14 Ways to Indulge in Self-Care This Weekend

25 minutes ago|Dominique Astorino

Having an emotional week? Whether you're stressed or excited or anxious or there's just too much going on in the world for you to deal with, it's never a bad time to indulge in a little TLC. After all, taking care of yourself makes you better able to handle challenges at work, be a better friend and family member, and give more of your positive energy to the world.

Related:
7 Natural Ways to Help Cope With Anxiety

Our favorite time for self-care is on the weekend, when you can soak in those extra hours of alone time and use the daylight hours away from your desk to your advantage. From splurge treats for yourself to totally free decompression activities, these self-care practices will help you unwind, energize, and let go of any and all stress.

1. Have a spa day. This isn't an all-the-time kind of self-care, but if you're feeling like you need some extra TLC and your mental state hasn't been awesome (and you've got some extra dough stashed away), this could be the ideal time for a spa day. Detox and unwind in the sauna or hot tub.
2. Spend an hour in meditation. While a daily 10-minute practice is great, sometimes turning your mind away from hectic thoughts for longer periods can be extremely powerful and do wonders for your health.
3. Don't make plans and stay home in PJs. Do a face mask, put on those white strips, go through a skin care routine, make whatever food you want (or order in!), maybe get some chores done - and don't answer to any obligations or plans for a whole day (you have the rest of the week for that!).
4. Fill your room with essential oils. Perfume your house with relaxing lavender, energizing citrus, or soothing eucalyptus. Take advantage of the extra hours at home and do some aromatherapy.
5. Go for a long walk outside. Nature can be incredibly calming, and a quiet walk in the sun can do wonders for your mood. Get moving, get the blood flowing, and take some time to find peace.
6. Get a massage. Whether you opt for a swanky spa or get an inexpensive express massage, taking care of your muscles is great for your health and well-being.
7. Try a 90-minute yoga practice. You might not have time during the week to take those extra 30 minutes for stretching, restoring, and meditation - but on the weekend, you totally can!
8. Have a leisurely lunch at a luxe healthy restaurant. Find a new health food joint or return to one of your favorites, and order up to your heart's content with nourishing eats - you'll be feeding your soul and helping your body glow from the inside out.
9. Turn off your phone for a day. If it's impossible to do this during the week, try to do it for one day on the weekend. Disconnect from technology and turn off all work-related business. If that's also impossible, try deleting all your social media apps just for a day - see how you feel when there's no pressure from the outside world.
10. Take a long bath. Soak in some salts, get yourself a fancy bath bomb, light a candle, maybe even pour a glass of wine! This is your time, so soak it all in, and don't feel bad about lingering.
11. Spend an hour journaling. Reflect on your week, your goals, your blessings, and all the good things in your life. Get organized with things you want to accomplish, and make lists that'll help clear the clutter from your thoughts, so you can enter the next week feeling on top of it all.
12. Make your favorite meals. If the workweek is too hectic and draining to cook, and you happen to enjoy cooking, the weekend is the perfect time to get a few calm hours for you time in the kitchen, making whatever the heck brings you joy.
13. Sleep in. If you've been neglecting zzz's, taking naps and sleeping in is the ultimate way to catch up on the weekend and take care of yourself.
14. Treat yourself to a mani-pedi. Do you have a favorite salon service? Go get it done! Whether it's a mani-pedi, getting a facial, or eyebrow treatment, or maybe getting a fresh new haircut you've been putting off - now's the time.