The Best Self-Care Tips & Ideas for Introvert Women

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As women, we tend to prioritize caring for everything and everyone before prioritizing self-care.

Self-care is so important for Introverts.  Without time to recharge, you’re basically running on empty.

What happens when Introverts get no self-care?

You need alone time in order to recharge.

Introverts have a built in need for daily self-care in the form of a few minutes of quiet time and solitude.

When you don’t get any time to recharge, you can become irritable, tired and withdrawn.

You may not be as kind and you’d like to be.

No self-care for an extended period of time can completely burn you out and wear on you.

Not listening to your body can cause stress and lead to headaches and even cause sickness.

How I learned about my need for self-care as an Introvert

I can tell you exactly when and how I learned about self-care.

I was working a really stressful corporate job as a Property Admin.

The company I worked for decided not to hire an Onsite Property Manager, so I handled the Day-to-Day Operations of a 174, 980 square foot building by myself (with remote support from my boss).

Not only was my job pretty crazy, I was also very involved with my local church.  I sang with two groups and played keyboard for another. This meant rehearsals and church services during the week as well as the weekends, including Saturdays and of course Sundays for sometimes two services.

It was long hard days on my job coupled with a busy after work schedule that completely burnt me out.

After some time I started suffering with some pretty horrible migraine headaches.  I’d never experienced migraines before, but I knew my Mom dealt with them pretty often in the past.  I’d seen her retreat to her bedroom to rest many a night growing up.

Now here I was, learning how to to cope with migraine headaches.  My head would pound, bright (and even dim) lights made it worse and that included the television. Noise just made the throbbing pain behind my eyes even more intense. I had ongoing nausea and felt sick every day.

Literally all I could do was lay on my couch in the dark in complete silence.

These migraine headaches would linger on and on for days and days, and I had to take days off of work just to shorten the process of getting through them.  It was a nightmare and I had just begun working with my Doctor on trying to figure out what migraine medication I’d start trying.

This Introvert’s life changing decision

I ended up making a life changing decision. I moved to the other side of the country from Michigan to California.

Yep, quiet Introvert Erica moved 3,000 miles away from family, all by my lonesome.

I moved because I decided to pursue my dreams of being a singer and I’d never made a move this big before.

Instead of working a stressful job I didn’t love, I decided to follow my heart and my passion for music.

So there I was, in sunny California. Working at a chemical storage plant facility in customer service during the day,   going to studio sessions at night.

 

My job was a lot less stressful, and I spent lots of time getting to know myself because I was alone a lot. It was way easier to notice when I didn’t feel well, and when I was tired. When I didn’t feel like talking to anyone and when I needed a friend.

It was the beginning of me really learning the importance of self-care.

It was a season of my life where I really got to see me.

I learned what I liked to do to keep my spirit at peace.

Things I enjoyed doing in my me time.

I learned what environment made me feel productive and happy.

I don’t suffer from migraine headaches since I’ve left California and moved back to Michigan, and that was 8 years ago.  Now if I feel a headache coming on, I stop what I’m doing and kick start my self-care pronto.

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Get to know yourself

I learned the importance of getting to know myself.  Who I really was and why.

If you don’t know who you are, how will you know what you need in order to be the best you that you can be?

Take some time to figure that out.  I’m not saying you need to make a drastic move the way I did.  I’m saying it’s really important to understand yourself in order to know what you need.

How do you do that?

Take some pointed time to intentionally figure it out.

Say, for example, you take one entire month and focus only on you.

I know that may seem like a lot, but there are 11 other months in a year.  It’s okay to invest in yourself. It’s an investment that will help you for the rest of your life!

During this month, keep a journal.

Journaling is a great way to reflect yourself back to YOU.

You can re-read your true thoughts, hopes, prayers, ambitions and desires.  Reread how you felt during certain interactions with people and difficult situations you encountered through the month.

It will open your eyes and show you who you are.

