Self Care Night: The Perfect Routine (Free PDF)
Having a self care night at least once a week is so important. We all work hard and sometimes, prioritising a self care night is our reminder that it is okay to relax and have a perfect night all by yourself.
There are so many self care night ideas that you can try out but before we get to that, let’s understand the misconceptions of having a self care night.
Grab your free Self Care Night Routine printable at the end of this article!
Self Care Night: Misconceptions
1. A self care night is considered a reward for achieving something.
This is something I do not agree with! Regardless of whether you have achieved something or not, you deserve a self care night. Remember, self care is not something that has to be earned.
2. A self care night is expensive.
It doesn’t necessarily have to be expensive. There are many self care night ideas that are budget-friendly or practically free (link my previous article)!
3. A self care night is optional.
No, it is not optional! In fact, it is compulsory for all of us. We should ensure that we allocate a night just for self care as it helps us to release stress and makes us happy.
4. A self care night is only for women.
Self care has no gender! Just because you are a male, it does not mean that you can’t have a self care night. Men need to take care of themselves too!
5. A self care night is time consuming.
Well, it doesn’t have to be! If you feel that you cannot give yourself an entire night off, then just allocate at least an hour to take care of yourself!
Also, you do not need to crack your head and spend time thinking of a solid night routine. Don’t worry, you could just read this article and I’ll help you build the perfect night routine!
Self Care Night Routine
Well, now that you’ve learnt the misconceptions of a self care night, it’s time to shift your mindset and build a perfect self care night routine!
#1: Create a relaxed environment
Start off your self care night by ensuring that your environment is relaxing and peaceful. You can do so by ensuring that your space is tidy and organised.
Next, dim your lights and light your favourite scented candle. Having a space that smells good instantly lifts your mood!
Lastly, put on some music! It could be something calming and soft such as Lofi, or perhaps your favourite album. Anything is fine, as long as it makes you feel good!
#2: Keep your devices aside
Keep your work laptop as far as possible from you and do not give in to the temptation to check your emails, it can wait until the next working day! I genuinely feel that our insecurities and anxiety as young working adults makes us want to constantly check or follow-up on work updates. However, it is important to separate our work lives from our personal lives, especially when you’re having a self care night!
Avoid using your phone as well and do not scroll through social media (especially competitive platforms such as LinkedIn) as it tends to make us feel bad about ourselves at times. We don’t deserve any of that, so let’s give ourselves some time off the technology that already consumes most of our lives!
#3: Take a long and warm bath/shower
A long and warm bath is much needed to relax your muscles. To prepare your bath, make sure that your tub is half filled with warm water, and then add a bath salt, oil or bath bomb to elevate your bath!
If you do not have a bathtub, no worries! Just take a long and warm shower with your favourite soaps or shower gels.
#4: Practise body care
When you’re in the shower or bath, take this time to practise body care. Now, what does that mean? It means that you should wash your body and scalp with care!
For instance, when you’re doing your hair wash, take some extra time to properly massage your scalp to improve your blood circulation.
#5: Do your skincare
Make sure to cleanse your face before getting out of the bathroom. After that, put on your favourite robe and sit by your table or bed. Then, do your skincare routine! If you do not have one, it’s not too late to start.
The first step in any skincare routine is to cleanse. Make sure to get a cleanser that is suitable to your skin type. For instance, I have sensitive skin and therefore, I use Cetaphil’s Gentle Skin Cleanser to avoid any irritation on my face. Next, use a toner followed by serum, moisturiser and finally, an eye cream! My overall tip would be to identify your skin type and get products suited to it.
While applying the products to your face, gently massage your face and relax. If you’d like to add an extra step, use a gua sha as there are many benefits such as better circulation, reduced puffiness and improves your face shape.
#6: Pamper your body
After completing your skincare, it’s time to pamper the rest of your body. Use a body lotion or body oil and rub it all over your body. Pay extra attention to parts of your body with dryness.
You can also use a body scrub to exfoliate your skin, which means removing dead cells from the outermost layer of your skin. It is recommended to exfoliate twice a week.
#7: Change into your favourite pyjamas
Change into your favourite pyjamas and anticipate the cosy night awaiting you. A tip in choosing a cosy nightwear is to ensure its fabrics are soft and comfortable. For me, I like to wear silk pyjamas as it feels so smooth and weightless on my skin!
#8: Meditate for a few minutes
To truly clear your mind, meditating for at least 10 minutes is important. If you’re a beginner, start off by sitting cross-legged on the floor and set your timer.
Then, breathe in and out while observing your breaths. During this time, it is normal for your mind to wander around but as soon as you catch yourself wandering, return your attention to your breaths.
Once your timer is up, gently open your eyes and notice your surroundings. Notice how your body, mind and soul feels after the meditation and hopefully, that helps you to feel at peace and appreciate yourself.
#9: Prepare a warm beverage
Drinking a warm beverage soothes you, as it releases endorphins that leads to us feeling better. Hence, prepare your favourite warm beverage and sip on it slowly.
You can opt for a herbal tea such as lavender, chamomile or green tea, as it has multiple benefits such as boosting your immune system and ability to fight against diseases.
However if you prefer something sweet, make a cup of hot chocolate or decaffeinated latte that brings you comfort!
#10: Do something you love
It is time to do something that you truly love. A hobby or activity that makes you feel relaxed and happy, whether it is watching your favourite show, reading or cooking yourself a comfort meal.
Personally, my idea of a relaxing activity would be reading my favourite romance novels in bed, with a warm cup of hot chocolate. You can do anything you’d like, but just avoid any activities that require a lot of brain power, such as crossword puzzles, video games and tutorial videos.
#11: Do some journaling
Writing down your thoughts into a journal is a great way to release stress. The beauty of journaling is that you are free to write anything you want, as long as it helps you feel better!
Some journaling ideas are to journal your problems or fears and how to overcome them as well as journaling your negative thoughts. In addition, you could also create a gratitude journal which requires you to state 3 things you are grateful for in a day. This is a good way of staying humble and appreciating the little things in life.
#12: Prepare for bedtime
Finally, it’s time to head to bed. Before going to sleep, ensure that your bed is clean (no clothes lying around at the corner of your bed)! Fluff your pillows, dim the lights and put on some lofi music for sleep – anything that helps you prepare for bed!
Also, you can consider putting on a sleep mask, or use earplugs right before sleeping. This is recommended for light sleepers, who get distracted by any slight light or sounds.
#13: Time for a good night’s sleep
The final step of a self care night routine is also the most important one: getting a good night’s sleep. Make sure that your mind is relaxed by taking some deep breaths before sleeping.
If you still struggle to sleep, count sheeps! I don’t know about you guys, but counting something gets me tired and I tend to fall asleep right away.
Self Care Night Routine Free Printable
I created this free printable to help you get better sleep and relaxation for the night! Hope this free PDF checklist will help you as much as it helped me 🙂
How do you have a self care night alone?
Having a self care night alone is so important because throughout our day, we already spend time with so many people, be it colleagues, family or friends. Hence, make sure to free up one night out of your week to stay-in as a self care night alone is the only time for us to truly relax and learn to enjoy our own company.
Wrap-Up: Self Care Night Guide
It takes only 13 steps for a perfect self care night routine! 13 may sound like a lot, but the steps are super simple. If you’ve never had a self care night before and can’t seem to follow through all the steps, worry not! Start off by incorporating just a few of these steps and slowly build up your perfect routine!
I hope all of you start prioritising self care nights as it is much needed for every single one of us, regardless of our gender, income level or backgrounds!
