Self-care can mean different things to different people. For a young child, self care might mean running around in an open field and chasing grasshoppers. For an adult, it might mean taking the time to have a relaxing bath at the end of a stressful day before collapsing into bed for an early night.
Teenage self care can include a lot of different things like spending time with friends, taking time to yourself, being lazy for a day, or being extra productive with the things that are stressing you out.
Whatever self care for teenagers looks like for you, here are some ideas. Sometimes, you just feel like you need to do something for yourself, right? That’s what these self care ideas for teens are for.
Self Care Ideas for Teenagers
17. Go For a Long Walk
Walks are so relaxing for so many different reasons. They’re good for you (mentally and physically), they’re relaxing, they give you a good chance to think, to listen to an audiobook, or some music.
If you don’t feel like going for a long walk, start with a commitment to walk around the block. If you feel like continuing, then keep going. If not, you’re still a little better off than before you started. Use that as a lesson for most things in life!
16. Try Something You’ve Never Done Before
If your life feels kind of slow and stagnant, you can try something new.
It’s really that simple. Have you always wanted to learn an instrument? Now’s a good time. Or something more simple like ordering from a new restaurant or trying some new foods.
It’s good for the mind to have new experiences and to try new activities.
15. List Your Best Qualities
Make a list of your best qualities, including the things that you like best about yourself.
When you’re feeling down, you can look at it. Your mind will be occupied by the things you put into it, so why not gas yourself up a bit and take the time to recognize the things you appreciate it?
It’s like a complement, but to yourself.
14. Spend Time at the Park
Nature is healing! Spending some time at the park on a nice day is a wondering way to care for yourself as a teenager. Chances are, there’s a park not too far away. You can bring a book, a picnic, a camera to take nature photos, or just bring your woes and let them float away.
13. Practice Yoga or Meditation for Teen Self Care
Yoga is a fantastic exercise and it’s also great for the mind (and some would argue the soul, as well). Yoga and meditation can go hand in hand, but they don’t have to.
If you’re new to yoga, find some beginner poses or guided sessions on YouTube. The same goes for meditation.
12. Spend Some Time at the Library
When was the last time you visited a public library? Libraries have all sorts of fantastic services available, some will even let you borrow movies and video games.
The library can be a nice place to relax, explore different topics, and forget about everything for a little while.
11. Dive Into an Old Hobby
Is there a hobby you used to enjoy that you just stopped paying attention to? Maybe you lost interest, or maybe you just got busy and it fell by the wayside? Either way, consider picking up an old hobby for a day or two, or even longer if you’re enjoying it!
10. Make a Schedule
If you feel scattered-brained and not sure what to focus on, making a schedule can help a lot. As a student, a lot of your time is already scheduled for you between classes and other activities, but you can still decide how to use your free time.
This is self-care for teenagers because it’s a useful thing to get in the habit of, it’s beneficial to you, and it can help you to get more things done to reduce your stress.
9. Spend Time With Animals
Spending time around animals is a great way to get your mind off things, especially if you’re upset or annoyed with another person.
You could visit a zoo, offer to take a friend’s dog for a walk, or if you have your own pets – they’ll surely love a little extra time with you.
8. Take Some Time Away From Your Phone
Believe it or not, there was a time in the not-too-distant past where everyone had cellphones, but we didn’t spend all of our time on them.
Screen time for teenagers is a highly-debated topic, but there are absolutely benefits to putting away your phone for a bit.
7. Spend Time With Friends or Family
Sometimes when you’re in a rut, just spending some time with friends or family can help a lot.
That is, of course, unless your friends and family are what’s stressing you out, in which case defer back to the suggestion of taking some personal time for yourself.
6. Do Something You’ve Been Putting Off
Everyone has some things they’ve been meaning to do that keep getting brushed off, even a teenager.
What are the things you’ve been procrastinating about? this counts as teenage self care because it’s going to free up that little part of your brain that’s occupied by the things you should be doing. Once you get it done, it’ll be off your mind, and that’s going to make you feel good.
5. Do Something That Makes You Feel Good About Yourself
Whatever popped into your mind first when you read this suggestions is what you should spend a bit of time doing! If you feel good after a great workout, get some exercise. If you feel good after solving a puzzle, figure it out!
There’s no right or wrong answer, as long as it’s nothing harmful! Do something that’ll make you smile and feel proud of yourself or like you’ve accomplished something, however mundane it may feel.
4. Think About Your Morals and Values
You probably have a decent idea of the things that you think are right, and the things that you think are wrong. But have you took the time to think about why?
Spending some time to understand your morals, values, and ethics can be really helpful in upgrading yourself as a person and understanding why you make the decisions you do. It can also help you to have a framework for making future decisions that align with your core values.
3. Find Inspiration
Teenagers can find inspiration in so many different places. What are you looking to be inspired for? If you’re an artist, check out some incredible art – even if it’s in a different medium.
If you have writer’s block, read some great literature. If you want to start a small business to make money as a teenager, read a biography of an impressive entrepreneur.
You never know when inspiration will strike, but you can put yourself in a position to find it more easily.
2. Start a Gratitude Journal
Taking a minute or two every day and writing down a couple of things that you’re grateful for is an invaluable tool in keeping yourself grounded, appreciating what you have while you’ve got it, and taking steps towards a thoughtful life.
It can also help to get certain things off your chest, too. You can decide how in-depth each journal entry is going to be. Something quick, or something more in-depth. You can do small daily updates and a longer one on the weekends, or monthly, or whatever feels right. Don’t let it become a chore, just let it flow.
1. Write a Letter to Yourself
If keeping a journal isn’t really your thing, or you don’t want that big of a commitment, consider just writing a letter to yourself.
You can talk about what’s going on in your life, what you’re happy about, things that are bothering you, and whatever else crosses your mind.
Read this letter again in six months, a year, or whenever you want to be reminded of where you were in the past, and in which areas of life you’ve made progress.
More Self Care Ideas for Teenagers to Try
In addition to all of the self care tips for teens listed above, here are a few more to keep you going. Just pick one or two off this entire list to start with. It’s better to do a few things for yourself instead of trying to
