If you're starting this season with good intentions to look after yourself, how can you make sure these self-care habits don't fail too early?

Spring always gives us a sense of new beginnings so it's a great time to take stock of your daily life and put in place a self-care routine. We all need to prioritise our physical health but true self-care is not just running yourself bubble baths as you see on social media!

We all have different needs and an important role in your own personal development is getting to a place where you know which little actions to keep taking in order to maintain harmony in your life.

The best ways to figure out what your own needs are is to take a look at the suggestions of others and adapt them for YOU.

So to help, here are our self-care ideas for Spring…

Be more self aware

Our specific needs change on a daily basis, so how can you make sure you're taking good care of yourself?

Try and make a mental note each day as to how your emotional health is. Are you feeling more delicate? Under pressure?

If you're not sure take a few minutes each morning to write freely about how you feel. This is often called 'Morning pages'. It's where you let yourself write anything down for ten minutes or so. Sometimes this releases pressure. You realise what's bothering you or where your stress levels are.

Making time to check in on a regular basis is hard at first but it will become a new habit you don't even think about.

Consider if there are external expectations on you which cause upset. Can you cope with the extra demands of family members or do you need to delegate?

Women especially aren't good at pushing back and letting people know when they have too much on and can't meet their basic needs.

We all thrive and struggle in different ways, so if you are finding there's too much time being used on others and it's affecting your life satisfaction say something.

As someone who is terrible at this, I know it's hard but take a deep breath and consider the small steps towards saying 'no'.

Get enough sleep

Not getting adequate sleep can cause health issues according to this dentist who does Invisalign in Upper East Side. That's why you should make an effort to get at least 8 hours of sleep.

Is your bedroom environment conducive to making sure you relax? No one can be their best self when they struggle to drop off at night.

Is the temperature of the room just right? It's thought that 18 degrees celsius is best for a good night of restful sleep.

When was the last time you checked if your mattress is still in good condition and isn't bowing or sagging in the middle? This can create issues with low back pain, stiffness or sore muscles.

If you have a hard time falling asleep start thinking about how you can adjust the lighting, maybe give up your phone before bed and swap for a book. We should all avoid blue lights from screens for two hours before we would like to sleep. IV therapy OKC can help fuel your body with vitamins and nutrients to help your body regulate sleep better and leave you feeling more refreshed.

Declutter where possible and try not to get into the habit of having clothes left across chairs that never make it to the wardrobe! Having a divan bed with storage underneath is an easy way to keep your room clear so it’s the perfect space to relax in.

Eat a balanced diet

When we're feeling low on energy it's so easy to grab a carb-filled snack or something sweet. Unfortunately, these don't help you in the long run.

Not only will you suffer from the highs and lows of swings in blood sugar but they can lead to brain fogginess, lots of fatigue and general discomfort.

If you like to cook, put by enough time to enjoy the preparation of a great healthy meal. This could be protein, vegetables and healthy fats with some wholegrain carbohydrates.

Try out new recipes with a friend or even take some cooking classes if you're stuck for inspiration. There are some brilliant cooking subscriptions now where you can learn from the comfort of your home and have fun meeting people in new ways.

In person or zoom?

There's no doubt that everything moving online in the past two years has changed our lives forever. There are a myriad of ways to take part in everything from a chess match to a membership about learning crochet!

What's important is to notice what your specific needs are. Is it alone time with no scrolling your phone? Maybe you'd love to be around people but aren't yet ready for lots of meetups? In this case, reading a book on your own in the bustle of a cafe might help.

Trying a new workout class might ease you into being in contact with people and making friends without the pressure of an event. Take note when you try these activities and how you feel.

Was it easy, difficult, did you want it to last longer? Self-care is often about noticing what your personal needs are and trying to slowly meet them until they become your routine.

I hope this self-care checklist helps you to take better care of yourself. Getting into the habit of noticing what energises you and what drains you is a great first step.

The good news is there is no one solution, tailor your routine to what makes you happy. Often it's the simple things that have the most impact.

Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.