20 Midweek Self-Care Activities For When You're Having A Bad Day

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In need of a pick-me-up? We’ve got you covered with these revitalising self-care activities. From unwinding with a hot bubble bath to engaging in mindfulness exercises, these midweek self-care rituals are designed to help you de-stress, lift your spirits and promote tranquillity.

In the midst of busy day-to-day life, it is important to put aside time to practice self-care.

After all, you can’t pour from an empty cup!

You don’t have to put *hours* aside, either. Simply infusing your daily routine with your favourite self-care activities ensures you are still making time to take care of yourself and your overall well-being, despite how busy your schedule may be.

In this post, we delve into a variety of fun, healthy and soothing self-care practices designed to nurture your body, mind and soul.

Discover rejuvenating self-care rituals – from relaxing meditations to dancing to your favourite music, each activity is curated to help you unplug and unwind, ready to take on the remainder of the week ahead.

20 Midweek Self-Care Activities

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1. Take a short walk

Getting outdoors for some fresh air works wonders for lifting your spirits. I know, sometimes when you’re having a bad day the last thing you want to do is get out and exercise.

Throw on an outfit you’re comfortable in and pick a local route or head out to a nearby nature spot for a quick and refreshing walk. You can even jazz up your outdoor adventure with an inspiring podcast or energizing playlist!

2. Cook a comfort meal (or order in!)

Comfort meals are a great self-care go-to. Put together your desired recipe, relax and enjoy. Perhaps a candle-lit dinner for one?

If you’re not feeling up to cooking, grab something simple or treat yourself to a takeout!

Which comfort meal is your favourite?

3. Take a bubble bath

It’s a cliché, but heavenly nonetheless. Run yourself a relaxing hot bubble bath, light some candles and let the magic unfold.

You could read a book while you bathe or listen to some relaxing sounds such as binaural beats or rain sounds. For extra self-care points, add in some soothing Epsom salts, a fun bath bomb or apply a face mask.

Not feeling soaking in the tub? Try this everything shower self-care routine!

4. Watch a favourite TV show or movie

Grab a blanket and your favourite snacks before throwing on a favourite TV show or movie for a simple self-care pick-me-up.

What is your current go-to TV show or movie? I’ve been loving The Vampire Diaries as a favourite self-care go-to lately (iykyk).

5. Practice meditation

Shake off the stress of the day with a meditative practice. You don’t need to do anything crazy to do a simple meditation. No lotus position required here.

To begin, take some slow, deep breaths and place your awareness on your breathing as you do this. Feel free to close your eyes if that feels best. If any thoughts pop up, just allow them. If you become distracted by thoughts, bring your awareness back to your breath. The more you practice this, the easier it will become.

6. Refresh your space

The environment around us greatly impacts our well-being.

There’s just something so stress-relieving about cleaning and decluttering! I love cleaning while listening to music. Are you a clean-in-silence kind of person or a clean-with-music kind of person?

You don’t have to have a whole spring cleaning moment, either. Taking a few moments to clear up any clutter, spruce up the space around you and open up some windows to allow in fresh air is enough to drastically improve the atmosphere around you.

7. Connect with others

Whether it’s catching up with a friend over coffee, calling someone you love or checking in via text, connecting with others plays a vital role in self-care and maintaining our overall well-being.

Embracing community not only fills our cup but deeply enriches our lives in many wonderful ways and reminds us of the interconnectedness we share.

Plus, a good chitchat with your BFF may be exactly what you need to lift your spirits!

8. Do your skincare routine

Wash away the stress of the day and freshen up with some soothing skincare.

Whether it’s a simple cleanser followed by a gentle moisturiser or a 12-step pamper routine, a touch of skincare self-care can make all the difference when it comes to your mood.

9. Stretch

Show your body some love and de-stress with a spot of stretching.

Taking the time to engage in stretching exercises relieves tension, improves flexibility and can give you a boost of energy when you’re feeling drained. It’s also an opportunity to turn some simple stretches into a way of practising being fully present in the body.

