Dr. Goali, Psychologist, Author, Millennial Expert
Dr. Goali, Psychologist, Author, Millennial Expert

What is Micro Self-Care?

What is Micro Self-Care?

Self-care can be thought of in two primary ways: micro and macro.

Micro self-care are the small daily touches you can add to your life that make a world of difference.

In fact, you may already be well aware of the importance of self-care or may have been practicing small acts of self-care throughout your life. Maybe after a stressful day at work you opted for a yoga class instead of a bucket of popcorn and your favorite flick. Or, perhaps you schedule regular breaks to meditate or go for a mindful walk. Wherever you may be starting in your journey, learning to be intentional about integrating self-care throughout your daily life is an optimal way to maintain your overall well-being and happiness.

The list here identifies three facets of micro self-care: grounding, energizing, and relaxing.

Grounding Self-Care Practices

  • Grounding practices can be thought of as those that help us reconnect to our deepest selves. They can include the following:
  • Drinking a cup of tea with warming spices, like ginger, cinnamon, or turmeric
  • Connecting to nature by taking a walk in the park or simply going outside
  • Tending to a garden or even an indoor plant
  • Eastern practices, such as Tai Chi, Qigong, and yoga
  • Gentle stretches that can be done at home on a mat or in your bed
  • Using your five senses to connect to the present moment

Energizing Self-Care Practices

Energizing practices are those that uplift us when we feel overburdened by the demands of the world. These practices can energize but also soothe.

Examples include:

  • Active forms of yoga, such as Vinyasa or Hatha
  • Taking a brisk walk in the park, or hiking by a river or meadow
  • Self-massage techniques that involve gentle tapping
  • Singing
  • Dancing
  • Cleaning and decluttering a space
  • Laughter! Keep a collection of stories, memes, or jokes to look at when you’re stressed

Relaxing Self-Care Practices

Relaxing self-care practices are those we are most familiar with in our culture. You’ve probably seen images of someone stressed out soaking in a bath or at a spa. While these images may be readily available in your mind, the realm of relaxing self-care practices extends far beyond.

  • Sleeping, resting, or taking a nap, even if only for 10 to 15 minutes
  • Meditating, doing deep breathing, or sitting in silence
  • Using water to unwind (for example, taking a bath, lying by a pool, or trying out a floatation tank)
  • Using a mandala coloring book designed for adults
  • Giving yourself a spa treatment

Can you think of any others?

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Additional Resources

Wellness Trifecta Worksheets

Download the Wellness Trifecta Worksheets In the ever-stimulating world of social media and screens, you may often feel like you’re on an emotional roller coaster. [read more]

Five-Minute Mindful Cup Meditation

Download the Five-Minute Mindful Cup Meditation Learning to practice mindfulness is not nearly as complicated or esoteric as it might seem. In fact, you can easily start building your mindfulness toolkit by integrating small moments of mindfulness first thing in the morning. If you’re like most millennials, there is a good chance you start your day with some type of warm beverage. [read [read more]

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