Tired of the same old Saturday routine? Here is a treasure trove of self-care Saturday ideas that’ll have you questioning why you didn’t start sooner!
If you had asked me about my weekend de-stress routine a few years ago, I’d have answered clubbing and partying because that was pretty much all I did, especially on Saturday nights.
But thanks to the #selfcaresaturday trend (I don’t know when it started, but I’m glad it did), I’ve been doing much better at handling stress and relaxing.
“Mindful resting,” as I call it, means my weekend unwinding habits add to my personal growth and a healthy mental state.
A long, back-to-back work week can be exhausting in numerous ways for your body and mind. But with a few therapeutic habits, you can prioritize your overall well-being and be at peace.
I’ve piled up a list of 42 self-care Saturday ideas for you to practice. You don’t have to adopt each habit necessarily. Read on, see what piques your interest more, and try them out!
42 Super Fun Self-care Saturday Ideas
1. Enjoy A Diet Cheat Day!
Cheat day as a self-care idea? Relax. I’ve not lost my mind.
If you’re someone who’s been following a strict diet all this while, it’s time to loosen up a bit.
Restraining yourself from eating your favorite dishes must have been really challenging, and you wouldn’t want to lose that self-control. But taking a break once in a while to suit your taste is totally fine.
You don’t have to gorge on junk. Maybe enjoy a scoop of beloved ice cream flavor this Saturday!
2. Catch Up With Your Friends & Family
At times, all we need is one long call with our family/friends to vent and spill the tea. And if they live only a few hours away, why not take a short trip to their place on the weekend?
Or you can meet an old friend who’s visiting your city and walk down memory lane one fine Saturday!
3. Book A Spa Session cause you deserve it!
Weekends provide crucial breaks in between tedious work cycles. So, it’s only obvious that you’d want to stay in bed and relax.
But what if you could also ace healthy skincare at the same time? Spa sessions offer the best of both worlds — relief from physical and mental exhaustion while restoring the lost glow of your skin!
4. Start Your Day With A Long Morning Walk
Love to remain low-key active on weekends to avoid entering slumps? I’d suggest hitting the road early in the morning! The best way to maintain the habit of waking up early, even on day-offs.
Plus, if you’re already a daily walker/jogger, you can go for longer sessions on Saturdays and stay in on Sundays.
5. Declutter & Organize your life (or just house)
Cleaning my space has been no less than therapy for me. Whenever I’m distressed or need to stop overthinking, I go deep cleaning my kitchen or reorganizing books on my shelves.
6. Try A New Recipe you’ve been dying to eat
Let’s admit — cooking is fun, whether you’re a master or a noob. Plus, if you have the right ingredients and pick a simple recipe, chances are you WILL nail it!
So, if you’re bored on Saturdays and don’t have much to do, how about learning new recipes? You can try different cuisines from around the globe and invite your friends/family over to flaunt your latest skills!
7. Treat Yourself With A Relaxing Bubble Bath
Buy your favorite bubble bath product online or from a local store. Get all your ingredients and accessories ready — bath caddy, Epsom salt, essential oils, flower petals, and some relaxing music!
You can also prepare healthy, flavored spa drinks at home to sip during your bubble bath session.
8. Create A Self-care Jar
Often, just the planning part puts me in the right mood. Going through endless self-care ideas, sorting them out as per my preference, and then preparing for them is equally healing.
That’s the concept of a self-care jar!
You take a jar, some strips of paper (20+), and colored pens. Write down a self-care Saturday idea on each strip, fold it, and put it in the jar.
Next Saturday, take one strip out without knowing what it reads and do that particular activity!
9. Volunteer for a Cause, cause it truly feels good
Spend a fulfilling day volunteering for a cause close to your heart. Giving back to the community can boost your mood and create a sense of accomplishment.
10. Try giving Meditating a shot, even if it’s just for 5 minutes
As much as meditation has gained popularity worldwide, it’s still underrated when it comes to adopting it as a daily self-care habit.
Even a quick 5-minute meditation session can do wonders for your sleep physical, and mental well-being. You’ll become less moody, more alert, and highly concentrated.
You’ll be able to contain your anxiety outbursts, curb overthinking, and practice self-awareness.
11. Join A Zumba Class to keep your body moving
Zumba classes have been a great life-saver in keeping the child within me alive. I’ve become stronger, healthier, and more active since I started them.
I can dance my heart out and stress away.
12. Get A classy, new manicure
Self-care comes in different forms; one of them is “nail care”.
Nail outgrowth and faded style irk me like hell. I cannot go about my routine without having healthy nails — after all, it’s me and my pretty nails against the world.
That’s when I started dedicating one Saturday each month to getting a manicure and taking care of my nails. You can do the same if you love maintaining your nails and putting on a show!
