk, going to bed earlier, sitting quietly, preparing a meal, setting a boundary, resting, or asking someone for help can all be meaningful forms of self-care.
The National Institute of Mental Health describes self-care as taking time for things that help you live well and support both physical and mental health. It also recognizes that self-care can be different for everyone.
That is a much better way to look at it. There is no “right” thing to do that defines self-care. It is highly individual.
With that in mind, here are several self-care practices to consider.
Eat Regularly
Food is basic care.
Yet eating can be one of the first things to disappear when life gets busy. Breakfast gets skipped. Lunch becomes a handful of whatever is nearby. Dinner gets pushed later and later.
Eating regularly does not have to mean following a complicated meal schedule or meal plan.
It can mean keeping a few easy foods available, planning a little ahead, or even recognizing and acknowledging that being busy does not eliminate the need to eat.
Your body still needs fuel when your calendar is full.
Make Time to Eat
There is also a difference between eating and actually making time to eat.
Eating lunch while answering emails is technically eating lunch. But if every meal is rushed, distracted, or squeezed between other responsibilities, it may be worth considering if there is a better way.
Making time to eat does not require a 60-minute lunch break.
It might mean closing the laptop and not switching to your phone for 15 minutes.
Sitting down instead of eating in the car.
Or giving yourself time to notice that, and maybe what, you are actually eating.
Sleep Is Self-Care
Sleep is another form of basic maintenance that is easy to treat as optional.
It isn't.
Adults generally need at least seven hours of sleep each night, although individual needs vary.
Self-care might mean setting a more consistent bedtime, turning off the television earlier, or recognizing that staying up late to get more work done isn't always the best trade-off. Face it, you aren’t in college anymore, so pulling all-nighters, or even late-nighters, is probably not the best for you.
Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is go to bed. Working while tired, or not rested, may mean you aren’t doing things efficiently or well.
Move Your Body
Movement can be self-care without being a workout program.
A walk. Strength training. Yoga. Gardening. Dancing. Playing with the kids. Taking the stairs.
You do not have to focus on burning calories or changing your body.
Movement is good for your physical health, mood, stress management, strength, and daily function. Even small amounts of activity can add up.
Choose movement that fits your life and that you are actually willing to do.
Go to the Appointments
Preventive care is self-care, too.
That means scheduling the physical you've been putting off, getting recommended screenings, seeing the dentist, getting vaccinations, or following up on a health concern.
It may not feel relaxing, but addressing health problems before they become bigger problems is one of the best forms of self-care.
Set Some Boundaries
Sometimes self-care looks like saying, "I can't do that right now."
Not every request should be an automatic yes.
A boundary might mean protecting your lunch break, declining an unnecessary commitment, turning off work notifications in the evening, or telling someone that you need some time before responding.
Boundaries are not about being difficult.
They are about recognizing that you time and your energy are limited resources.
Rest Without Earning It
Rest does not have to be a reward for getting everything else done.
There will almost always be another email, another load of laundry, another errand, or another task waiting. The just one more thing…
Rest can be part of the plan, not something that happens only when everything else is finished.
Rest doesn't have to look the same for everyone. It might be a nap, reading, sitting outside, watching a favorite show, or simply doing nothing for a while.
Ask for Help
This one can be especially difficult. I know it is for me.
Many people are very comfortable helping other people and much less comfortable asking for help themselves.
But self-care does not mean doing everything alone.
Ask someone to pick something up. Share a household task.
Let a friend know you are having a difficult week. Talk to a healthcare professional when you need support.
Stop being resentful if a family member doesn’t offer and just ask them to share the load. Even if you do have your designated household chores or errands, you can still ask for help without it being quid pro quo.
Asking for help is not a failure to manage life. Sometimes it is exactly how life becomes more manageable. NIH wellness guidance specifically includes building social support and asking for help as part of caring for your well-being.
Don't Turn Self-Care Into Another Performance Metric
This may be the most important part.
Self-care should make your life more sustainable, not give you another list of things you are failing to do.
You do not need to meditate every morning, exercise seven days a week, prepare elaborate meals, get eight hours of sleep every night, journal, drink a green smoothie, practice gratitude, and take a bubble bath to qualify as someone who takes care of themselves.
Some weeks will look different from others.
Sometimes self-care will be meal prepping.
Sometimes it will be ordering takeout because you are exhausted.
Sometimes it will be going for a long walk.
Sometimes it will be going to bed early.
Sometimes it will be asking someone else to handle dinner.
This isn't meant to add more wellness tasks to your life.
This is meant to be having a goal to build a life that is sustainable enough that you have room to take care of yourself along the way.
Sources and further reading:
Healthy Eating Doesn't Have to Mean Eating 'Healthy Foods' All the Time
Chronic Disease Prevention: What You Can Influence and What You Can't
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Taking Care of Your Body
NIH National Institute of Mental Health: Caring for Your Mental Health
Note: These NIH links were active as of September 2026; however, the website notes that “NIH Websites Are Changing,” so the links may not be active later