Really take some time out to try some of the different self-care ideas I highlight below and see what works for you.

Which self-care idea makes you feel really energized and refreshed?  Which ones help the most, and which ones help the least?

What happens when Introverts do get self-care?

When Introverts do get self-care, we’re in full Super Man mode and Clark Kent has left the building!

We’re refreshed, revived, and we’re ready to take on social situations again.

Our super powers are on full tilt.  If you don’t know your Introvert super powers, click here to learn some of your gifts: Are Introverts Gifted?

Also if you’re new to discovering who you are as an Introvert click here to check out my mini guide for Introverts: A Guide for Introverts

The Best Self-Care Ideas for Introvert Women

Daily alone time

If you’re not implementing daily alone time, please do yourself a favor and at least try to fit in a few minutes a day.

I know, I know, you’re busy.  But if you’re an Introvert, it’s the easiest way to maintain your peace and sanity every day.

Many of us really need more than a few minutes a day, so a me day is more helpful.  If that’s you, go ahead and do a me day instead! Do what works best for you!

Write in a Journal

As a life-long Introvert and Journaler (yes, I made up a word but it fits right?), I stand by this self-care practice as THE best one out of them all.

There’s nothing like writing out your thoughts, and seeing them written down.

You can keep so many things bottled up inside that you may be afraid to talk to people about.  Well you can talk to God about anything, and I often do in my Journal.

Brain dump

Grab a notebook, or open a document on your computer and just brain dump everything that comes to your mind.

Things you need to do and accomplish, a situation you need to handle, items you need to put on your grocery list.  Just whatever comes to your mind, get it all out and dump it onto a piece of paper.

You can go back and number each item to prioritize what needs to be done first and add them to a to-do list or put the items on your calendar for when you’ll complete them.

You’ll feel so much better when you get it all out of your head.

Listen to music

It’s just that simple. Listen to your favorite artist and zone out on the couch or in your favorite chair.  Or listen to music during your brain dump!

Light a candle

If you know me, you know I love candles.  When I’m out I have to constrain myself and remember if I have enough candles at home already before I buy more.

I like to light a scented candle while I’m working on my laptop in the morning or after I’ve done some cleaning.  It just adds something pleasant to the atmosphere.

Aromatherapy diffuser

I’d use an aromatherapy diffuser every day when I did facials at the spa. It’s a quick natural way to infuse a nice mood altering scent into the room.

My favorite has always been lavender as it has calming properties and smells amazing.

Hydrotherapy

Taking a quick hot shower or bath is a good way to get in a few minutes of self-care.  Get some exfoliating gloves or a loofah sponge and find a shower gel you love. I promise your skin will thank you for it.

Do your own nails

Yes it always feels amazing to go get your nails done at the salon.  I just don’t always have time to do that these days, so admittedly my nails often go undone.

If you can find a few minutes to do your own at home Mani, it can really do your heart good.

For me it can also be a creative outlet as sometimes I’ll do designs on them with paint brushes or dotters.

I’ve also recently tried press-on nails because I needed my nails done in a pinch.  And OMG, they were so cute and made me feel so girly!  Press on nails are not what they used to be, and it’s a quick way to have cute nails that won’t chip for a week.

 

Binge a Netflix show

We all know how addictive Netflix and Hulu can be.  You binge watch a series and then you’re looking for more because the series you just watched was so good!  It’s a great way to get some me-time in.

Get some fresh air

If you can get away to go for a walk alone, there’s nothing like a little fresh air. If it’s too cold to walk, hop in the car for a quick drive if you can. It’s just good to get out sometimes and get a change of scenery.

Find community online

Did you know there are Introvert communities online? There are Facebook groups, Online forums, and you can even find community on Instagram.  Find them!!! I promise it’ll make you feel a lot less alone.

Read a book or audio book

I absolutely love reading a real physical book, but I don’t always have time. Try audiobooks, they’re awesome too! My sister friend hipped me to the Hoopla App a couple years ago and I’m still loving it!  All you need is a library card from you local library and you can listen to audio books for FREE!

