11 Things You Can Do For Better Self-Care This Week

Self-care is important. Taking the time to look after yourself can help you to stay healthy, both physically and mentally, and help you feel more energised. It’s surprising, however, just how many of us fail to make time for proper self-care. If you regularly feel tired, run-down, or you’re always rushing around then you might want to think about changing those habits. Sites like www.rollingpaper.com might just have some hints and tips that you can try!

Improved self-care can start anytime, so why not start now? Here are 11 things you can do for better self-care this week, and every week after that.

Image Credit: Unsplash under Creative Commons

1. Improve your sleep quality (and quantity)

It’s incredible how much better you can feel after a good night’s sleep. Imagine how good you’ll feel after a week of good sleep? Sleep makes a big difference to your mood, your energy levels and your health in general, so you should make the most of it. Focus on the ways you can improve your sleep so that you can get more hours of quality rest each night and wake up feeling refreshed.

2. Eat a good breakfast every day

Do you always make time for breakfast? They’re not lying when they say it’s the most important meal of the day. Having a nice, healthy breakfast is a great way to start your day, and with the right nutrients, you won’t have to worry about those mid-morning cravings. Some on-the-go breakfasts like smoothies or cereal bars can be packed with sugar, which will only provide you with a short-term energy boost. Look at healthy breakfast options that you can make in a hurry to help you fuel up in the morning.

3. Start a great morning routine

As well as a good breakfast, you can practice better self-care by establishing a great morning routine. Instead of fighting the snooze button, get up and make the most of your morning - even on weekends. From tackling some life admin to prepping your dinner for later on, try to make the most of your mornings so that you can enjoy some time to chill later on.

4. Take a walk at lunch

What do you tend to do at lunch? Sit and read gossip websites over a supermarket sandwich? That habit alone could cause you to feel tired and even possibly add to weight gain (depending on what’s in the sandwich!). Try something different this week and take a lunchtime walk instead. A brisk walk can clear the cobwebs and help you focus, as well as making up for that time, sat still at your desk. Try it this week and see if your afternoons start becoming more productive, and less of a battle against that clock.

5. Do some physical activity

Physical activity guidelines recommend you do 150 minutes of exercise a week. That seems like a lot, but that’s only 30 minutes a day - something you can easily fit in at the same time as watching your favourite soap or sitcom.

Your exercise routine should feature a mixture of cardio, strength and stretching exercises - does yours? Why not mix up the running or gym cardio with some weights and some yoga? There are some yoga poses to try that you can do with your other half - helping you both get into better shape. Exercise is great to de-stress and clear your mind, while also helping you to get in shape.

6. Don’t drink

Don’t you just hate that feeling of waking up rough from the night before, tired and barely able to move? It can feel like a waste of your day, while the money spent drinking can also feel like a waste. Laying off the alcohol, if only for a short while, can help you feel more alert, less bloated and help you be more productive. Instead of hitting the town this weekend, stay in and catch up on some relaxation time - it’ll do you the world of good.

7. Put your phone down

Always glued to your phone? It’s easy to rely on your phone more and more these days, but using it all the time can form some bad habits. It’s good to have a digital detox, it can help you spend some quality time with your partner, friends and family, and can be refreshing not worrying about checking your social media constantly. Why not make a new rule that you’ll leave your phone alone for a couple of hours each night, and remember what it’s like to enjoy meaningful time with others.

8. Read a book

Reading a book can be very therapeutic. It can help you switch off and think about something else for a while - which is great if you’re dealing with stress. Reading can improve your memory, your vocabulary and improve your focus, as well as give you new things to discover. Start a new book this week instead of a box set, you might just rediscover a passion for reading! Check out some of the best books to read this year and make yourself a reading list to enjoy over the coming weeks. 

9. Catch up on your checkups 

Are you on top of all of your medical checkups? Making sure your smear test is up to date, as well as other checks is important. Early detection of problems is important, and it doesn’t take long to make an appointment with your doctor.

The same should go for your dentist and if you need a dentist in London, it is easy to book online. Many people only go to their dentist when there’s a problem, but a regular checkup can help keep your teeth in excellent condition, as well as stop problems like gum disease from getting worse.

This week, take 15 minutes to make sure all of your appointments are up to date and make your health your priority.

10. Start a new skincare routine

How well do you take care of your skin? A new skincare routine can help you achieve soft, glowing skin while tackling some of the problems you might be facing like dryness or blemishes. A good skin care routine should consist of a cleanser, toner and moisturiser, using all three daily to help give your skin the boost it needs. You can also add in different serums and overnight products to help give your skin some extra nourishment.

Applying a face mask can be a treat for your skin, as well as an excuse to take 10 minutes to relax and pamper yourself. Sheet masks are affordable and can help give your skin an extra dose of nutrients, leaving it radiant and youthful. Try using one once a week to help perk up your skin.

11. Form better habits

After a week of making small changes to your lifestyle and habits, how do you feel? If you’re feeling more energetic and generally better in yourself, then perhaps some of these changes are worth making more permanent? Making better changes for the sake of your health can be a positive step forward and you’ll continue to see the benefits.

Taking better care of yourself can lead to a number of benefits. Self-care can help you feel better in yourself now, while also benefiting your future health. You don’t need to do anything drastic to enjoy a healthier lifestyle, as sometimes it’s the basic elements you might have been neglecting that make the most difference to how you feel. A few simple changes can make a big difference, so why not start with small steps this week and see if your health improves?

