April officially marks the beginning of the second quarter, and if you’re focused on creating a healthy lifestyle, then it might be time to spruce up your self-care rituals. In this article, you’ll learn how these April self-care activities can help you support a healthy lifestyle.
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April Self-Care
Here are 7 April self-care activities to explore this month:
1. Tidy Up Paperwork
Paperwork has a way of accumulating quickly. Tax records, account statements, invoices, and receipts can get out of hand if you don’t have a system in place to keep up with them. Being surrounded by stacks of disorganized paperwork can clutter up your space, robbing you of peace and joy.
Schedule time on your calendar regularly (weekly, monthly, or even quarterly) to sort through and organize any paperwork that has piled up. Getting into the habit of filing away your documents away before they get out of hand will save you a lot of time in the long run.
2. Create a Personal Health Record
Having a clear picture of your health is essential for making good decisions about your overall treatment and care. Data puts you in the driver’s seat in terms of managing your well-being, making it easier to communicate with your health care team when you have questions and concerns. And that can be a matter of life or death in some cases.
The truth is, you are the director of your health, and it’s up to you to make decisions based on the guidance you receive from your health care team. While many insurers offer online portals, they rarely move with you when you change employers or health plans. And that can result in a lot of scattered data that makes it nearly impossible to make sense of.
Keeping all of your labs, test results, statements, and records in one place will make your life so much easier.
3. Plan a Vacation
With so many people looking forward traveling again, it’s a good idea to get an early start on planning your next family vacation. Whether you choose to plan a simple weekend getaway, or a longer trip that requires booking airline tickets, make sure you’ve blocked off time on your busy calendar to make room for some rest and relaxation.
And if you’re not willing to risk the possibility of having to reschedule or postpone your trip due to potential COVID travel restrictions, you may want to opt for a staycation, a local camping trip, or even a simple day trip. Either way, planning ahead will help ensure you use your time off wisely.
4. Clean Out Your Pantry
When’s the last time you took everything out of your kitchen pantry and cleaned it thoroughly? While it might not sound like a fun way to spend a few hours of your weekend, conducting regular clean-outs will save you time in the long run.
As you tidy up the contents of your pantry, toss out any expired items and take inventory of what you have on hand. Not only will this make meal prep faster and easier, but it might just save you some money. (How many times have you purchased something at the grocery store that you later found lurking in the back of your pantry?)
5. Edit Your Exercise Routine
Physical activity falls under the Systemic Dimension of Self-Care, and if you’re bored with your current exercise routine, it might be time to change things up. Consider sprucing up your fitness routine by downloading a new app, hiring a personal trainer, or joining a fitness membership community.
Not only will changing up your routine increase your motivation, but it might also make exercising more enjoyable. And when you’re more consistent with your physical activity, you’ll be more successful in reaching your overall fitness goals.
6. Plant a Garden
Depending on your growing zone, it may or may not be the right time to plant a garden, but you can at least begin the planning process—collecting seeds, mapping out your garden plot, and selecting the plants you’d like to include.
Even if you don’t have space for a garden at home, check with the local organizations within your city to see if there’s a community garden option available. Or better yet, give back to your community by volunteering at one.
7. Switch Up Your Skincare Routine
As the wintry weather subsides and you begin spending more time outside, make sure you’re applying sufficient types and amounts of sunscreen. Check your sunscreens for expired products and replace as needed. And don’t forget to check in with your dermatologist and/or aesthetician if you’ve noticed any changes in your skin.
8. Get Organized
Ned some help getting organized? Establishing an effective life planning system is essential to keep your priorities front-and-center. The Lifestyle Design Planner can help you keep self-care at the top of your to-do list, so you can be productive without burning yourself out in the process.
Create Your April Self-Care List
Think about the month ahead and carve out a few minutes to schedule your April self-care activities in advance.
Which April self-care activities will you explore this month? Share in the comments below.
Already planning for next month? Explore these May Self-Care Activities or this list of over 300 self-care activity ideas.
Information on this website should not be interpreted as providing or replacing medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All content is intended for adults over the age of 18. LivingUpp is a participant in affiliate programs, which means we may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases on links to Amazon and other sites at no additional cost to you.