How to Take Better Care of Yourself

Co-authored by Camber Hill

Last Updated: October 10, 2024 Fact Checked

Taking better care of yourself takes a while and doesn't happen overnight. In the end, it pays off in terms of personal well-being, good health, and a confidence that your place in this world is a good and important one!

Part 1

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Taking Care of Your Physical Needs

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1
Get plenty of sleep. Sleep is a key component. You need at the minimum seven to eight or nine hours of sleep. Put yourself to sleep early every night.
- Take naps or siesta time now and then. You deserve it.
2
Get plenty of exercise. This not only helps you to stay in shape, but clears your mind for thinking straight, gives you decent breaks from work and study and builds your stamina.
- Keep your body in shape. Work out, but do not go overboard. Start jogging or lifting weights slowly and get into your own cardio routine.
- Reader Poll: We asked 736 wikiHow readers, and 58% said that the most satisfying and effective way to practice self-care is through exercise and physical activity. [Take Poll]
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3
Eat healthy, good food, vegetables, fruits, anything that doesn't make your stomach hurt a lot. Since what makes your stomach feel good or bad can be quite personal, learn by listening to your body.
- Cook food in batches, then assign portions for freezing. This gives you more time during the week to do other things you enjoy than just cooking; it also ensures that the food choices you make are healthy, even when you are tired.

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Part 2

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Taking Care of Your Emotional Needs

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It is not self-absorption––it is ensuring that you give yourself the chance to be your best self, that you are taking care of physical, emotional and spiritual needs and that all of this enables you to be a stronger and more resilient person who can give to others.^{[1]
X
Expert Source

Camber Hill
Life Coach

Expert Interview. 16 June 2020.} Self-care is enabling for your life and to help other lives. It is not selfish.^{[2]
X
Expert Source

Kamal Ravikant
Author, Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends On It

Expert Interview. 2 December 2019.}
2
Set aside time just for you. This is time in which you do what you enjoy completely, whether it's resting, a hobby or catching up with friends. Denying yourself this time can lead to feelings of frustration, burnout and a sense of a lack of purpose in life. Block out me time in your diary each week and spend it focused solely on you.^{[3]
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- Don't be a stress mess 24/7. Always allow a small fraction of your day to be dedicated to what you like to do. This keeps you sane, and more relaxed. Go you!
3
Learn to say no. When many people place pressure on you to meet their expectations and to do things for them, it can become overwhelming. You may feel as if all you do is people please and never say what you really think. If so, this isn't taking care of yourself, it's stretching yourself too thin.^{[4]
X
Expert Source

Camber Hill
Life Coach

Expert Interview. 16 June 2020.} Check out how to say no without feeling guilty for some tips on taking back the power.^{[5]
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Research source}
- Check yourself when you feel it's too much––if you're trying to be everyone else's anchor, you might just be drowning under that wave of expectations.
- Ask yourself: "Is my saying yes to X also saying no to myself?" The answer will be most revealing.
4
Work through feelings that cause you anxiety, anger or resentment. Avoid allowing these feelings to build up in fester––instead, address them as they arise so that you can deal with what is driving them and causing you to feel a lack of control or a loss of calm.^{[6]
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Research source}
- If it feels wrong, don't do it or subject yourself to it. It's not for you.
5
Address your fears. Fears underpin many justifications for not taking good care of yourself, such as working yourself into the ground or neglecting to put your needs ahead of others some of the time. You may have fears about loss of people, relationships, property or objects. Whatever the source of these fears, tackle them so that you can live life without being driven by external worries and can instead make informed decisions to only have the people and things in your life that truly matter.^{[7]
X
Expert Source

Camber Hill
Life Coach

Expert Interview. 16 June 2020.}^{[8]
X
Expert Source

Kamal Ravikant
Author, Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends On It

Expert Interview. 2 December 2019.}
- Some fears can only be addressed by removing toxic people from your life. This can be hard to do but is essential for keeping yourself whole and in control of your own destiny. See ^{[9]
  X
  Research source}How to deal with toxic people for more information.
6
Fall in love often. Not just with that special person but with your life, with the beauty surrounding you, with the amazing parts of your day, with those special moments. Learn to spot the wonderful things amid the mundane and hectic. These will help you to take better care of yourself by reducing the negativity.^{[10]
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- Fall in love with taking care of yourself. Make it a daily ritual, to do the little things that add up to caring for you.
This is more than about sleeping. It's about taking a break from other people, from work, from chores and just being. Remind yourself that an empty vessel can give no more––rest restores that essence of giving and doing, so be sure to take good care of yourself by allowing yourself sufficient rest.^{[11]
X
Research source}

