114 Self Care Ideas for When The News is Stressing You The Eff Out
The news is EXHAUSTING even without Trump in office! If you’re feeling frazzled from the constant onslaught of stressful news, scan through this list to find a small bit of peace.
1. Cuddle your pet or your partner.
2. Go for a drive. Roll the windows down and blast the radio.
3. Sunny? Get outside and get your bare feet in the grass or sand.
4. Go to a craft store and try a new hobby.
5. Take a shower. Wash your hair and everything.
6. Download printable adult coloring pages and color.
7. Visit your usual coffee shop and try something new.
8. Bake something you haven’t had in forever like peanut butter cookies or brownies.
9. Mindfully apply hand or body lotion.
10. Make a cup of tea and watch a live feed of your favorite animal for 10 minutes. (Google nearly any animal + live cam to find some or check out these from the San Diego Zoo!)
11. Give your dog some quality time with a bath and brush.
12. Watch ASMR videos on YouTube or Instagram.
13. Make a DIY weighted blanket to help calm your nerves.
14. Have a relaxing scroll through these hashtags on Instagram: #oddlysatisfying #cuteanimals #satisfyingcleaning #funnymemes
15. Change your clothes and brush your teeth and hair.
16. Tune out for a bit while you watch the live feed from the International Space Station.
17. Try a yoga workout video for a low impact endorphin boost. (We love Joyn! #notanad)
18. Go out for ice cream.
19. Play with sidewalk chalk, or bubbles, or even build a blanket fort.
20. De-clutter an area you’ve been meaning to clean.
21. Tidy your house, vacuum or sweep your floor, and make your bed.
22. Listen to music.
23. Do a guided meditation.
24. Take a nap. Can’t sleep? Just lay there and let your body rest for 20 minutes.
25. Get your hands dirty and plant something in your garden.
26. Do something you’ve been putting off. Schedule that therapy appointment. Return that email or make that call.
27. If you can afford it, go get a pedicure, or a facial, or a massage, or a hair cut.
28. Journal your thoughts without reservation and then burn or shred the pages.
29. Change your environment and take the kids to the library or your local book store. Go do your work at a new coffee shop you’ve never been to.
30. Wear something you love — even if it’s a scarf in summer.
31. Get out your frustrations with kickboxing or martial arts.
32. Go for a swim. Float. Actually get your hair wet and experience that sweet sweet underwater quiet.
33. Scream into a pillow.
34. Look into getting a new pet.
35. Have sex. 🤷
36. Ask your partner or a friend to play an analog game with you — like Scrabble or Monopoly or even a puzzle.
37. Do your own damn puzzle. The more pieces the better.
38. Go somewhere to walk like parks with paved paths or embrace your inner senior citizen and go speed walking at the mall.
39. Go for a hike and find a spot to sit quietly and take in the sights.
40. Go to bed early.
41. Commit a random act of kindness.
42. Read the magazine that’s been on your counter for a month.
43. Look through old photos or mementos.
44. Get a cup of coffee and go to a dog park to watch the dogs play.
45. Tear up some paper with wild abandon. Ball some up and throw it as hard as you can against the wall until you’re spent.
46. Visit your local animal shelter and pet some animals.
47. Take time to watch the sun rise or set.
48. Play hooky and take a mental health day.
49. Watch your favorite TV show or movie that you haven’t had a chance to watch in ages.
50. Check out the IG hashtag #faithinhumanityrestored.
51. Follow @upworthy on IG for positive news.
52. Take a long hot epsom salt bubble bath.
53. Dance it out Grey’s Anatomy style!
54. Do whatever you need to do to get all of your energy out until you’re physically exhausted.
55. Visit your local garden center and buy a new plant.
56. Hit your bed with your pillow until you’re winded. Feels good, doesn’t it?
57. Watch old Bob Ross or Mr Rogers’ Neighborhood videos.
58. Play nature sounds for your ambient noise.
59. Take 10 minutes to sit in the dark and do absolutely nothing.
60. Re-engage with a hobby you haven’t done in a while — clean the dust off of your calligraphy pens or dig out your unfinished knitting project from last winter.