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

OPI Tokyo Nail Polish Collection Review and Swatches

My nail polish collection has really been slimmed down, I sat down and spent hours shaking bottles, swatching and binning anything that would be of no use anymore. When the OPI Tokyo Nail Polish Collection launched, I was delighted to see such an impressive array of shades, many that are perfect for the Spring and Summer months and others that would be perfect all year round.

Tokyo is a city at the forefront of fashion, beauty and nail art. It is said that Tokyo's unique balance of rich tradition and nature inspired a variety of nail colours that evoke the eclectic fashion, vibrant nightlife and world-renowned cuisine. The OPI Collection consists of 12 incredibly beautiful shades in their original Nail Lacquer formula and is priced at £13.50 each or £14.50 if you prefer the Infinite Shine Formula.

At the beginning of 2019, I reviewed the OPI Nutcracker collection and what I really love about these polishes is just how easy the brush is to use. One swipe across the nails gives such good coverage.

1) Kanpai OPI – Periwinkle Blue and Grey team up to make your day in this nail polish. Cheers!   I wasn't too sure about this shade to begin with but it has really grown on me.  Not quote pastel blue but not quite grey either, it meets somewhere in the middle to create a beautiful shade which sits perfectly between the two.  It does dry slightly darker than the shade shows in the bottle and I personally feel it needs two coats to give that perfect streak free finish.

2) Tempura-ture is Rising! – Get out of the heat and into a salon to experience this cool new orange nail polish! I loved this shade as soon as a saw it and it is just stunning.  A real bold orange which isn't quite on that neon spectrum but it is definitely one you will not miss whether it is worn on the finger or toenails. On my nail wheels, I did two coats and it applies like a dream 

3) How Does Your Zen Garden Grow? – Now and then you gotta go Zen with this luscious lime green nail polish. I liked this shade a lot more than I expected too and I think it is a lovely shade for the Spring.  With a white base, it isn't too dark a lime green and it does need at least three generous coats because it is one of the streakier shades within the collection.

4) All Your Dreams in Vending Machines – An electric pink nail polish that delivers instant glamification. If you like a polish which is not quite what it seems, then this is one to tick that box. It has a lilac shift which becomes more evident with more coats you decide to use, I opted for two because I found the formula to be much thicker than a few of the other shades. I do love the shimmer finish of this shade.

5) Arigato from Tokyo – ありがと THANK YOU from the bottom of our OPI hearts for loving this pink nail polish. This is very much a pinky lilac creme, and it’s perfect for spring.  It needs a minimum of one coat but two really makes the colour stand out.

6) Rice Rice Baby – Be a Nice Nice Baby and experience this mauve-lous shade of nail polish. Rice Rice Baby is more of muted, pastel version of Arigato From Tokyo rather than the shade I hoped it would be, but it is one which is definitely wearable and I found I only needed to apply just the one coat.

7) Chopstix and Stones – …may break my bones but this deep blue nail polish shade will never hurt me! This is my favourite shade from the whole collection and it is the one I have worn the most. It is best described as being an intense navy blue but with brighter blue shimmer which has a little sparkle to it. The darkest of all the shades within the collection and it needs just two coats to bring out the very best of the shade.

8) I’m On a Sushi Roll – Your manicure is hungry for this green nail polish colour. This is a light teal creme shade and it has possibly the thickest formula of all the shades, so I found I only needed just the one coat to get really good coverage, but two would be as good.  What I like about this shade is that it is one I hadn't expected to like at all, but I love it.

9) Suzi-San Climbs Fuji-San – Mt. Fuji is calling, so fill your backpack with this new essential emerald nail polish. This shade sits between the teals and greens and to me it is neither one or the another and I really like the shade.  I found I needed three coats of this one to ensure there was no streak in sight.

10) Samurai Breaks a Nail – OPI to the rescue! If purple is your colour of choice, then this is the one you will love from the collection.  It has a slight blue iridescent shift which looks amazing when it catches the light and whilst it is one of the formulas on the thinner side, I found I did need at three to get even coverage.

11) Hurry-Juku Get This Color! – Better be berry quick! This nail polish shade promises to be berry hot. Enjoy a kiss of dusty rose nail polish with your favourite bowl and beau. This is a beautiful bright fuchsia creme shade and I was surprised I only need to apply one coat when I had been expecting to add more. 

12) Another Ramen-Tic Evening – Enjoy a kiss of dusty rose nail polish with your favourite bowl and beau. One of my favourite named polishes from the collection, it is a really pretty cool toned pastel pink shade. It does need at least two coats for good coverage and to get the most form the colour, but it is just beautiful and delicate and perfect for that almost nude but with a bit of colour coverage on the nails.  Of all the shades within the collection, I found this to be one of the longest lasting on my nails.

It is fair to say that I adore this collection, it is just stunning. I love that there is a shade for everyone despite your usual 'go to' shade, which for me would usually be a berry red and here I am just as happy with Another Ramen-Tic Evening as I am with Chopstix and Stones.  I think the name of the polishes is superb and so in keeping with the collection and I also feel they match their shades perfectly.

I would love to know if any of the shades from the OPI Tokyo Collection is your favourite?

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.