The concept of self-care has been popularized the past few months with many YouTubers and internet influencers projecting the different ways they undertake the same. Self-care – as a self-explanatory term- means taking care of oneself. It is simply being intentional or purposeful in prioritizing and tending to one’s body.

Even though self-care can easily be misjudged as a simple task, it is actually difficult. Given that there are so many other aspects in life that seek or demand our attention, such as jobs, kids, friends, house chores and schooling, it is quite easy to fail to prioritize self-care. I know I have done this too many times. I have chosen doing my laundry or dishes over taking a shower or sleeping or chosen to work on beating my work deadlines over eating my lunch or dinner.In essence, majority of us fail to prioritize taking care of ourselves.

The surge in society in promoting self-care is seen as means of renewing our mindset from putting our bodies second to the hustle and bustle of this world. It is a movement that has filled different social media platforms with both the young and the old projecting the significance of this.

Nonetheless, most people don’t really understand self-care and consider that they have to spend so much to achieve the same. I considered that I have to purchase the most expensive perfume, dress or skin care products to perceive that I was taking care of myself. Thus, I would hold-up or postpone self care activities with the mind that I need to get these things first for me to do so. I cannot entirely blame myself for this kind of perspective.Many people we see on the internet undertaking in self-care are dressed in expensive dresses, bags and perfumes and have endless skin care products as well as numerous spa days. Upon seeing such one is meant to believe that self-care is expensive.

However, I came to the realization that this does not to be the case. As such here are a few affordable self-care tips that can get you going.

1. Workouts, sleep and eating healthy

The three are the basic and most important forms of self-care. They are affordable and easy to attain self-care objectives. Having adequate sleep, consuming healthy foods and taking time to exercise is an easy way to begin your self-care journey. The outcome is evident in that your body will be continually rejuvenated as stress and anxiety are easily alleviated. By having a consistent routine in these, one can progress to other forms of self-care.

2. Use affordable body – skin and face – products

The skincare industry is filled with a myriad of products that are supposedly meant to better, even or lighten your skin. It is highly probable that many women – including myself- have fallen prey to buying endless lotions, face creams or oils to attain flawless face or skin. Notably, it is quite expensive to keep up with such expenditures. Hence, I chose to eliminate as many skin care products and remain with few affordable ones. They include coconut oil and petroleum jelly for my body, rose water as a cleanser, a body deodorant and one bottle of perfume. Having few and low-cost body products go a long way in making your self-care routine easier and financially feasible.

3. Audit your social media content

While this might appear far-fetched, what our minds consume affect how we feel and react to the environment. Social media has become part and parcel of our every day life: offering endless information through videos, posts and images. In truth, social media has been useful in many aspects. But, it is undeniable that it has created an avenue through which depression, anxiety, suicide and moral vices have seeped into society. As such, one self-care tip that I undertook and invested in is avoiding any social media content – in Facebook, YouTube, TikTok or Instagram – that might otherwise affect my peaceful state of mind. As such, I either delete, unfollow, fail to watch and fail to react or respond to any post that negatively affects me or is contrary to my beliefs and values. Choosing to use this tip will really help you invest in aspects around your environment that foster your well-being. For this reason, evaluate your social media content and customize it to the extent that the algorithms of these platforms provide what is positive for you.

There are many ways to make self-care affordable: from making drinking water consistently, applying polish regularly, soaking your feet in warm water every night, praying everyday and going for evening walks among others. Therefore, choose the self-care activities that work in your domain.