Spending your weekend working? Need to up your self care game? Not to worry, we could all use a little reminder now and then that it’s OK not to be a weekend warrior and instead spend your Sunday eating brunch and going walks and catching up on Netflix as nature intended. If you’re feeling the burnout and need to slow it down, here are five self care ideas to try:

Full body pamper

While it’s true that burnout isn’t as much an issue for your body as it is for your mind, if you’ve been staring at a screen and sitting at a desk for more than your regular hours, your body might begin to feel stiff, sore, and even ill, so it’s important to recognise what you might be feeling and do something about it. Exercise is one way to get the blood flowing again, but if fitness isn’t your idea of a relaxing day then simply paying your body some attention in the form of pampering can do the trick. Get a face mask, a conditioning treatment for your hair, do your nails or even treat yourself to a massage to get out all those stress knots – you’ll feel refreshed and ready to tackle your project once again!

Make something

We’re all creatives here, but often doing the thing you love for a living can become tedious and stressful if you’re spending too much time on it. Stay creative, but try something new that will get your brain working in a different way. Paint something, get crafty, use your hands, explore colour, it can literally be anything as long as you’re turning off the work part of your brain and tuning in to the fun part.

Buy happiness

Often when we’re slogging away doing extra hours of work it’s because we’d like to add those additional pennies to our bank account. Working more in order to bring in more money is fine in the short term, however don’t let money rule what you do with your time all the time. Money may be the reason you’re spending hours and hours in front of your laptop, but don’t forget to spend that money on something you love to remind yourself why you’re doing it. It doesn’t need to be anything too expensive, just something you value more than money, like a new outfit, a day out with a friend, a tasty meal at your favourite restaurant – go crazy!

Consume instead

Working so much probably means that you are spending a large chunk of your time creating things, no matter what industry you work in. Having a healthy creation to consumption ratio is key, as it allows you time to be inspired by outside factors as well as create things you feel proud of. If you’ve been spending a lot of time creating, it might be time to switch it up and spend a few hours each day consuming instead. It’s easy to get stuck in your own head, but there’s a huge world around you full of exciting, intriguing, inspiring things waiting for you to absorb them.

Read, read, read

It’s not for everyone, but for those who enjoy it reading can not only help to teach you new things and have your brain working in a different way, it will give you a chance to lie down, relax, and be screen-free for as long as your self care session allows. Reading is a hobby that not as many people partake in anymore because TV is arguably an easier way to unwind, but it comes highly recommended by many successful people. Whether you’re into business books, fiction, or something more niche, reading a book is an excellent way to care for your mind.

Do you have a favourite go-to self care activity when you’re feeling burnt out? Let us know!

Photo: Arnel Hasanovic