Create Your Own Self-Service Box
The benefits of personal care are widely touted – and for good reason. We really need to take better care of ourselves. We are overworked, overworked, and not getting enough rest. We should be getting more massage and spending more weekly beach vacations. But therein lies the mystery of self-care. We don’t have the time or money for many of the things that really make us feel good – even meeting a friend for happy hour or getting ready for a nice long bath in time can seem like a feat.
But taking care of ourselves doesn’t have to be just another thing on our to-do list that we never celebrate. Instead, it could be something we cut regularly – fast, easy, and cheap.
Rachel Garlinghouse explains her self-help epiphany on Scary Mommy :
One day it dawned on me that maybe I just need to practice self-care in the place most accessible to me – in my own home. But how? While running errands – because we always run out of toothpaste – I discovered a transparent cosmetic container that should sit on the counter top, making its contents easily accessible.
It seemed to me that a light was shining from heaven, and the Hallelujah choir could sound at any moment right in the store. This was my answer. I bought a cosmetic container and several tubes of the necessary toothpaste. When I got home, I put the container on the counter in the bathroom. Now what?
“What now?” It took the form of little things that Garlinghouse personally finds relaxing, many of which she already had, but they were hidden in the depths of the closets, out of sight and mind. This included things like teeth whitening strips and a foot exfoliator. Then she bought a few (inexpensive) items: a plush headband to get the hair out of her face, a few bags of coffee and coconut face masks, and a brush for dry skin.
The trick, Garlinghouse has learned, is to keep all of the items in one place in the house that is heavily visited by people (in this case, her bathroom) and outdoors.
I know what you’re thinking: this is all great, Rachel, but are you really taking the time to use personal care items? The answer is yes, because every time I go to the bathroom, the container is there, and serves as a reminder that I need to take a few minutes to do something for me.
You can store your personal care box anywhere you like – on your dresser, bedside table, desk, or kitchen counter. What comes in a personal care box will be different for everyone, but here are a few more ideas to get you started:
- Favorite type of tea or coffee.
- Aromatherapy shower pills .
- Your favorite trendy lotion.
- Several pieces of dark chocolate.
- Cooling or healing foot scrub .
- A scent to light a candle while you cook.
- Lavender pillow spray .
The trick is to choose items that seem like little treats but only take a few minutes to use. Choose one (or several!) Every day. However, if you have the time and money for this weekend trip to Vinnitsa or an all-day spa package, you should absolutely do it, too.