According to Google Trends, the number of searches for ‘self-care’ has nearly quadrupled since 2018. Why? Because we are finally realising that being kind to ourselves isn’t selfish, it's overwhelmingly beneficial. Self-initiated behaviour that promotes good health can improve your physical and mental well-being, as well as your relationships with those around you. The problem? Self-care ideas can be challenging to integrate into a busy schedule. Many people don’t know where to begin and set unrealistic goals or too many targets at once. That’s where 4improve steps in. Our life-changing app helps you to set and achieve small targets, integrate health habits into your routine, and follow a more holistic lifestyle. 

5 Self-Care Ideas That Anyone Can Follow

1. 5-Minutes Of Daily Meditation
Meditation has been practised for centuries, and for good reason. As you learn to find your centre, stress and negative thoughts reduce, whilst patience and creativity increase. 4improve contains a collection of guided meditations for beginners and 1000+ nature sounds and calming audios for self-guided practice. To successfully introduce meditation into your daily routine, stick to the same time each day, set a reminder for the first two weeks and opt for a short, 5-minute window. Some days, you may choose to extend this, but achievable timeframes are more likely to become ingrained. 

2. Daily Stretching
One of the best self-care ideas for body and mind is daily stretching. Just a few minutes per day can improve flexibility, alleviate muscle tension and induce a sense of calm. Select which areas of your body to focus on using the 4improve app and complete your tailored stretches using easy-to-follow videos. Each session consists of five 30-second stretches. Setting aside 2 ½ minutes to stretch is a great way to start your day or take a break during work. Moreover, it’s manageable even on your busiest days. Repeating or adding further stretches can lengthen your exercise time when things are less hectic. 

3. Plan A Healthy Breakfast
A healthy breakfast sets the tone for the day. 4improve contains a bank of healthy recipes and an in-built meal planner, allowing you to effortlessly select nutrient-rich, balanced dishes that provide sustained energy throughout the day. Extreme changes to diet are difficult to maintain, which could be a reason that your healthy eating efforts have failed in the past. Making small changes, one by one, is key to prolonged success. If your diet would benefit from more whole grains, fruits, vegetables and healthy fats, focusing on one meal per day is the best place to start. Input tasty breakfast recipes into 4improve’s meal planner for 2 weeks and take note of how you feel. 

4. Drink More Water
Water is essential for digestion, flushing out toxins and brain health. By carrying around a reusable bottle and setting yourself a daily target, staying hydrated is one of the easiest self-care ideas to introduce. To ensure your goal is achievable, use 4improve’s water tracker to log how much you drink on average. Then set weekly increases of 200ml (around 1 glass) until your intake is 2200ml or 3000ml for women and men, respectively. Pair water drinking with other daily activities, such as brushing your teeth, and ask 4improve to send hydration reminders to your phone to help you reach your target. 

5. Increase Hours Of Sleep
One of the most underrated self-care ideas is increasing your hours of sleep. When you lead a busy life, staying up late to reach work deadlines or catch up on TV may take precedence over slumber; however, you’re not doing your body or brain any favours. Establishing a consistent sleep schedule with 7+ hours of uninterrupted rest allows you to recover and recharge. If you struggle to nod off, select from 1000+ calming tracks and sounds of nature on the 4improve app and lie comfortably in bed.

Download 4improve 
Putting these self-care ideas into practice and embracing a holistic lifestyle takes time and effort, but the results are well worth it. Work on yourself methodically, introducing one target at a time. Download 4improve to join thousands of others who are initiating self-led healing and growth. If 4improve has helped to enhance your well-being, feel free to leave us a review - we’d love to hear your thoughts!