A (not comprehensive) List of Little Self Care Things I Do When Everything Feels Like Too Much:
Wash just your body, or just your hair. You may not be completely clean, but you ARE cleaner
Still feels like too much? No problem!
Take off any jewelry from your hands/wrists and wash your hands up to your elbows, just taking your time
Then wash your arm pits and groin, those are the stinkiest parts of the body
If you're feeling up to it, wash your face too
Once you're done washing, take your favorite body lotion and massage it in anywhere you washed
Shaving takes time and patience (especially if you prefer to be mostly hairless), but you don't have to go through the whole process every time
Wanna wear that cute tank top/crop top but don't feel comfortable with how hairy your pits are today?
JUST shave your arm pits then
Wanna wear shorts/capries/a skirt, but feel your legs are too fuzzy?
Where on your legs do the cuffs/hem sit? JUST shave from there down
Facial hair looking kinda scruffy? Got an electric shaver? It won't give you as close a shave as a razor, but it'll help neaten you up a bit
After any shaving, get back in there with your lotion and work it in well
Don't have the energy to drag that big basket you've been avoiding down to the washing machine? Out of clothes but need something to wear tomorrow?
Wash ONLY what you'll need for the next 1 or 2 days. A smaller load means less to put away after
Need a bra/binder/mask/etc for tomorrow? Wash ONE, then hang it to dry with a fan blowing on it.
The air movement will help it dry faster, and while it may not be 100% dry by morning, it should be dry enough to wear comfortably
This can be done for underwear and socks as well
Mouth feeling like sandpaper, but you still can't find it in you to go through the whole tooth care routine?
JUST brush your teeth before bed. You can floss in the morning
No energy to get in there and really scrub like your dentist told you to? Even just a quick scrub is better than nothing
You know those little Gum brand toothpick things? With runber bristles on them? They can't replace proper flossing, but the CAN at least get the worst of the gunk from between your teeth
Hungry but can't bring yourself to put together a whole meal? That's okay!
Get all the fixings for a sandwich (bread, spreads, cheese, meat, etc), put them on a plate and eat that. You're still eating a sandwich, it's just not an assembled sandwich
Want a smoothy, but don't want to fuss with the blender? Put it all together as a yogurt bowl instead
Want a salad? Grab a couple lettuce leaves, a stick of celery, half a tomato, or whatever else you'd have in there, and toss it on a plate. Grab some dressing (or not) and you've got a personal size veggie platter
Cut an orange in half and eat the pulp out with a spoon
Cut an apple in half, and eat JUST one half. You can save the other half for later, or eat it right after the first if you feel up to it
Cutting a banana in half and squeezing out the fruit means you don't have to worry about those gross stringy bits
Milk (dairy, soy, almond, whichever)
Berries, yogurt, chocolate chips, jam (optional)
Put all ingredients except milk in a blender (or 4 cup measure if using a hand mixer)
Pour in milk until ingredients are ALMOST covered. There should be about 1 inch/2.5 cm of solid ingredients visible
Blender/mix for 30-60 seconds, or until desired consistency. Pour into your favorite glass, or drink straight from the container
Clean a medium to large potato and use a fork to stab holes down the sides and at each end. Depending on the size, you should have stab your potato somewhere around 9-12 times.
Place the potato in the microwave just off of center, one end facing the center of the spinning plate
Microwave for 15 minutes, flipping the potato end for end after every 5 minutes
Put the potato on a plate with some sour cream or ranch dressing, and dip it like a big ol' french fry
Feel like there's too many dishes? Pick ONE place setting (bowl, plate, knife, fork, spoon, cup), and ONE pot/pan, and clean those. Do the same at the end of each meal, and while it might take a while, you'll eventually get things down to a manageable level
Dust bunnies breeding in the corners? Pick ONE room or hallway every couple days and just clean there. ONE clean room is better than NO clean rooms
Your room is so messy you don't know where to start? Every time you enter your room, put ONE thing back where it belongs. Every time you leave your room, take one thing that doesn't belong out with you and put it where it belongs.
Sink looking kind of gross? Give it a quick wipe down the next time you wash your hands
Toilet needs a clean? Pick a part (lid, seat, back or bowl) and just clean that bit. Even if you're just wiping some of the dust off the back.
Scum ring building up in the shower/bathtub? Give it a quick scrub next time you bathe. Maybe you don't get the whole thing, but you DID make a start.
Not energy for a full walk? If you can, walk around your house/apartment building. You might not have gone far, but you were UP and you were OUTSIDE.
Can't get out for whatever reason? Are there stairs in your house? In your apartment building? If you can, walk up and down those a few times.
Not really able to do stairs? Do some simple stretches instead.
Reach down and try to touch your toes, holding for 20 seconds. Reach up over your head as high as you can, holding for 20 seconds. Repeat 5 times
Sitting in a chair, reach your right hand across your body and over your left shoulder and try to grab the back of the chair without lifting your butt. Hold for 20 seconds. Do the same with your left arm, holding for 20 seconds. Repeat 5 times
Standing, or sitting on a chair, gently pull your head towards your shoulder (right hand, right shoulder; left hand, left shoulder), reaching the other hand down towards the ground. Hold for 20 seconds, then gently push your head upright again (lifting your head with your neck muscles can cause them to cease after a stretch). Repeat 5 times
Need to trim your nails, but don't feel like sitting through both hands? Pick one finger on each hand, and just trim that nail. Do another nail on each hand tomorrow, and another the day after that. You don't have to do them all at once
Having trouble remembering to drink enough water? Find a water bottle/mug/glass that you like and try to keep it near you as much as possible. I find actually having a bottle with me helps me remember to keep sipping.
Still having trouble with your water intake? Fruit and veggies (like apples, oranges, tomatoes, bell peppers and avocados to name a few) have high water content and can help keep you hydrated
Even if you can't get to sleep, lieing in bed with your eyes closed is more restful than trying to wear yourself out by reading or something
Alternatively, doing some mild stretches, or a few sit ups/push ups/ jumping jacks can help wear you out without engaging your brain too much
You are aloud to say "no". You don't even need to give a reason. If everything feels like too much, taking on more responsibility will only make it worse, which will only make your output poorer as a result.
A reminder that this is by no means a complete list, just some things I've found helpful in my journey through adhd, depression, and anxiety. Not all tasks need to be done all at once. Maybe you can't do much, but that doesn't invalidate the some you did. Just because you take longer to do a task doesn't mean your bad at it, or that it isn't worth doing. You'll get there when you get there.
Please feel free to add to this post, I'd love to see what self care tricks other people are using!
jacobvanloon
dededos
izzy806
2087
