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y smelling bath bombs, bubbles, and oils. At least an hour in a bath seems reasonable to me.</p><p id="860f">As lockdown had put an end to visits to the nail salon and masseuse, bath sessions have been my go-to self-care sanctuary during the pandemic. But once places open up again, I look forward to reinstating quarterly massages and monthly manipeds.</p><h2 id="cac7">Keep a list of self-care ideas you most enjoy</h2><p id="9b9d">I’m always keen to try new things so if I hear about a new product or treatment, I add it to my list of self-care things to try, which I keep in the notes section of my phone. These range from things to do at home — face masks, foot soaks, reading a magazine, conditioning my hair — to outdoorsy ideas such as taking a walk, sitting in a park or garden, eating al fresco.</p><p id="28d1">If you like, you can also have a column for when you last did that thing, and/or how much it costs. Then, when your scheduled self-care time comes up, you can choose something to do depending on your mood, how much time you have, and whether you want to stay in or go out.</p><h2 id="29cf">Choose in advance or wing it?</h2><p id="d326">Some things you need to prepare for and perhaps book, such as having a massage or getting your hair done, so you have to plan it in advance. But other things you can just wing, as long as you have the necessary items around. For example, I usually have a couple of audiobooks downloaded that I can listen to while I’m in the bath, or going for a walk. Or if I fancy making a special dish or dessert, I might order in the ingredients in my weekly shop. Sometimes I enjoy just winging it and paying a spontaneous visit to my favourite museum or art gallery (online these days), or just browsing in a department store

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or through an arts and crafts catalogue.</p><h2 id="7a1c">Get some help or reminders if you need it</h2><p id="3431">There are loads of apps available now that you can set up to remind yourself to make and take time for self-care. My current favourite is the Fabulous app, which allows you to customise a routine of self-help tasks from drinking water and healthy eating to daily walks and meditating. But if you don’t want to invest in an app, just set reminders so your phone pings when it’s time to take that self-care break you promised yourself.</p><figure id="e7f4"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/0*Dl7Hyr1JulLGSmBG"><figcaption>Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@davefrancis101?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">Dave Francis</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com?utm_source=medium&utm_medium=referral">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure><p id="d207">Middle daughter’s hair always looks great, btw, so I definitely don’t begrudge her using up our eggs. I just have to remember to order extra eggs— and honey and avocado.</p><p id="fdab">If you’re not in the habit of making time for yourself, you may find it hard to find time at first. But the more self-care you take, the easier it becomes. Don’t worry if it’s hard to stick to scheduled times at first — just do what you can. Five or ten minutes sitting outside just watching the clouds go by is self-care too. Start small and build on your successes.</p><p id="88b0">©️marla bishop 2020</p><p id="e526">Marla Bishop is a writer and relationship coach specialising in helping others live lives they totally love. She lives in London UK with her husband and youngest two children. You can follow her <a href="https://linktr.ee/MarlaB">here</a>.</p></article></body>

What Have You Done for You, Lately?

The art of self-care

The other morning, I came into the kitchen to make myself an omelette for breakfast and found middle daughter had just used the last two eggs in a concoction which she was smearing into her hair.

“I was planning to eat those,” I said, sniffing her hair, which smelt quite good — good enough to eat in fact.

“Sorry mum, but my hair really needs a mask right now.”

Of course, seventeen-year-olds take their self-care quite seriously. I tried to remember when last I had put on a hair mask— and I couldn’t. Me, a former lover of henna masks for dry hair, which I used to wear under a wrap in our local sauna. Could it be… I was neglecting myself?

The fact is, I do still take time for self-care, it’s just what I do that’s changed. These days I’m more likely to be found luxuriating in a bubble bath than in a sauna, but it’s the same self-care. Here are a few tips for how I make sure I’m looking after myself amidst the busyness of life.

Schedule time

If it’s in my diary it tends to get done, so I schedule times for self-care along with all the other things I need to do. Having a bath is much more of an event than having a shower, I like to have my baths with candles, something nice to listen to, and lots of lovely smelling bath bombs, bubbles, and oils. At least an hour in a bath seems reasonable to me.

As lockdown had put an end to visits to the nail salon and masseuse, bath sessions have been my go-to self-care sanctuary during the pandemic. But once places open up again, I look forward to reinstating quarterly massages and monthly manipeds.

Keep a list of self-care ideas you most enjoy

I’m always keen to try new things so if I hear about a new product or treatment, I add it to my list of self-care things to try, which I keep in the notes section of my phone. These range from things to do at home — face masks, foot soaks, reading a magazine, conditioning my hair — to outdoorsy ideas such as taking a walk, sitting in a park or garden, eating al fresco.

If you like, you can also have a column for when you last did that thing, and/or how much it costs. Then, when your scheduled self-care time comes up, you can choose something to do depending on your mood, how much time you have, and whether you want to stay in or go out.

Choose in advance or wing it?

Some things you need to prepare for and perhaps book, such as having a massage or getting your hair done, so you have to plan it in advance. But other things you can just wing, as long as you have the necessary items around. For example, I usually have a couple of audiobooks downloaded that I can listen to while I’m in the bath, or going for a walk. Or if I fancy making a special dish or dessert, I might order in the ingredients in my weekly shop. Sometimes I enjoy just winging it and paying a spontaneous visit to my favourite museum or art gallery (online these days), or just browsing in a department store or through an arts and crafts catalogue.

Get some help or reminders if you need it

There are loads of apps available now that you can set up to remind yourself to make and take time for self-care. My current favourite is the Fabulous app, which allows you to customise a routine of self-help tasks from drinking water and healthy eating to daily walks and meditating. But if you don’t want to invest in an app, just set reminders so your phone pings when it’s time to take that self-care break you promised yourself.

Middle daughter’s hair always looks great, btw, so I definitely don’t begrudge her using up our eggs. I just have to remember to order extra eggs— and honey and avocado.

If you’re not in the habit of making time for yourself, you may find it hard to find time at first. But the more self-care you take, the easier it becomes. Don’t worry if it’s hard to stick to scheduled times at first — just do what you can. Five or ten minutes sitting outside just watching the clouds go by is self-care too. Start small and build on your successes.

Marla Bishop is a writer and relationship coach specialising in helping others live lives they totally love. She lives in London UK with her husband and youngest two children. You can follow her here.