Maximize Your Mental Health With These Quirky Self-Care Ideas

Maintaining your mental health can be a real struggle some days. As the saying goes, you can't pour from an empty cup. You must take care of yourself before you can take care of others. Take self-care beyond soaking in a bath or retail therapy with some of these more innovative ideas.

Get a Tattoo

Meaningful tattoos are healing for many reasons. Physically, the vibration and stimulation of the tattoo machine can provide an outlet. In addition, the image provides ongoing reassurance and perhaps a message of strength, remembrance, or perseverance for you every time you look at it.

Make a Done List

A to-do list is a common tool used to get things done. However, those long lists can become overwhelming and make you feel hopeless. Creating a done list helps you recognize all the things you've already accomplished and can make the prospect of completing the remaining tasks a little less daunting.

Learn Tai Chi

Tai chi is an excellent way to find calm and focus during difficult times. The slow, repetitive movements allow you to connect with your body on a deeper level. You can find classes if you want to do this in a more social setting, or you can find instructional materials online to help you learn.

Attend a Local Event

A focus outward on the community can be grounding. Many small communities have options that are special and unique. For instance, try out the Lavender Weekend in Sequim, Washington. Local farms have special events and menus as well as the opportunity for you to pick your own lavender right from the fields. 

Browse TikTok

More time on social media isn't usually considered a self-care tip, but this app is a little different. The videos, which range from a few seconds to three minutes long, tend to be uplifting, entertaining, and even educational. The constant change in videos provides tiny hits of dopamine and other feel-good hormones to the brain, improving your mood. 

Make a Career Change

Learning something new is an amazing way to find success in the future. Online master’s degree programs, for example, allow you to easily learn skills for this change while still spending time with family or working another job. Just make sure the program is accredited and that tuition rates are in line with the standard. 

Redecorating

To brighten up your mind, rearranging your physical space can be helpful. You can do anything from getting rid of clutter on a desk to painting and renovating an entire room. The change in your space can free you up to make changes in your brain as well, readying it for new and wonderful opportunities.

Take Cooking Lessons

If you are what you eat, your brain needs more than takeout and cheap processed food. Taking cooking lessons allows you to spend some time learning a new skill and also gives you a go-to menu of delicious recipes, so you can skip the to-go option.

Saving Your Mental Health

While these ideas are a bit quirkier than the usual advice for improving your mental health, any step is a good one. Get some fancy organic bath bombs from Bridgewood Organics, or read a good book. Just remember to take care of yourself.


Carrie Spencer created The Spencers Adventures to share her family’s homesteading adventures. On the site, she shares tips on living self-sufficiently, fruit and vegetable gardening, parenting, conservation, and more. Their goal is to live as self-sufficiently and environmentally-consciously as possible.

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