What happens when we are driving our automobile and keep ignoring or putting off getting the oil change?  Without regular oil changes, the motor can lock up and cause extensive damage.

One of the responsibilities that come with owning a car is maintenance.  Maintenance is necessary while having a car. It keeps the car running at its highest level.

This can be applied to ourselves. We get caught up in taking care of everyone and everything by giving giving giving or going going going and all of our energy and time is drain from us. We have stressful long days sometimes even weeks.

We can ignore it and keep trying to move like the energizer bunny but our body has a way of letting us know that too much is too much. It will slow you down or stop you at the most inopportune time.

But how bout we work on preventing that outcome. You with me? Okay, let’s look at our daily schedules. You go to work and give give for at least 8 hours.  You get home and feel exhausted and take care of tasks at home. You continue this cycle day in and day out.

What have you done to replenish all of the energy that you have depleted? If your mind goes blank, no worries though, there is a solution. Well, it’s not a onetime fix but an ongoing solution.

This is when self care comes into place. Self care is just like the maintenance your automobile needs to keep it going at its highest level. The great thing about self care is that it can be tailored to you and you can practice it daily or a few times a week.

It is up to you. How great is that? I love doing self care right after work. It gives me time to decompress from whatever went on at work.

Related Reading: How I Create a Self Care Kit

A while back I wrote about creating a self care kit.  When it comes to self care after work, everything can not be place in the kit. So I decided to compiled a list of 13 ways to practice self care after work. You may not like the same things that I do and that is perfectly Ok. I hope it does encourage you to make your own list.

1. Coloring -I am able to get in tune with my creative side and feed my inner child
2. Doing a puzzle-I make sure it is a simple puzzle. I get to exercise  simple skills to solving something lol.
3. At home Spa evening-the name says it all. I get my fav candle, drink, music, bath bomb or bubble bath, facial mask, etc.  I love all the feels I get when participating in this. It just take relaxation to another level.  This is great for a Wednesday ( middle of the week).
4. Fav drink and magazine or book-there is nothing like a good book to take your mind elsewhere. A moment of getting lost in another world doesn’t hurt.
5. Exercise- it can be simple as a nice walk in the neighborhood or park or dancing in my living room
6. Journal –release thoughts and feelings for the day. Put the pen to paper and let it go.
7. Fix a healthy meal and enjoy it-sound simple but sometimes after a long day at work, a healthy meal is not attractive
8. Go to six flags-we have a season pass and even though I don’t ride many of rides. I love the atmosphere and it feeds my inner child.
9. Binge watch your fav comedy show on Netflix
10. Go to the movies-It is nothing like going to watch a show in the middle of week.
11. Unplug- Sometimes I just turn off the phone and television and enjoy the quietness
12. Get a massage-self explanatory
13. Watching a show with my kids-I get so relax and the conversations we have are so funny. This is a 2 for 1. Self care + quality time with family.

Added bonus: Take a mental health day. Sometimes you just need a break from it all.

So let’s be proactive and schedule a form of self care in our weekly routine. Let’s not wait until our body starts giving us warnings signs. Let’s nip this in the bud. How do you practice self care after work?