Treat yourself to 5 minutes of stretching for an easy and calming pick-me-up.

10. Change your bed sheets

Because who doesn’t love the feeling of getting into bed with fresh, clean sheets?

Ensuring you regularly change your bed linen isn’t just another to-do on your cleaning rota, it is a simple form of self-care that positively impacts your sleep quality and enhances your comfort.

Throw your sheets in the laundry and break out a fresh set of linen with comfy textures to give yourself a clean, stress-free sleep haven to retreat to.

11. Hydrate

Feeling overwhelmed? Take a few moments to pause and hydrate.

When you’re dehydrated, it’s going to have a negative impact on how you feel and operate. Grab a glass of water or fill up your favourite water bottle and give your body some much-appreciated hydration.

12. Take a nap

Sometimes… a nap really is the answer to your problems.

Treat yourself to a nap and allow yourself to recharge and refresh ready to take on what is next. For double relaxation points, turn on some nature sounds or a frequency healing track and allow the music to nourish you as you drift into a serene state of bliss.

13. Make a gratitude list

Put together a list of things that you’re grateful for lately. You can do this in your head or speak it out loud if you don’t feel like writing it down. This is one of my favourite self-care activities to practice when I need a quick pick-me-up.

Think of the things that you’re genuinely grateful for and the things that have brought you joy lately. If you’re stuck, think of things associated with your senses. Things you can hear, see, touch, smell or taste.

It may be the roof over your head, access to water, some pretty flowers you saw in passing while outdoors or even the aroma of your morning cup of coffee.

Whatever your list is made up of, practising gratitude is a simple way of reminding ourselves of the joys that exist all around us, especially when we may lose sight of such things when feeling down and out. It is a way of reminding ourselves to be thankful for the experiences and things we may take for granted too.

14. Check in with yourself

Checking in with yourself is an essential self-care practice.

Taking the time to ask yourself ‘How am I doing?’ and reflecting on how you’re feeling ensures you are connecting with yourself and prioritising your needs.

Whether it’s through a meditation practice, journaling or simply asking yourself some questions, checking in with yourself is a way of putting your mental, physical and emotional health first which also strengthens the relationship you have with yourself.

15. Do a guided workout

Shake up stagnant energy and get your blood pumping with an at-home workout.

Release a flood of feel-good endorphins and say goodbye to the day’s stress with a guided workout of your choice. There is an abundance of free options online to choose from! From pilates, yoga, cardio and even fun dance workouts, your body will surely thank you.

16. Dance to your favourite music

Not feeling a guided workout? That’s totally fine!

Stick on your favourite tracks and dance like nobody’s watching. Turn your space into a DIY dancefloor and let the stress melt away as you immerse yourself in the music.

17. Journal

Grab your journal, get cosy and let your thoughts flow out onto the page.

Journaling is a fantastic way to release stress and make sense of what you’re feeling. By writing down your thoughts, feelings, experiences and whatever else comes to mind, you’re letting out the things you may be holding in on the inside.

If you’d like to learn more about journaling and its many magical benefits, check out this guide on how to start a journal.

18. Digital detox

In the digital world of continuous streams of content, news and notifications, it’s not difficult to become overstimulated.

A digital detox is like a mini vacation for your mind.

Unplug from the noise and reconnect with yourself and your surroundings. Pair your digital detox with your favourite self-care rituals and indulge in some much-deserved you time.

19. Make a list of things to look forward to

Invoke excitement and look to the horizon with hope by creating a list of the things you have to look forward to.

Whether it’s grabbing lunch with your besties next Tuesday, a new album release or getting cosied up on the couch after work, reminding yourself of the joy that awaits you brings hope and positivity to a dull day.

20. Light candles & get cosy

Turn your space into a zen haven with the relaxing calm of candles.

Light some candles, get cosy and unwind into the evening ahead of you. Relax in the ambience of the warm glow as you let your stress fall away and allow the tranquil atmosphere to calm your body, mind and spirit.

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20 Midweek Self-Care Activities For When You’re Having A Bad Day