Spring is upon us and with the warmer weather and blossoming flowers comes a new excitement for the season. There’s a change in the air, and lots of talk of fresh beginnings and new starts. Find fun and rewarding ways to enjoy the season and take care of yourself with these spring self care ideas.
Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only and should not be considered mental health advice. Consult a doctor or therapist for any mental health concerns.
Why self care matters in spring
The start of a spring often leads to thoughts about your goals and progress in the year. That can put a lot of pressure on your mental health and wellbeing – especially if you’re kicking yourself for faltering on those New Year resolutions or if you feel stagnant in your life.
Investing in our self care can help us through this and give us an opportunity to focus on what matters most.
Use this season of new beginnings to weave in habits that refresh and rejuvenate you – and perhaps even get you inspired to reach those goals.
15 Spring Self Care Ideas
Need some inspiration? Here are some of the best spring self care ideas to help you get the most from this season.
1. Go for a trail walk
There’s lots to love about being outdoors in the springtime, so make every opportunity to go for a walk when you can.
First, those daily walks are super beneficial to your health. A study in JAMA found that more daily steps (up to about 10,000 per day) and faster walking was associated with reduced risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease.
And while any kind of walk can be beneficial, walking on trails is particularly useful. For example, research shows that forest walking is associated with less anxiety and anger compared to walking through city areas.
Throw on those sneakers, embrace the fresh air, listen to the birds and wildlife, and look around you for reminders that a fresh season is here. Now is the perfect time to spring into better wellness!
2. Practice some form of art
Spring offers up the sprouts of plants, flowers blooming, wildlife roaming, beautiful sunsets, and more. Spend some time in nature and try out a form of art that captures some of this innate beauty.
Research suggests that visual arts – like photography, drawing, and painting – may have benefits on both physical and mental health.
Don’t feel the pressure to participate perfectly; this is simply about finding a medium that speaks to you and trying it out.
3. Do spring cleaning
If you had a busy holiday season and start of the year, your home might feel more cluttered than usual when spring hits. Your typical cleaning routines might also have been disrupted.
Get everything back on track and start fresh with a spring declutter and clean. Try working through one set of items at a time – like clothes, books, or a junk drawer – to make it less overwhelming. Sort items into a keep, donate, and trash pile, and take action on them immediately after you sort (i.e. put the donation bag in the trunk and put the trash bag in the trash).
Cleaning may seem like the opposite of self care, but it definitely is a form of it. Seeing clutter and disorganization in your house can actually have ongoing effects on anxiety, thinking, mood, and even levels of stress hormones. By taking some time to address it, you may feel calmer and more relaxed on an everyday basis.
4. Treat yourself to fresh flowers or a plant
Once your home is feeling bright and fresh, it’s time to bring some of those reminders of the season indoors. Add a vase of fresh flowers or a potted plant to your house for an instant mood boost!
Not convinced? Consider this study, which examined the impact of seeing roses in an office. When workers were exposed to the roses, there were more reported feelings of ‘comfortable,’ ‘relaxed’ and ‘natural’. And in another study, hospital patients placed in a room with plants actually had better surgical recovery!
In addition, plants can help keep clean the air in the home, which is important for good health.
You can grab some from a local flower shop, or look into a local flower CSA. One of the farms near us offers this and it’s such a fun option. Each week, you can go cut flowers to make your own bouquet that you take home. It’s a nice way to get in touch with nature and treat yourself.
5. Cook something new
Spring brings not only fresh air but fresh flavors too – think lemon, carrots, strawberries, rhubarb, radishes, fiddleheads, and asparagus, for example.
Scope out some new recipes and get excited about creating it. Pinterest is great to browse for fun spring ideas. You can also think about classics you ate growing up – like perhaps your Grandma’s carrot cake at Easter – and track down your family’s recipe to make that.
If you need some inspiration, here are a few of our springtime favorites:
- Oil & vinegar potato salad with fiddleheads and dill
- Lemon energy bites
- Strawberry beet salad
- Healthy strawberry shortcake
- Radish breakfast skillet
- Lemon ricotta pizza
6. Try a new hobby
A great spring self care idea (and a way to get more “me time”) is by trying a new hobby or pursuing a new interest. It’s a chance to deep dive into learning something new, figuring it out, and getting excited about your progress.
