Did you notice that this week is well-being week? This means that this week is focused on the well-being of your mental health. With school, work, corona and even more going on, the life of a student can get a bit stressful sometimes, as we probably all know. Did you know that the average high school student today has the same level of anxiety as an average psychiatric patient in 1950? Crazy, right? That’s why it is very important to take some time for yourself every once in while so you can recharge and get into a better headspace. One way to do this is by having a self-care day. Just take one day off from work or school, to completely focus on yourself. Of course, what you want to do on that day is completely up to you, but I have provided some tips for you in order to make the most out of it!

1. Schedule your day off

When you really want to have the best experience on your day off, it is important to plan ahead. Then you can make sure you don’t have to do any work at all. So, completely empty your schedule. It can be very helpful to plan your self-care day beforehand, because then you can finish your tasks the day earlier, so you have nothing to worry about. But if you still want to have some kind of structure in your day, you can always schedule time slots for the activities you want to do on your self-care day.

2. Don’t feel bad about doing ‘nothing’

A lot of times when people have a day off, they feel bad about themselves at the end of the day. This can be because they feel dissatisfied with themselves. Because they think that they didn’t do anything useful that day. But this is not true at all! Having a day off is very useful, because it helps you recharge yourself. Then you can work better and harder in the future. Besides, you probably have done a lot of hard work in the last few weeks, so you deserve that day of just doing nothing. So, when you’re finally having that rightful day off, don’t even think about feeling bad about it!

3. Try waking up early

This tip may surprise you but waking up early can actually be very motivating. I know sleeping in is very relaxing but waking up early will give you a lot more time during the day. But if you stayed up late the night before, I would suggest sleeping in a bit. Experts advise you to sleep 7 to 9 hours per night, so make sure you do this. Otherwise, you will be tired for the rest of day which would be a pity. Also, if you’re a bit like me and you want to take things slow in the morning, I would suggest setting your alarm about an hour before you actually want to get out of bed, so you don’t have to rush anything and still can relax in bed for a while.

4. Think about your activities beforehand

Another thing that can help make your day the best possible is by roughly planning out the activities you want to do beforehand. This way, you can make sure that you get everything done that you want to do. It will also stop you from feeling overwhelmed by all the free time you have and you won’t waste too much time trying to think about what to do. Now you’re probably wondering what these activities could be. So, I made a list of a few suggestions that will help you get fully relaxed on your self-care day:

- Take a bath or shower. Nothing feels more refreshing than taking a long bath or shower without having to hurry, so this is a perfect way to start your self-care day.

- Go for a walk or a run. Going outside for a while to get some fresh air can really help you clear your mind. You can do this in many ways, for example by going on a run or by going on a walk if you prefer something that will cost you less energy.

- Turn your phone off. Although this may lead to some separation anxiety, turning your phone off can help giving your brain a break and will prevent you from getting distracted by it.

- Watch the sunrise. Nothing is more calming than the beautiful view of a sunrise. Especially in the morning, when everybody is asleep, and everything is still quiet. Or if you prefer to not wake up early, you could also stay up and watch the sunset.

- Listen to some music. Plug in your headphones and put on your favourite playlist. It doesn’t matter if it is a calm, slow song or a song that will have you dancing around in your kitchen, whatever makes you feel happy!

- Read a book. Although it might have been a while since you last read a book, this can also help you unwind. And if the weather is good, sitting outside in the sun reading a book may even have you feel as if you’re on a holiday.

- Watch a movie. We probably all have a movie on our watchlist that we never actually got to watch. Well, your self-care day is perfect for this! Grab some popcorn, head to your couch and get excited.

- Eat your favourite food. Something else that can always improve my day is some delicious food. Go get some snacks in your supermarket nearby or even try cooking it yourself!

- Try something new. Whether it’s yoga, meditation or something uncommon that nobody’s heard of, try it out and you might find a new hobby!

So, next time you’re feeling stressed out, plan a self-care day and you will feel relaxed again in no time!