61. Have your partner watch the kids and spend the day binging New Girl in bed.
62. Listen to a podcast that makes you laugh.
63. Deep clean your bathroom.
64. Take the kids to a new park you’ve never been to.
65. Practice grounding. Name 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. (More Info)
66. Go to the airport or train station to watch people reunite.
67. Order dinner in from a new restaurant.
68. Go to the movies by yourself.
69. Visit your local dollar store and go wild with a $20 bill.
70. Try the Randonautica app to explore a new place.
71. Visit your alma mater or your old stomping grounds from your youth.
72. Go to an actual flower shop and buy yourself a bouquet of flowers.
73. Make your favorite meal that you don’t make often enough.
74. Set a timer and power clean your house. Pretend company is on the way over.
75. Go down a Wikipedia rabbit hole and look up something you’re interested in reading about. Follow links until you forget about the news.
76. Shake it off — literally.
77. Visit an aquarium or botanical gardens.
78. Make a Pinterest board all about somewhere you’d like to travel with pictures of the scenery, activities you’d do there, or trivia about the region.
79. Make a new wallpaper for your phone or computer with your favorite quote. (Canva! #notanad)
80. Find the nearest water that you can walk along — rivers, small brooks, bays, beaches…
81. Go thrifting.
82. Unearth a book you’ve been meaning to get to, set a timer for 15 minutes, and read.
83. Challenge yourself to make dinner with an ingredient you haven’t cooked with before like eggplant or miso paste.
84. Throw together some care packages for people experiencing homelessness and stash them in your trunk.
85. Spend focused one on one play time with your kids.
86. Learn something new on Coursera or Great Courses.
87. Have an entirely unplugged evening. (You can do it!)
88. Inside constantly? Throw on some sunscreen and a big hat and go sit in the sun. #vitaminD
89. Try box breathing.
90. Try a crossword, word search, or sudoku,
91. Listen to sad music and have a good cry.
92. Go through your friends list and unfriend or mute the people who post toxic crap. You know the type.
93. Go on twitter and relish in the beauty of Donald Trump’s suspended account. (It never gets old.)
94. Go sight seeing in your own city. Visit local historical sites or museums. (How long has it been since you’ve walked around the touristy spots in your town?)
95. Explore a new town near you.
96. Explore what used to be a town near you. Google ghost towns along with your city or county (or even state) and see if any come up in driving distance.
97. Create a vision board of your dream home on Pinterest.
98. Take the kids somewhere you know they’ll have fun. (Maybe mini golf or bowling or a water park?)
99. Have a bonfire. (With smores obv.)
100. Take your car in to be detailed.
101. Watch an episode of a show you’ve been meaning to watch.
102. Text a friend or family member to tell them how much they mean to you.
103. Watch this corgi flop video over and over until you feel better.
104. Watch your favorite comedian on Netflix or Youtube. (Maybe they have new content!)
105. Drink a cup of chamomile tea before bed tonight.
106. Watch an inspiring TED Talk.
107. Go swimming.
108. Have a good old fashioned picnic in a park.
109. Read some inspirational quotes on Pinterest.
110. Watch a documentary.
111. Send someone you miss a funny meme.
112. Learn to play solitaire.
113. Paint your nails.
114. Light a candle or diffuse essential oils for aromatherapy. (Wait, you don’t have any? Dang! Looks like it’s time for a Target run!) #retailtherapy
Remember, you can only keep up the fight for equality if you’re taking care of yourself. Be sure to take time to decompress when the news has you burned the eff out. We’ll be here waiting for you once you’re refreshed.
Share this list with someone you know that definitely needs a break from the news!
Related: Children are Bombarded with Violence in the News – Here’s How to Help Them Cope
