Those Self-Care and Reset Days

You may have seen the term Self-Care Sundays hashtag on Instagram or talked about on various sites and blogs. It is exactly what it sounds like, a day out of the week, Sunday usually is a good day not only because it also starts with S but because it is the day before most people get back to their weekly routine and work schedule. Having a dedicated day of caring for yourself, in whatever capacity that means to you.

Your designated self-care day of course can be any one that you wish, but there’s just this almost generalized concept of Sundays. I believe this trendy effort takes place on this day, not just because they both start with he letter S, but because it can be one of those days that you find yourself lounging around after church or having an eventful Saturday the day before. This time is often taken to charge up for the new week that you have ahead of you.

It is of course important to do things that you love and things that give you a sense of maintenance throughout the week. However, taking a day to do things that you designate to get certain things done can really help to keep things consistent and orderly.

Not being the most organized person myself, there are certain tasks that I complete on my Sundays that allow for an orderly schedule. And now that I am a medical student, it is even that much more important for me to use my time as effectively as possible, allotting not just more time for studying but for some R and R as well.

Some of the tasks that I personally complete are:

1. Watering my plants. Because if it were to be up to me I’d lose track of the last time I gave them some love, resulting in the inevitable.

2. General beauty maintenance:

· Tweezing my eyebrows

· Doing a facemask

· Exfoliating

· Meal prepping- Definitely crucial for a medical student, especially one that follows a vegan-ish diet. Saves so much times, and assures that I am getting the proper nutrients that my body will need with being on a rigorous schedule and let’s face it, not getting as much sleep as needed.

3. Cleaning my Space- Cleaning up after yourself after completing a task saves so much time later on, as there is not much to put away or clean. But on Sundays I like to do the standard semi-deep cleaning of wiping down surfaces, mopping and so on. It keeps my space neat and clean, but it is also a good stress reliever. Do you ever get in those cleaning moods and just feel like cleaning everything?!

4. Complete study plan/deadlines- The studying is never really ever done when you are a medical student, or in medical professions in general. So there is always something to look over or read, and if this is not a day I scheduled to be a break-day from school, then I most likely will be reviewing for whatever I have the next day on Monday or during the week

Plans change and things come up, so your day to day on a weekly basis of course will not look the same every time. But being not the most organized individual personally, I have to say that staying on a Self-care schedule has truly aided in my ability to be a better student and continue my dedication to overall wellness.

5. Some things to do on your self-care days:

1. Take a bubble bath

2. Meditate

3. Go for a run, hike or walk in nature

4. Put your feet in the grass ( read about earthing here )

5. Journal and reflect on your thoughts and blessings

6. Clean your space

7. Paint your nails

8. Condition your hair, face or hair mask

9. Watch a movie

10. Bake something

11. Prepare for the next day, week

12. Plant something

13. Give yourself a facial

14. Read a book

15. Declutter a space

16. Whiten teeth

17. Keep a book of positive affirmations

18.Keep a journal of quotes, dreams aspirations

19. Smudge your space

20. and most importantly, REST! Rest is a major part of taking care of yourself and listening to when your body truly needs it.

Final thoughts: Do you have your own self-care Sunday routine? Think about what you would like to do during your designated self-care day and what it is you’d have on your checklist.

Take care and repeat