13. Visit A Flea Market for some cheap retail therapy
Yes, you read it right. I’m suggesting you visit a flea market as a self-care Saturday idea.
And trust me, you’ll be shocked at the variety of uniqueness you’ll encounter over there. These markets are hotspots for rare goods and handcrafted items, from second-hand useful items to vintage furniture and records.
Plus, you can bargain and also enjoy a number of entertainment activities! Best to visit them with your friends or significant other and relish the small-town vibes.
14. Make A Healthy, Nutritious Smoothie, cause why not?
Smoothies offer power-pack nutrition to start your day on the right foot, be it a weekday or a weekend.
Not to forget, the process is equally fun — you can customize the taste per your diet and preferences. Blend all the ingredients together, and you’ll have a glass full of natural goodness to keep you up and running!
15. Go On A Digital Detox (it’s life-changing!)
In the world of digitalization, it’s impossible to steer clear of screens. Especially on weekdays since that’s where most of us work.
So, how about you pick at least 2 Saturdays every month to go on a digital detox? This starts with muting notifications, not opening social media sites, and limiting specific applications on weekends.
16. Journal Down Your Emotions in the most raw form
If there’s one self-care Saturday idea I’ve been following relentlessly and have even introduced into my daily routine, it is journaling.
I loveeeee to keep a log of my daily events — big and small and see how they’re shaping me into the person I am becoming. I even vent out in my journals, write down my troubles, and try to find a way out.
Not to forget, tracking things like my periods, sleep, and water intake has only helped me further.
If you have not tried journaling yet, I’d suggest starting with a plain diary to summarize your daily events and what you’re feeling.
17. Buy An Adult Coloring Book. i swear it’s SO fun!
The easiest way to unwind is to get an adult coloring book and some markers/colors and start coloring. It might sound silly to beginners, but trust me, coloring and doodling can provide great relief from anxiety and even depression in some cases.
18. Learn A New Hobby, cause your mind needs a dose of refreshment!
Taking up a new hobby can prove to be a great mindful time pass — you’ll learn something new while staying productive.
This can be something as small as reading on Saturdays or as big as joining an archery class. Some other exciting hobbies include:
- Photography
- Hiking
- Biking
- Swimming
- Cooking
- Crocheting
- Woodworking
- Blogging
- Yoga, etc.
19. Go On A Solo Date, and no, it’s not weird!
A solo date doesn’t necessarily mean going to a restaurant and having a meal alone. (although you can also do that if you want to)
You can visit a nearby museum/art gallery or venture out in your city as a tourist and explore new places!
Or if your much-awaited movie is finally out, take yourself to the theater on a solo movie date and grab some delicious dinner on the way back!
20. Give your Skin the much-needed TLC it deserves!
Fall in love with yourself again by adopting an extensive skincare Saturday routine. After all, there’s nothing like a solid 1-hour shower session followed by an extensive skincare regime to blow off the steam!
Pull out your sheet mask, under-eye patches, and lip scrubs to pamper the skin you missed throughout the week. Saturdays are also for at-home salon sessions — wax/shave and even try out hair masks!
Basically, pamper yourself as much as you can! You deserve it.
Want to have some more Sassy, Savvy, Self-Care Saturday Ideas? Here you go!
21. Take A quick power Nap, or maybe not so quick
And if you’re too tired to try out anything, get an extra hour of sleep to recharge yourself. Or take a 1-2 hour nap in the afternoon before you set off to the evening self-care routine.
22. Say yes to being a plant parent
Another versatile self-care Saturday idea is to build your own garden in whatever space you have. Then, be it a balcony, a terrace, a lawn, or even an indoor garden!
Gardening helps one reconnect with nature, with their roots. It’s a healing activity for your mind as well as your body — lifting and moving pots will definitely tone your muscles!
23. Redecorate Your Space, even if it’s just a table
I don’t know, but I love to reorganize my room every now and then. Coming home to the same setting every day bothers me, and I like the time spent with myself while rearranging my space.
A change here and there is always appreciated and helps break the negative, monotonous energy around me.
24. Build A Pinterest-inspired Cozy Nook
If redecorating seems like a huge task, how about building a small DIY cozy nook to read a book or binge-watch a movie?
There are countless ideas available on Pinterest, possible on shoestring budgets! Scroll through your feed and rekindle the love for aesthetics within you this Saturday.
25. Read A Self-help Book. No, it’s not boring!
Honestly, I’m not a big fan of self-help books. But I did read some memoirs recently that have been so inspiring I cannot put it into words.
So, the first one goes as “Maybe You Should Talk To Someone” by Lori Gottlieb. Every word is worth your time. I’ve never read a book so self-reflective and healing. An absolute page-turner.