Part 3

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Taking Care of Your Appearance

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Take a bath or a shower at least once a day. Use scented soap or gel that you enjoy. ^{[12]
X
Trustworthy Source

Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals

Go to source}
2
Keep your hair in good condition. Choose a style that works for you and makes you feel confident and happy. If you don't have good hair or lack hair at all, seek other ways to shine, such as wearing beautiful scarves or getting a style that reduces the amount of care your hair needs.^{[13]
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Trustworthy Source

American Academy of Dermatology
Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists

Go to source}
- Use shampoo and conditioner each time you wash your hair.
- Brush your hair every day. This helps to maintain its healthy shine and appearance.
- Try to avoid applying heat to your hair. Whether you're curling or straightening it, it's best to let your locks lie naturally.
Tip: You can also try the 30 day scalp and hair cleansing challenge where you do not use any product or unnatural substance in your hair. This brings out the natural oils from your hair and helps you grow your hair healthy and strong for years to come.
Put lotions on to moisturize your skin and your face.^{[14]
X
Trustworthy Source

American Academy of Dermatology
Professional organization made of over 20,000 certified dermatologists

Go to source}
Try the get the dirt out of them each day. That way, they will look as clean as glass.^{[15]
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Research source}
It's natural. Nearly everyone has it, although it's more noticeable in darker hair. Use a dandruff shampoo and a fine-toothed comb to rid your dandruff, and be sure to brush your hair regularly.^{[16]
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Don't get a buzz-cut if you have a soft face. You want something that fits your personality and also matches your bone structure. Go to a salon and they’ll have professionals help you.
Even if you don't wear makeup, cleaning your face regularly is important for removing grime and feeling fresh.^{[17]
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Research source}
Use mouthwash to keep your breath always fresh.^{[18]
X
Trustworthy Source

Cleveland Clinic
Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals

Go to source}
This means trying on clothes for fit, not for the label's sizing. If this means you wear a mixture of small, medium and large, so be it! Everybody is different and what matters ultimately is that it looks good, not that it is all the same manufacturer's size. Also choose colors that look good on you, ones that match your eye color, hair color and skin tone.
Your body is known best by you and what it needs can only be determined by you. What you do need to do is pay attention and heed those needs, which change over time.

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I'm someone who doesn't get enough sleep because I feel as though I need to live my life every second I have. I recently got a stomach bug, and it's been terrible. I know it says to get sleep, but what is one way I can stop my normal way of staying awake at night, and get a normal sleep routine?

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You could exercise daily on a specific routine, or you could get sleeping pills for a short amount of time until you get into a normal routine of sleep. Avoid using all electronic devices for at least an hour before when you want to sleep.

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How can I convince myself to take a shower every day?

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Buy yourself a shampoo or soap with a scent you really like.

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What if you like to cook a lot?

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That's great; food is an important component of caring for oneself. Focus on cooking healthy recipes, and make yourself a decadent treat once in a while.

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Tips

It may be important to see a therapist if you are having difficulties with emotional or physical issues that cause you to self harm or self neglect. Life isn't meant to be about constant self-deprivation and self-hate. You are as precious as the next person.

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Find and nurture the ways that help you to recharge.

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Toss away the things that are holding you back––it's only junk unless it's useful or really enhances your life. If it's in the way, if it's meant for "one day" but that day hasn't arrived for years, then perhaps it's not meant to be in your life. See How to declutter for more ideas.

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Warnings

Stop waiting for someone to rescue you or make things better. Only you can do these things for yourself. Moreover, if you expect someone to make things better for you, you risk losing yourself rather than caring for yourself. Tell yourself that "I have got my own back" as Maya Angelou once said. It's a great way to remind yourself that you are the main source of self-care.

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Don't say mean things to yourself. Just what is the point? If you do say mean things to yourself, it gets too easy to pass this on to other people too, making your whole life one mean mess of negative thoughts.

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Although gossiping is an inherently human trait, too much of it is damaging and potentially undermining of your own well-being. Try to rein it in and teach yourself to think better of others.

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