125 Self-Care Saturday Ideas To Unwind This Weekend

Sometimes it can be hard to remember to practice self-care on a regular basis, so I’m here to share that you can dedicate one day of the week to your self-care routine. Introducing self-care Saturday!

This is ideal for those of you who want to prioritize yourself so you can live a happier, more balanced life – away from exhaustion and the constant craziness of life.

Why Self-Care on a Saturday?

Saturday can be an amazing day of the week to dedicate to self-care. Here are some reasons I specifically think self-care is ideal for a Saturday:

It’s the one day you’re most likely not thinking about things you have to do. You know those Sunday chores or preparing for the week ahead.

It’s the perfect way to start the weekend after the end of a busy week. It’s also something to look forward to.

Less stress as you’re not competing with as many items on your to-do list.

More flexibility with your schedule. It’s easier to move things around on a Saturday so you can dedicate some time to yourself.

The Importance of Practicing Self-Care

Life today has so many stressful moments, uphill battles, and people who are on the edge feeling overwhelmed, and in many cases experiencing depression and anxiety.

Our devices mean we’re always contactable by work, family, friends, and anyone else. This means it can feel more and more difficult to get some peaceful alone time in.

I miss those days of going out all afternoon on a Saturday with no smartphone and just enjoying what I want when I want. It’s so freeing to have that time for yourself.

This is why self-care is crucial to help us keep up with the demands of our busy lives.

Self-care is a practice you can use to prioritize your mental and physical health which has a variety of important benefits (Source):

Helps you manage stress
Lowers your risk of illness
Increases your energy levels
Enhances your overall wellbeing

–

This post contains affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Disclosure info here.

125 Self-Care Saturday Ideas

When it comes to self-care, I like to break it down into 5 core categories:

Emotional Self-Care
Physical Self-Care
Social Self-Care
Spiritual Self-Care
Intellectual Self-Care

So, below you’ll find some of the best ways to have a fun, relaxing, and meaningful self-care Saturday and inspire you to plan your own self-care day.

Emotional Self-Care Saturday Ideas

Emotional self-care is the things you can do to look after your mental health.

Whether it’s reading a good book that uplifts you, focusing on self-reflection, or doing something you love – emotional self-care is all about doing what feels good to you and supports you emotionally.

Track your mood with these free mood-tracking sheets
Use positive affirmations for self love
Do something you’re passionate about – a hobby or try something new
Practice gratitude – go on a gratitude walk followed by some gratitude journaling
Try some mindfulness meditation
Try this self-love journal with beautiful writing prompts (this is one of my guided journals)
Go to therapy
Work on your self-compassion with these self-compassion exercises
Write a list of things you love about yourself
Make time for reflection with this list of self-reflection questions
Create a playlist of your favourite songs from the past
Try the 5-4-3-2-1 method to relieve anxiety
Go to the beach and sit in silence, listening to the beautiful sounds around you
Declutter your space – leading to peace of mind and relaxation
Get creative with coloring – check out my favorite adult coloring book from Johanna Basford
Read a self-help book. I recommend: Atomic Habits, You Are A Badass
Have an old movie marathon
Start a self-love challenge
Set mental health goals and create a plan to achieve them
Answer these self-care questions to check in on yourself
Create a happy music playlist
Download these printable affirmation cards
Release your stress onto paper – write everything that’s worrying you, so you can release it from your mind
Work on your self-esteem with these worksheets
Look at old photos

👉 Learn more about emotional self-care here.

Physical Self-Care Saturday Activities

This is all about doing things to look after your physical health, both fun things and important things. Here are some examples.

Take a yoga class
Go on a hike
Get a professional massage
Try a new active hobby – swimming, running, tennis, baseball
Have a hot relaxing bath – don’t forget the essential oils!
Go kayaking or canoeing
Have a nap
Make love
Make yourself a healthy meal and eat it in a relaxing environment (no tech – just enjoy every bite)
Do some gardening
Get a mani/pedi
Have a facial
Do some stretching
Make a new recipe or your favorite meal
Go for a bike ride
Have an at-home spa day (hello DIY face masks and at home pedis 🙂 )
Go for a long walk in your neighborhood
Do tai chi in the park
Try a dance class (belly dance, hip hop, salsa, etc)
Take your dog for a walk
Use a foot massager
Do some walking meditation
Take note of appointments you need to book this week – doctors, blood work, dentist, physio, etc.

