Self-care 101: 12 Things You Could Be Doing Instead of Your Household Chores

Life is not all about work and household chores. Check out these ideas to help you practice self-care daily.

Balancing a career with looking after your family and taking care of household chores can be a challenge—even for the most organized among us!

Life can be so fast-paced that we often forget our well-being's importance. If you're overwhelmed by those responsibilities, it's time to pause and ask yourself a vital question. When was the last time you did something for fun?

Granted, it's essential to keep a handle on tasks. But we need to prioritize ourselves, too. What if there was a way to do both? Someone to help with your busy schedule so you can reclaim that time for stuff you're passionate about. For instance, a fun or creative activity, an opportunity to learn new skills or something that feeds your soul. Remember, you can't pour from an empty cup!

Let's look at what you could do instead of work and household chores.

For Your Self-Development

You never lose out when you invest in yourself. Here are two simple yet effective actions you can take that will nurture self-development.

Read a New Book

Transport yourself to another world and expand your knowledge by reading a new book. Reading is an excellent way to take a breather, whether it's a fantasy novel about fairies and goblins or a step-by-step guide on decluttering or simplifying household chores. If you're looking for some recommendations, Atomic Habits by James Clear and The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho are two bestselling reads sure to give you fresh insights and perspectives.

Volunteer

Change comes from collective action; you can contribute to a cause by volunteering your time and resources. You'll help others and get more involved in your community with volunteer work. As a bonus, you'll have other like-minded individuals working alongside you. Moreover, a meta-analysis of 37 studies shows that volunteering can have incredible personal benefits.

For instance, people who show generosity are happier, have higher self-esteem, increased vitality, and have a better quality of life!

For Your Professional Development

Your career and professional accomplishments are also a fundamental part of your identity. Be the best you can be at what you do—try out these tips to improve your professional development. Enlist a little help with household chores and take time to enrich your skill set.

Collect Feedback from Peers and Bosses

If you want to take your performance to the next level, consider asking for feedback from your work colleagues. Create a feedback card or form using digital tools and send it to your teammates and line manager. This method helps identify your strong points and areas where you can improve. Take some time to assess where your strengths lie. Do you know what your top strengths even are? Here are a few tools that can help you walk this journey to discover these hidden gems within yourself.

Take a Skill-Based Class

Some jobs require specific skills and specializations. So why not invest in some skills training to widen your professional horizon? Basic Photoshop, graphic design, programming, or even Excel can go a long way toward raising your work profile. If you're a writer, you can even take SEO writing classes to help secure more SEO writing jobs.

Khan Academy is a great place to learn about virtually any topic or skill you want. Who knows—you might even find yourself embarking on a new career!

For You and Your Family

Sometimes, we get too busy to make time for the people that matter most—our family. They may be equally caught up with their schedules, but that doesn't mean you can't carve out some time to bond as a family. Household chores shouldn't get in the way of spending quality time with the ones you love. Here are some great family-centered activities to explore.

Have a Family Outing

Are you a family of beach lovers? Do you enjoy finding exciting places to eat? A family outing is an excellent way to experience new things together. Book a weekend away from your city or plan a staycation at a local resort or hotel.

Create a Game Night

For something more competitive, arrange a game night with your family. Gather your favorite board games and snacks and have the festivities in your living room. For instance, losers get to take on specific household chores. Why not up the stakes?

Educational Development

Learning is for life. As we grow older, the world around us changes too. There's a new technology, ideas, and ways of doing things. We all could do with a periodic update to our operating system! Consider one of the following ideas to keep your mind sharp and active.

Get a Virtual Degree

Boost your credentials—and brainpower—by enrolling in a course online. Many colleges and schools have migrated to the digital space in recent years, increasing the opportunities for virtual study. You could opt to take a few classes in subjects you're interested in and even aim for a diploma or certificate online. Harvard, for example, offers a variety of free and paid virtual courses. You can check them out here.

Do Some Research

Whether it's for a school project or a passion project, research will help improve your knowledge. By learning more about your favorite subjects, you're developing critical thinking skills and giving yourself a fresh perspective on life.

Creative Development

Creativity makes life more colorful. You can use it as an outlet to express yourself—or as an opportunity to pick up a new hobby.

Tap Into Your Artistic Side

There's something special about the act of creation. Whether it's painting, sculpting, singing, or dancing, artistic pursuits are an act of intentional self-care. They're also about a million miles away from the world of work, responsibilities, and household chores!

Do Creativity Exercises

Creativity isn't limited to the arts. You can also exercise creative thinking at work and practice it through problem-solving. To start you off, try an activity like the Incomplete Figure Test, the Paperclip Test, or the Music Test. These pastimes will help get your creative juices flowing and put your reasoning to the test. This Ted Talk on creativity is a great way to get your inner creative juices flowing!

Social Development

For some of us, meeting new people can be intimidating. Nonetheless, it's a highly beneficial way to enhance your personal growth. You may even find yourself making a new friend or two.

Attend a Local Club

Whatever your interests, there's likely a club in your suburb or city that caters to them. Consider signing up with local soccer, cycling, or running clubs if you're sporty. On the other hand, if gardening's more your thing, look no further than your neighborhood garden club or horticultural society. This way, you can do something you enjoy and meet new people. Another great option to consider is Meetup.com. This is a great way to meet new and like-minded people.

Check Out Interest Groups on Social Media

Sometimes, you don't even have to leave the comfort of your home to make new friends. Online forums make it easy to engage in stimulating discussions. Social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit are great for finding interest groups. Further, you're bound to get in touch with many like-minded individuals.

At the same time, do make a point of practicing good online etiquette and adhering to Internet safety measures. There could be scams and posers in your interest groups, so keeping this possibility in mind is essential.

Help Now, When You Need It

There's more to life than work. The daily grind can take its toll, so finding time for yourself is essential. Instead of constantly juggling responsibilities—your household chores, for instance—consider the benefits of outsourcing.

This is where Call Emmy can step in.

With Call Emmy, you no longer need to stress about completing your chores on time. You have a team of professionals on call, ready to worry about your housework, so you don't have to.

Find out more about Call Emmy and how they can help you do your—guilt-free!