What are some self-care activities for teens? With the start of a new school year and the worse of the pandemic behind us, kids are starting to get back into the routine of attending school. And that means classes, sports, old and new friends, social clubs and more.
Most of us adults tend to forget how stressful it was to be a teenager. We may find it sometimes difficult to understand the challenges that they’re faced with just by going to school. Unfortunately, the pandemic released a ton of mental health issues that society wasn’t prepared to handle.
This included, for teenagers, having a whole school year away from friends and other students and teachers. But this year it’s right back to a real normal with the challenges that come along with it. While therapy can be the solution to the tough mental health challenges teens are carrying from the pandemic, finding ways to practice better self-care can be beneficial to teens during this school year.
Sometimes when talking about self-care we equate it to adults practicing more of it due to our stressful work and home lives. Well, a teenager can relate to some of the same stresses only with school and home life.
When you incorporate self-care into your daily routine as a teenager, it means that you’re putting yourself first. Focusing on yourself can help with those moments of feeling overwhelmed or struggling to juggle school activities.
So, let’s take a look at some self-care activities for teens that could help you with this school year.
10 uplifting self-care activities for teens
Some of the best self-care practices have managed to help so many. Journaling, alone time, affirmations, and pampering is some that never seem to fail when you’re in need of relief from the world around you. These same practices can help teenagers get through the tough times of the school year.
Yet there’s always room for more when it comes to being young and full of energy. Here are some self-care activities for teens that could decrease some of the stresses of school life.
Self-care activity #1: Create a routine for school activities
We’ve all been there before. School can be hectic, and things can start to pile up once the year gets into full gear. Homework, term papers, presentations plus school activities, can be added stress to a teenager.
A good way to tackle this is to create a routine. Purchase a calendar whiteboard to mark down all the tasks you need to do weekly. By assigning a set day and time for each, you’ll be able to work on each activity and you won’t be as overwhelmed.
Having a whiteboard in your room gives you a visual of the day’s activities each morning. And it takes the worry off your mind of having to get everything done in one shot. A weekly to-do app on your phone can give you that extra focus by having your day’s tasks at your fingertips while at school.
Self-care activity #2: Set a cutoff time for social media
With social media apps like Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, and TikTok, time can fly by while viewing them. And while having good entertainment is a nice stress reliever, too much of it can be damaging to your mental health. Because it can be time-consuming, things such as your sleep, interacting with others in person, and your homework among other things can be affected.
Try designating these apps for an hour after your homework is done. Treat it as a reward for all the hard work you’re putting in. Not only would cutting down the time leave room for you to do other things, but it will also play a huge role in your self-care.
Self-care activity #3: Decompress for an hour after school
A day at school can be stressful and full of different situations. Chatting with friends, going from class to class, and taking in so much information, can all be exhausting. And it can start to wear on you emotionally.
Take an hour each day after school to just decompress. Grab a nice quiet spot and your favorite music and unwind. Don’t think of anything from school for that whole hour. Decompressing is a good technique when it comes to self-care.
It’s your time to do the bare minimum and clear your mind of any stressful or troubling thoughts before handling what’s next to come.
Self-care activity #4: Go outside and enjoy the environment around you
You’re never too old to go outside and have some fun. Some of the best self-care treatment is feeling the sunshine down on you or the breeze blowing by. The weekend is a perfect time to plan a bike ride or walk or even a small gathering of your close friends at the park.
Take a few hours during the weekend to break away from your school life and really take in your environment. Planning picnics, visiting your local park and more can give you that alone time you need from the social stresses of school.
Self-care activity #5: Do something you enjoy
Homework is never enjoyable and sitting in class all day can be draining. It’s always good to have time to yourself to do something you enjoy. Whether that’s playing video games for an hour or two, reading your favorite book, or watching your favorite movie, make time to break away from your school life.
Sometimes this can be best for the weekend but if you can fit in some time during the school week to do something small then I say go for it. It can make for a nice break from everything in the middle of the week before dealing with the second half.