Your new hobby could be anything – here are a few ideas that are great for spring:
- Gardening
- Hiking
- Foraging (my new hobby this year!)
- Bird watching
- Home renovation projects
- Flipping yard sale finds
- Calligraphy
- Chess
- Knitting
Obviously there are many more options out there. What lights you up?
7. Write a gratitude list
Spring is all about new starts, which makes it the perfect time for reflection too. Use this as a motivator to start a gratitude journal. Try writing down 3-5 things you’re grateful for each day.
It may seem tough at first, especially if you’re going through a rough period in your life, but you’ll notice that focusing on gratitude for what you do have can improve your mood and outlook.
8. Update your skincare routine
Our skin faces different needs depending on the weather and time of year, so take some time to reflect on and update your skincare routine for the spring months. You might need a different moisturizer, or you could decide to experiment with new products to see if you can find something you love even more than your current selection.
9. Plan a local day out
Staycations are great, but the fun of planning a local day out can give you anticipation and excitement!
Scout around for attraction ideas and head somewhere you’ve never been for a new experience. Explore an amusement park, museum, aquarium, fishing spot, or anywhere that sparks your interest.
10. Refresh your spring wardrobe
As the seasons change, it’s the perfect time to take a look at your wardrobe. This could mean purchasing a few new outfits that make you feel great, but it could also mean decluttering old items that don’t fit and re-discovering what you have in your closet already.
Start by getting rid of anything that’s too small, too big, or that you haven’t worn in a year. Next, look at what you do have. Put together some outfit ideas so you have inspiration when it’s time to go work or out for a night with friends.
Then organize the closet in a way that makes sense for you and makes you happy to look at. I prefer sectioning off tops, bottoms, dresses – and rainbow order for each section – but that’s just my cup of tea.
During this process, you can also note if there are any key pieces missing so that you can keep an eye out next time you’re shopping (but try to focus more on what you already have than feeling the need to buy a ton more).
11. Write in your journal
If you started a journaling habit in the New Year or you want to, spring is a great reminder to continue writing.
Journaling can be free hand or can be done with prompts. It could be in a regular ‘ol spiral notebook, or it can be in a pretty journal you grab from the store. You can write as long as you’d like, or give yourself a time to take any pressure off – like telling yourself you’ll write for two minutes each night.
12. Make a vision board
Having a vision board is a great way to conceptualize what you’re hoping to acheive this year. It’s a helpful tool to help you stay focused on your goals, and making one is a creative outlet that’s perfect for your spring self care.
Gather a bunch of magazines along with poster board. Cut out pictures, quotes, affirmations, or anything else that speaks to you and glue them to your board. You can also create things to add to your board on your computer (like typing out a favorite quote). Or you can even create a fully digital vision board using a tool like Canva.
Have fun and create something that motivates and inspires you.
13. Enjoy a meal outside
While much of spring is still chilly up here in the Northeast, there are certainly some days that offer up ample sunlight and warmth. Take advantage of those days and enjoy a meal outside.
You might choose to have your lunch outside of your office, to create a picnic for your family on the weekend, or to eat dinner al fresco on your porch.
Sometimes the simple change of scenery can be great for a little refresh in the day.
14. Try a digital detox
So much of our lives is digital now that it can feel challenging to step away from the smartphone for even a few minutes. But taking a break from your apps and notifications for a week, day, or even a few hours can give you some much-needed space to chill out and relax.
It may be tough at first. You may grab your phone absentmindedly because it’s a habit. Recognize what you’re doing and go back to living in the present instead of on your phone during this detox.
Take note of how you feel during this time frame. Does not going on social media have you feeling more confident or relaxed? Perhaps setting limits on it moving forward is a good idea.
15. Stretch
While stretching is of course something that can be done year round, spring can be a helpful time to kickstart the habit. Try some yoga poses to celebrate spring at home, take ten minutes each night to do some gentle stretching, or book a restorative yoga class at your local gym.
Final Thoughts
As you move into the spring season, it’s important to keep some focus on taking care of yourself. The longer, lighter days give us lots of opportunities to get outdoors and refocus. Use these ideas to help you find inspiration and motivation for your best spring yet!
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