Discover practical self care day ideas for Type A personalities from setting priorities, cultivating positive hobbies, and managing finances.
Self care ideas are everywhere across social media today, most of which are ways to pamper yourself, whether going out for a pedicure or staying in for an at-home facial. However, as self-identifying Type A individuals, we understand that for some of us, it can be difficult to take time to slow down, take a breather, and give ourselves the love and attention we deserve.
We set high standards for ourselves and can be real perfectionists, whether at work, in our relationships, or our personal goals.
However, the hustle can take a toll on our wellness over time. Stress becomes a constant unwelcome companion, along with irritability and feeling constantly overwhelmed.
This is where practical self care day steps come in to save the day.
Self care is our secret weapon for finding balance and keeping our sanity intact. We're talking about intentional, practical ways of taking care of ourselves that can help us to manage stress levels, boost our resilience, and bring a sense of calm to our hectic lives.
So, in this blog post, we'll spill the beans on our Type A self care day ideas that'll leave you feeling like a boss babe who's got it all together.
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Why Switching Off Can Be Difficult When You're Type A
1) We Like To Be In Control: Since we want control over our schedule and to know what's coming next, it can lead to added stress when unscheduled blocks of time are on our calendar.
2) Slowing Down Can Be Difficult: As Type A individuals, we often feel a sense of urgency, making it difficult to slow down, especially when we have to wait or when things are not progressing quickly enough.
3) Fear of Wasted Time: probably one of the biggest reasons that, as Type A personality types, we don't take time for self care is that we see it as unproductive or a waste of time.
4) Our Self-Worth Is Tied to Accomplishments: sometimes, our self-worth can be closely tied to our accomplishments, making it difficult to take time off and not work towards achieving something.
5) High Energy Levels: not to mention, we often have a lot of energy, making it difficult to take a break.
If you're looking for a good resource on self-care for Type A personalities we recommend Take Care of Your Type: An Enneagram Guide to Self-Care.
10 Self Care Day Ideas To De-Stress and Relax For Type A Personalities
While being a Type A can be great for getting things done, it can also make it tough to hit the brakes and enjoy some R&R. Over the years, we've found some alternative self care day ideas that have worked to suit our high-energy, get-it-done personalities to help us relax without feeling guilty.
1) Define Your Self Care Priorities
As much as our brain says that we can do it all, the reality is we can't. Running around trying to accomplish endless to-do lists will only wear you down. Take some time to identify what self care activities are most important to you and how you want to take care of yourself (i.e., exercising daily, eating healthy, reading), and then look for ways to incorporate those activities into your daily or weekly self care routine.
Suppose you've identified that regular exercise is crucial for your well-being. You could schedule a daily 30-minute jog before work or a yoga class every Tuesday and Thursday evening. If reading is important, you might carve out time each night before bed to delve into a novel. By adding self care day activities directly to your calendar, you'll be more likely to set aside the time you need.
2) Prioritize Hard and Fast Deadlines
If you're here, you likely already identify as Type A, and we don't need to tell you to stop procrastinating. But sometimes procrastination can show up sneakily by prioritizing projects that don't have hard and fast deadlines above those that do.
Take stock of your to-do list and focus on the projects and deadlines you truly have no control over, and adjust action items with flexible deadlines accordingly.
Taking proactive steps to create realistic completion schedules for yourself can be one of the greatest forms of self care by eliminating unnecessary, self-imposed stress and anxiety. Constantly feeling exhausted is not good for your mental health.
3) Control What You Can & Permit Yourself To Let Go Of The Rest
Recognize there are a lot of things that are out of your control, and spending time agonizing over things you can't change will cause a lot of unnecessary stress and take energy away from solving the things you can control
For instance, if you've been worried about a friend's decision that you disagree with, remember it's their choice to make, not yours. Instead, focus on how you can support them or direct your energy to your personal projects.
4) Find Your Tribe
Establish a circle of friends that can identify with your challenges, help you figure out solutions, and build you up. It's great to have friends from all walks of life with different perspectives, but invaluable to have friends that can directly relate to your challenges, whether personal or professional, that can lend a helpful ear and first-hand experience.
Join a group of runners if running is your thing. If you're facing challenges at work, find a mentor or a professional group in your field. There are numerous online communities and local groups for every interest and challenge you have.
5) Choose Activities To Help You Cultivate A Positive Mindset
Your mindset determines your reality, so choosing activities that help to reduce anxiety and help you to cultivate a positive mindset, whether it's journaling, running, meditation, yoga, hiking, or spending time in nature, will significantly impact improving your quality of life. Finding physical activities that you enjoy and put you in a good mood will give you something good to look forward to in your day.
Pick up a guided journal with prompts that encourage self-reflection and gratitude. Join a book club if that's your jam. Explore meditation apps like Headspace or Calm to help cultivate mindfulness.
6) Find Areas Of Your Life You Can Simplify
Identifying areas of your home or office that you can simplify will help to relieve burdensome everyday tasks.
- Thin out your linen closet for fewer towels and sheets to wash.
- Automate your inbox to file emails from the same sender automatically.
- Create a filing system to keep your desktop clutter-free (whether digital or for physical papers!)
Suggested Reading: Simplify Your Home and Clear the Clutter with These 5 Surprising Tips
7) Maximize Your Self-Care Time
As self-identifying Type A individuals, we know that sometimes sitting around doing nothing can be more stressful than actually just getting things done.
If laying around with a face mask on or soaking for hours in a bubble bath doesn't sound like your cup of tea, try putting on a face mask while reorganizing your makeup drawer or slather on a luxurious foot cream and some fuzzy socks before mopping the kitchen floor. Viola! Beautiful feet and beautiful floors in no time!
8) If You Have To Work After Hours, Create a Calming Atmosphere
Sometimes there is just no way to avoid working long hours. If that's the case, why not make the best of it? Order your favorite take-out, light a softly scented candle, put on a relaxing playlist to boost your productivity, and make yourself a little mocktail to make it fun.
9) Don't Forget To Nourish Your Body
Often eating well falls by the wayside when life gets busy, and when we don't eat well, we don't feel well. Take some time to ensure that you are feeding your body nourishing food to keep your energy levels up and feeling your best.
Suggested Reading: Anti Inflammatory Snacks List: Boost Your Health with These 5 Easy Recipes
10) Check Your Finances
It can be easy to ignore your budget and leave your finances on autopilot, but this can cause unnecessary stress, not knowing exactly where you stand with your financial situation.
Schedule a monthly "finance date" with yourself to review your spending, check on your savings goals, and update your budget as needed. Use personal finance apps like Mint or YNAB to keep you on track.
This post was all about a self care day for Type A personalities.
As much as we tend to be go-getters, always pushing ourselves to the limit, it's important to remember that self care is not a luxury; it's a necessity.
In this post, we uncovered some practical self care day ideas specifically tailored to those that find it difficult to shut off and relax. We talked about
- Setting self-care priorities
- Strategically prioritizing deadlines
- Letting go of things beyond our control
- Finding a good social support system
- Nurturing a positive mindset for your emotional health
- Simplifying our lives where we can
- Multi-tasking during our self care practices
- Creating a soothing work atmosphere when needed
- Nourishing our bodies to keep our energy up
- Keeping an eye on our finances to reduce any subconscious stress
It's time to put these ideas into action, my lovely go-getters! Choose a few activities that speak to you and give them a whirl. Whether it's making time for daily exercise, practicing mindfulness for mental wellness, or decluttering your space, find what resonates with you. Or if you have any that you would add to this list, let us know in the comments!
Self-care is not selfish; it's a way to recharge and show yourself the love you deserve.
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