Self-care activity #6: Create a self-love space
This can be a fun self-care activity for teens. While being at home can give a good sense of comfort, there’s nothing like having your own special place to retreat to. Find a nice spot in your room or home and let your imagination flow.
This space you create will be a space to escape to because this will be a space for self-love. Try decorating it with your favorite colors, patterns, and a comfy chair, and place posts or pictures of affirmations.
You can add trinkets, stuffed animals, and more. Maybe a comfy chair is not right for you and a yoga mat or shag rug would be better. Whatever it is, make it your own space that can leave you feeling like you have your own world to escape to. As an added bonus, you could place a sheer curtain around your self-love space to block out any distractions.
Self-care activity #7: Pick up a new hobby or craft
You may find your plate full of going to class, doing homework, being on the school’s football team, and being a part of a drama club. And while these school activities can be fulfilling to participate in, it’s always nice to have a little hobby or craft to which you can escape.
Find something that you’re either good at or would love to learn and pencil in some time to partake in that activity. Cooking, paint-by numbers, bracelet making, and Lego building are just a few relaxing hobbies and crafts. Having a hobby or craft allows your mental health not to be consumed by the school events you’re a part of.
Now, this may be a challenge for those teenagers who’s heavily involved in school clubs and activities. If that’s the case, try something light or small. It could be a nice add-on to your time in your self-love space or your outdoor time.
Self-care activity #8: Pamper yourself
Easily, the best way to practice self-care is to pamper yourself. Pampering yourself was not just made for adults. Doing something as simple as taking a nice warm bath can be considered pampering yourself.
So, try some things like going to get a manicure or pedicure, or grab a few of your closest friends and have a spa day at home. My favorite is to buy myself my favorite pastry and sit in a quiet place to enjoy it. Give yourself the undivided attention that you would give your family or friends.
Self-care activity #9: Start meditating, or listening to calming music
You may not realize that meditation can be beneficial for teenagers as well. When you meditate, you’re centering yourself by releasing the negative energy you may have around you and replacing it with positive energy.
There are plenty of meditation apps, such as Calm, The Mindfulness, and Headspace to get you started on ways to take a calmer approach to school life. These apps are good for starting you off with some simple breathing techniques. It may be something to practice before school or before bed.
Now if meditation may not be your thing, listening to calming music can have somewhat of the same effect. Music like soft lo-fi or soothing songs can help you calm down before and after your school day.
Self-care activity #10: Go shopping
If you’re like most teenagers, then shopping is a part of life. Having the best clothes, shoes and electronic devices go hand in hand with school. You often want to be dressed in your best which means that you’re talking your parents into giving just a little more money for school wear.
Yet did you know that shopping is a good way to practice self-care? Sometimes shopping for yourself could be a chore because you’re shopping for school clothes or if you have a part-time job. However, shopping spontaneously can help relieve some added stress of school.
Because most shopping is done online, it kind of takes out the feeling of going into an actual store. Still, it can be enjoyable to browse your favorite website. And if you don’t have money, no worries. Some enjoy the feeling of window shopping even online. It’s more of a relaxing feeling of browsing than the actual purchase. But that can be a great bonus for your self-care.
Conclusion
The benefit of good self-care for teens is endless. It’s like the gateway to better mental well-being. The main focus is to focus on you when it comes to handling the school year. It’s never too late to start practicing self-care. So, give some of these a try and see if you benefit from them. And don’t be afraid to include your parents in helping you.
Are you practicing self-care to help with the stresses of school? Parents, what steps are you taking to help your teen practice good self-care? Share your responses in the comments below.
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Until next time, this is Tammy saying keep strong, keep positive. And NOTHING’s Impossible!!!
This is such a great post because you know? I don’t see many posts about self care for teens and this is a really important topic to address. Very good suggestions here thank you for sharing!
Thank you, Andrea. I didn’t see many articles about it either when I was doing my research. But I’m glad you read it and maybe more people will write about the importance of self-care for children and teens 🙂