Social Self-Care Ideas for Your Saturday

Who says self-care is a solo act? Social self-care is as it sounds – doing things to practice self-care with others. It can also be attending events or spending quality time with those you love.

Call someone you love and have a good chat
Visit a friend for coffee or lunch
Try a group fitness class (dance, pilates, circuit training, spin)
Go to the spa with a girlfriend
Have a girl’s night out
Go to the movies with your mom
Take a meditation class
Volunteer with a friend – animal shelter, soup kitchen, food bank, etc)
Have a board game night
Visit a local farmer’s market
Check out a local festival
Have a picnic with friends or family
Plan some good deeds you can do for others
Take a class with a friend – crocheting, baking, pottery, etc)
Do something physical with a friend – walk, workout, golf, hike)
Try group therapy
Go to the dog park with your pup – always other pet parents to chat with
Take a cooking class
Visit a botanical garden with a good friend
Meal prep with a friend and share the food/recipes
Join a community garden
Write a letter to someone you love
Go on a date with your spouse

Spiritual Self-Care for Saturdays

Apart from traditional spiritual practices (prayer, meditation) you can accomplish the act of spiritually looking after yourself can be accomplished by simply doing things that make your heart and soul flourish.

Take a walk in nature
Take a guided meditation class or try this one
Get acupuncture
Go to a spiritual retreat for the weekend
Pray
Write in a journal
Practice gratitude
Do yoga
Read a life-changing book like The Alchemist (my personal favourite)
Attend a religious service
Learn about other religions
Do some gardening
Try some grounding techniques
Join a church group
Have your morning coffee outside – perfect for morning reflection
Do some deep breathing exercises – check out this 19 minute yoga breathing exercise
Watch a religious movie or TV series – a few of my recent favourites: The Chosen, Kübra, Father Stu
Start a prayer journal – here’s a great printable template to get you started
Join a spiritual reading group – focusing on inspiring spiritual books
Volunteer for a cause you support

Intellectual Self-Care Saturday Ideas

Intellectual self-care is all about stimulating the mind, learning new things, and working towards your goals. These things make us feel good, so in turn is definitely a form of self-care.

Visit a museum or art gallery
Watch a TED Talk
Take an online class to learn something new
Create a vision board focusing on your career and finances
Attend a workshop or seminar
Set some SMART goals
Work on an important goal
Watch a documentary
Set financial goals + create a plan to achieve them
Learn about smart money habits by listening to a money podcast
Learn a new skill or hobby – photography, brush lettering, blogging, graphic design
Start a book club with friends or family members
Take an online course
Try this self-care challenge
Organize your weekly tasks based on the Eisenhower Matrix – helps you identify tasks to focus on first based on importance and urgency
Do a puzzle
Try a 30-day challenge

More Self-Care Saturday Ideas For The Best Weekend

Take a drive in the countryside
Go apple picking/berry picking
Write a Simple Pleasures List
Buy yourself flowers
Go to a cafe with a good book
Start a new habit and track it – download this free habit tracker to start
Go to the beach
Have a nap under a tree
Listen to a sleep story from Calm
Create a bucket list (travel, for the year, summer, Christmas, etc)
Have a spa weekend
Create a new evening routine and give it a try
Make a list of your ultimate morning routine
Declutter your closet
Diffuse essential oils
Explore a new neighborhood
Create a vision board on Pinterest

How Do I Give Myself a Self-Care Day?

You may be thinking that all of these ideas sound great, but you have no idea how you’ll create enough time for any of them.

First, know that your self-care Saturday doesn’t have to be the whole day. If you can manage this – amazing, however, you can reap the benefits of self-care within shorter time periods.

Here are some suggestions to help you create the time you deserve for regular self-care.

Book time in your calendar for self-care this Saturday or next – and allow yourself to follow through on this.
Create a mini self-care routine every Saturday – you can start your morning this way (15 – 30 minutes or an hour). This can be little things such as enjoying a hot cup of tea, reading a chapter from your book and diffusing some essential oils, or lighting a candle.
Take non-essentials off your list – chores you can give to someone else, standing events in your calendar you don’t love or you can not attend once in a while).
Practice saying no to things so you can begin to say yes to yourself.

Do you have a self-care Saturday Routine?

I’d love to hear about it. Share in the comments below…

Where you are on your self-care journey?
What self-care practices do you do for personal growth, emotional wellness and to look after your own needs?

Related Self- Care Resources:

For more inspiration and to get the latest post, let’s connect on social media!

Pinterest | Facebook | Instagram