Watch something funny

A happy heart is good medicine and a joyful mind causes healing,
But a broken spirit dries up the bones. ~ Proverbs 17:22 (Amplified)

Humor triggers laughter, which in turn triggers endorphins, the natural happy drug our bodies produce that makes us feel good.  It’s so simple that it’s easy to forget. Watching someone funny is a quick instant way to feel better.

Work on a hobby

I have tons of hobbies, but I take up crocheting every now and again.

It’s something my Grandmother taught me when I was a little girl.  It’s stayed with me all these years, and lately I’ve started delving back into it again.

I’ll just crochet a couple rows of my blanket that I’m working on before bed.  It’s a great way to relax and hone in all my thoughts before I drift off to sleep.

If you need hobby ideas, check out my post on Hobbies for Introverts here: 40 Creative Outlets and Hobbies for Introverts

Talk to one of your favorite people

As Innie’s we don’t generally have a long drawn out list of folks we talk to every single day.  But there’s at least one person we know we can call when we just need to vent or hear ourselves say some of the crazy thoughts we’ve been thinking.

Check out Tiktok or a game app

I’ve recently started checking out Tiktok and I have to say, I think it’s a pretty cool app!  Be warned: you can get sucked into scrolling and scrolling and lose track of time.  That’s not always a bad thing because it’s okay to give your brain a break sometimes.

Us Introverts can really go to town with overthinking.  Find a new game to play and just relax for a few minutes.

Do your own facial at home

Have you been neglecting your skin care routine?  Trust me you’re not alone.  I’m an Esthetician, and I have to admit my skin care regimen has fallen by the wayside in recent months.

When I’m able to make the time to at least do a light exfoliation and mask, I’m always so thankful.  My skin looks refreshed afterwards and I’m always glad I did it.

By the way, here’s my favorite cleanser, exfoliant, serum and mask. If you need a little info on getting your own regimen started click here: Best Easy 3-Step Skincare Regimen for Irresistible Glowing Skin

Have a cup of tea or coffee

This is probably the easiest way to fit in a little self care. Heat some water for 2 minutes in the microwave, pop in your favorite tea bag and sweetener of your choice, and voila! An instant soothing pick me up.

I drink lots of chamomile every day for health reasons and I love this self-care treat.

Retail therapy

Can you ever go wrong with retail therapy?  Just be sure to have a budget you’re working with and get to shopping!  There’s retail therapy for every budget!

I’m not much of a Mall shopper any more, but I love a good thrift shop!  And if you’d rather stay in we all know about online shopping.  Whatever makes you feel relaxed, stick with that.

Take a nap

I don’t nap too much anymore, however I’ve heard plenty of people sing the praises of naps.  From time to time I will take one and it always helps.

Do a vision board

I’ve done a vision board every year for the past few years and I love them!  It helps me to have a visual of what it is I’m working towards, and it’s a great me-time activity.

I grab some of my favorite magazines (I usually have a subscription to Real Simple), my cork board, some scissors and a glue stick and get to work creating something beautiful.

Bonus tip: Beautify your me-time area

Grab a couple cute trinkets to put in your me-time area like a pretty picture or a cute plaque with an inspirational saying on it. Something that makes you happy every time you see it.

Carve out a cute little space that’s just for you.  Whether it’s a corner of the living room where your favorite chair is, or a window seat. Make sure you’ve got cute accents that are just for your enjoyment.

In Conclusion

I hope these self-care ideas help you to recharge and maintain your peace, because it’s so important for us Introverts.  For more on introverts, check out these articles:

Is Something Wrong With Me Being a Quiet Introvert?

How to Survive the Most Awkward Time at Events for Introverts

How to Make Friends as an Introvert

 

 

 

 

 

Photos on this post c/o Canva.com & Pixabay.com