When life becomes quite hectic, it is important to take a step back to recharge and re-evaluate ourselves. A remote wellness retreat or a visit to a luxury spa can greatly help out in that regard.
However, whether it’s due to time or financial reasons, it is not feasible to whisk ourselves away from work whenever we want. But that doesn’t mean you can’t reap the benefits of the trendy health retreat, especially in an age of DIY.
With a few inexpensive products and useful tips from self-care experts around the world, you can create a self-healing oasis right at your home.
Let’s dive into this article and see how to do exactly that.
Understanding the Benefits of a Homemade Self-Care Retreat
Life isn’t easy, and it is not meant to be easy either. It is very common to feel unmotivated, burnt out, or overwhelmed by our day-to-day life. But to survive through our busy schedules and stressful work environments, we need to hit the reset button every once in a while.
And nothing screams more “healing of body and mind” than disconnecting from the world and attending a wellness retreat center or having a relaxing spa. Various research from self-care experts also says the same.
A sanctuary where you can find solace and self-rejuvenation; a little break from all the stress and anxiety.
But you can’t just leave your life for a few days and spend a good chunk of money for a remote getaway, can you? So what can you do then?
Well, you can do the next best thing, creating a zen space from the confines of your home and pretending to be a relaxation guru yourself. By doing so, you will:
- Have a good work-life balance.
- Quickly and inexpensively heal your body and mind.
- Have a long-lasting impression on your well-being.
- Get your own zen corner for activities that will stimulate your brain.
- Have a personalized wellness journey, especially if you are an introvert.
In short, the point of having your own personal sanctuary is to escape from the hectic outside world and focus on improving your physical and mental health.
How to Create a Wellness Retreat Inside Your Home
Self-care isn’t just about a massage session in a spa or booking a travel retreat; self-care means doing the things that will make you feel good and heal your soul. That’s why it is very much possible to enjoy a wellness retreat right from your apartment or studio home.
And the best way to incorporate the key quality components is to follow the below-listed tips from wellness and home decor experts:
1. Specify an Area/Room as Your Sanctuary
Let’s be realistic, most of us share our living space with our family, partner, or roommates. So, it is highly unlikely that every corner of your house can be transformed into a relaxing zen space. Not to mention, our free-roaming pets can also sometimes be challenging.
The best strategy would be to choose a specific area in your home with the least interference and transform it into a spa-like environment.
This dedicated zen space doesn’t need to be a whole room if you have issues with space. A decently spacious balcony or a corner of your living room will do just fine.
If you can’t do that either, you can resort to a temporary partition in a room and create an illusion of having a dedicated space.
Also, make sure to keep this space neat and clean.
2. Plan What You Want to Do Throughout the Day
Just like any other venture, having a relaxing day will need some preparation beforehand. You can’t have a day of self-care if it is filled with busy schedules and unplanned activities.
To get the best experience of a serene homemade retreat, you need to plan ahead and get rid of any meetings or family distractions.
Map out what you’re going to do throughout the day.
Carve out some time for various low-impact and self-healing activities.
You also need to plan for how long you want to continue this retreat depending on your goals. If you’ve just finished a hectic project work, you might want to dedicate the whole weekend to proper relaxation.
3. Detox Yourself from Digital Drugs
Try to disconnect yourself from the online world and digital devices. Only focus on things that are good for your psychological state.
There’s a good reason why pretty much all the spa and retreat centers have a “no cell phone and internet” policy. Being chronically online has been the most mentally damaging thing the human race has ever experienced.
Many research suggests that constant consumption of online content, such as YouTube videos or social media, can reduce the ability of our brain to completely turn off and relax.
How can you relax when you are constantly thinking about who liked your profile picture or what some stranger on the internet said about your political views?
Not to mention, the constant dopamine hit reduces our attention span and hinders our ability to be happy in simple moments.
4. Self Pampering
Buy yourself that dessert you’ve been craving for so long! Or maybe treat yourself to some DIY spa treatments!
Skin care, face scrub, body scrub; all sounds so soothing, don’t they?
Sometimes you need to spoil and baby yourself if you want to reach mental peace and happiness. You can also:
- Put on a moisturizing face mask and listen to your favorite tunes on Spotify.
- Have a cup of green tea with lemon and honey.
- Wrap yourself with a cozy blanket and read your favorite novels.
- Drink plenty of water and take a few naps.
Remember, you’re not home just to do laundry and watch TV. Do the things that declutter your life from all the hustle and bustle of your daily life.
5. Nourish Your Body with Nutrients
“A sound mind lives in a sound body” – It is a universal saying for a good reason. Hence, consuming healthy snacks and drinks is an important part of a balanced lifestyle.
And the best part?
You don’t need a professional dietary chef to have a healthy diet. You can just follow what dietary experts suggest at any wellness retreat center.
For example, you can opt for low-processed foods like fruits or cashew nut salad. For a week-long retreat, you can buy farm-grown vegetables and freshly cut meat beforehand to reduce stress.
And for drinks, try to avoid high-calorie and high-sugar options like milkshakes. Try to go for herbal teas or organic orange juice.
6. Yoga and Meditation
From developing self-awareness to reducing stress and anxiety, there are many well-documented benefits of meditative forms of yoga.
Simply close your eyes for at least five minutes each day and breathe deeply. Breathe deeply and go inward your mind!
By doing so, you’ll live in the moment and experience a calming sensation throughout your body and soul.
Yoga also helps you relieve chronic pain by increasing blood flow.
There are many online videos for home yoga and meditation that you can follow.
7. Take a Cold Shower
Nothing relaxes your body after a long day like a cold shower. It is also a very prominent feature in most wellness retreat centers since the temperature change is very beneficial for a quick recovery.
“With every ice bath or cold shower, we’re not only immersing in chilly waters but also exploring uncharted territories of mental wellness.” – mentioned by Thermo Wellness blog.
So put on some scented candles, gather some essential oils, and enjoy a cold shower while listening to some relaxing tunes.
8. Set the Mood and Lighting
Human beings are mostly visual and olfactory stimuli. Hence, lighting has a huge impact on one’s mental health.
Natural light, infused with Vitamin D, can noticeably decrease depression and improve the sleep cycle.
And during the night, you can use various therapy lamps and bulb shades, which can create a soothing atmosphere. You can also light up scented candles to create a mood of relaxation while doing self-care.
9. Some Fluffy Robes and Cozy Slippers
Our human mind is simple, we associate spas and resorts with fancy robes and slippers.
Not only that, fuzzy slippers and fluffy robes offer a therapeutic experience by saving us from uncomfortable footwear and itchy fabrics.
Hence, you should consider investing in some of these quality-of-life products if you want full spa-like relaxation at home.
10. Add a bit of Greenery into Your Life
A simple pot of live plants or a vase of flowers can easily transform your corner into a scenic place. It also adds something special to your surroundings and boosts your mood.
What makes it better is that these plants can be very low-maintenance while adding so much depth to your homemade retreat space.
Self Nourishment Begins at Home
No matter how busy our lives are, we should always carve some time out for our self-care. And if you can’t afford to have a remote retreat, you can do something similar from the comfort of your home, as shown in this write-up.
Anyway, that’s it for today.
Don’t forget to add these self-care habits to your daily life if you want to foster a healthy mental and physical state.