Article By Cheryl Conklin

Having a solid self-care routine is essential for maintaining your emotional, physical, and mental health. In fact, studies have even backed the merits of various self-care activities, such as healthy eating and stress management. 

No matter where you are in your journey, the knowledgeable team at Bandits has four budget-friendly habits that everyone should consider adding to their self-care routine in 2021.

Give yourself permission to get extra sleep.

One self-care practice that is crucial for your wellbeing is getting sufficient sleep. The best part? It won’t cost you a penny. While you may think that you can get away with a few hours of rest per night, research reveals that this is not true for anyone. When you cut corners on sleep, you will ultimately feel the consequences. Experts have linked a lack of sleep to impaired memory, higher blood pressure, increased stress levels, a higher risk of accidents, and an overall decreased quality of life. 

For adults 18 and over, health professionals recommend getting between seven to nine hours of sleep each night. Although this may seem like a difficult goal to achieve, there are strategies that you can use to help you get more rest. First, be sure to put away your phone and all other electronic devices at least one hour before bedtime — two is preferable. Next, establish a set bedtime and wake-up time. Having a routine, even on the weekends, will help you consistently get the sleep you need to thrive — and it will only cost you self-discipline to boot.

Adopt budget-friendly ways of caring for your skin.

Full-body skin care is critical to practice on a regular basis. Because your skin is your largest organ, you should care for it just as much as any other part of your body. 

However, this can quickly become one of the more expensive parts of your self-care routine. Finding a quality moisturizer, toner, sunscreen, and other skin care products — preferably free of harmful chemicals — is difficult to do on a budget. Thankfully, there are plenty of wonderful and effective DIY skin care recipes that you can make yourself. You can also save on skin care products at top-rated retailers like Ulta Beauty by using Ulta coupons when you shop. No matter what product you need, there is always a way to save.

Make your fitness routine fun.

If you aren’t a fan of your current fitness routine, change it up! When you intentionally make exercise fun, you are far more likely to stay consistent in your efforts. Not excited about going to the gym? Do whatever it is that you enjoy to stay active. This can be anything from free pursuits like hiking or running to engaging fitness video games. Additionally, working out with a friend is an effective way to turn your fitness routine into a positive experience.

Regularly connect with friends and family.

Although it is easier than ever before to stay connected with technology, a large number of people experience loneliness. One reason for this is the lack of meaningful connections with friends and family.

To better support your mental health, make it a habit to connect with someone each week. Rather than “connecting” with others on social media (which has been shown to be ineffective), go a step further. It takes little effort — and sometimes costs nothing — to make a phone call, have a Zoom get together, or take a walk in a local park. 

In addition to making these budget-friendly changes to your self-care routine, explore what other activities you can enhance. Whatever way you choose to switch up your self-care, be sure to select habits that support your health and that are enjoyable to you.

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