My second recommendation is “I Want To Die, But I Want To Eat Tteokbokki” by Baek Se-hee.
Give them a try in your free time; I’m sure they will go a long way in forgiving yourself and moving on.
26. Catch Up On Your Favorite Show/Podcast
Gosh, do I even need to mention this one? The weekend is the only time we get to keep up with the latest shows, movies, and podcasts!
So, yeah. Watch your favorite picks all tucked in bed with a tray of snacks to munch on by your side.
My only tip: don’t get too involved in your screens. An hour or two is fine. After that, get out of bed and do something productive to avoid feeling lethargic all day.
27. Gift Yourself Something. Anything you’ve been craving for!
Doesn’t have to be anything fancy or expensive. A bouquet of flowers is beautiful enough to uplift your spirits and make your home a happy, lively place.
You can also go shopping (don’t make it a habit, though), visit a bookstore, or buy some much-needed items for your home.
28. Cross Something Off Your Bucket List
All of us have bucket lists — be it on paper or in our minds. When feeling low and monotonous, how about crossing things off them?
There’s nothing like a great adventure to get an adrenaline rush and recharge yourself after a hectic week.
You can try bungee jumping for the first time or go kayaking nearby!
29. soak up some vitamin D
Soak up the sun and its mood-boosting Vitamin D, but don’t forget your sunscreen! Grab your favorite book, sunglasses, and a comfy towel for an afternoon of warmth and relaxation.
30. Celebrate your success, even if it’s just waking up on time!
Acknowledge your accomplishments, big or small! Treat yourself to a decadent dessert, buy that item you’ve been eyeing, or simply spend time recognizing your growth.
31. Brighten up your day with some affirmations
Stand in front of a mirror, look yourself in the eye, and repeat positive affirmations to strengthen self-love and confidence. They help you to shift your mindset and raise your positive vibes.
32. Listen to old songs, cause who even enjoys these new Gen Z versions, haha
Why not make your day a little bit brighter by listening to old melodies of the 70s and 80s? Create a nostalgic playlist filled with old favorites, from childhood tunes to high school anthems. Let the music transport you back in time and ignite joyful memories.
33. How about manifesting whatever the f*ck you want?
Dedicate some time to envision your goals and desires. See it, feel it, and believe it – trust the universe will help you manifest your dreams in time.
34. Bring your body back to life with easy Kegel exercises
Strengthen your pelvic floor muscles and improve your overall well-being. Make sure to start with the basics and increase the repetitions gradually. You can do kegels anywhere, anytime – while you’re watching TV, sitting at your desk or even standing in line at the grocery store!
35. Flip through your most cherished memories
Spend the day recalling your favorite memories with your loved ones. Look through photo albums, watch home videos, and relive the moments that made you smile.
36. Visit a Museum or Art Gallery
Take a solo trip to a local museum or art gallery and immerse yourself in the beauty and knowledge these cultural spots have to offer.
37. Making a self-care vision board, so fun & effective!
Why not inspire yourself through a lovely self-care vision board? It will for sure remind you of your self-care commitments.
So, bust out images, quotes, and words that inspire you to nurture yourself. Pin them to a physical or digital board. Don’t forget to place it in front of your eyes!
38. Go play some Puzzles or Board Games
Set up a giant puzzle or your favorite board game and enjoy the challenge and satisfaction of completing it.
39. Indulge in the best form of therapy – Retail Therapy
Yes, friends, retail therapy is real!! Shopping releases endorphins in your brain, which can lift your mood and leave you feeling happier and more positive.
So treat yourself to that new handbag or cozy sweater you’ve had your eye on! And boost your confidence!!
40. Have you tried Stargazing? If not, this is your sign!
Set up a blanket in your backyard or a nearby park and stargaze as the night sky comes alive. The vastness of the universe can put life into perspective and relieve stress.
41. Dance Like Nobody’s Watching, not kidding
Throw on your favorite tunes and let loose! Dancing alleviates stress and anxiety and boosts your Serotonin levels. Dance like nobody’s watching!!
42. Give Aromatherapy a shot
Want to add an extra touch of relaxation? Invest in some essential oils and a diffuser to fill your space with calming and rejuvenating scents.
Essential oils can help you de-stress, boost your mood, even improve your sleep, and help in your manifestations too!
Final thoughts on self-care Saturday ideas
So next time you find yourself with an extra day off, consider taking some time for yourself and investing in some awesome self-care Saturday ideas! Kick back and relax from all the past week’s stress with a little bit of yoga, meditation, exploring the trails, or reading a good book.
Even if it’s just for one afternoon, take advantage of this special day to take care of yourself and back up your cup. Make it as easy or interesting as you want – it’s your special Saturday, after all!
Start planning your next Self-Care Saturday today!
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