40+ Refreshing Self Care Weekend Ideas

The weekends which we eagerly wait for all through the week gets spent away in bed scrolling through social media or watching Netflix. If this is you, but you want to practice self care at least on the weekend, then this post is for you.

Today I share with you some refreshing and relaxing self care weekend ideas that you can do– and its divided into 4 categories that can fit you according to your comfort, energy and wish.

All through the week from Monday to Friday for many of us, we hardly get 4-5 hours to ourself before we again have to get ready for work. It seems like a scam to many of us that this life has become just a to and fro from work to home.

That is why I want you to use the weekend that comes every week to spend it on something you love, something that truly helps you relax and recharge yourself.

Use the weekend as a maintenance for yourself. Don’t do any work (except of course house hold work and chores). Allow yourself to rest and relax and try any of these self care weekend ideas.

What is self care?

Table of Contents

Self care is the act of taking care of yourself. Self care is a verb because it is something you actually do for yourself and not just think mentally.

Self care is taking the time out and devoting intentional time to recharge yourself doing the things that are good for your mental, physical and emotional wellbeing.

It’s more than just putting a face mask on or getting a pedicure done. It’s how you spend time with yourself. Its how you love yourself through action and prioritise your wellbeing.

How to plan a self care weekend

It is better to plan a self care weekend anytime in the week itself before the weekend comes, so that when the weekend is here, you know the things you want to be doing.

In brief, here is how to plan a self care weekend:

Plan it sometime in the week before the weekend comes.
Decide what you would like to do this weekend from the list
Plan your Saturday self care. Decide what you’d like to do in the morning and evening.
Plan your Sunday self care. Decide how you’re going to spend your Sunday in the same way.
Repeat every week. Try new things from the list every weekend to recharge yourself.

Self care weekend ideas to do at home

P.S some of these links are affiliate links. If you purchase from my link, I’ll earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

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1. Draw and paint

Draw and paint just for fun.

You can paint on canvas, paint your flower pots, paint a part of your home, do some glass painting with the bottles lying in your house, paint something for your home or paint something that you want to gift someone.

Here are 3 easy painting projects you can try this weekend for your home

If you want to get more creative, here are some wonderful ideas for you. I am excited to try these too.

Easy painting ideas to inspire you to pick up your brush

P.S here are things you might need:

2. Tidy and rearrange your space

Use the weekend to tidy up your home and make it feel nice. Your home is an extension of you. How your home looks and feels has a great impact on how you feel.

I am always recharged in a tidy space and room and it makes me feel less stressed and anxious.

Get up and about and use the weekend to clean the shelves, the kitchen or any space that needs cleaning and tidying.

It would be even wonderful if you create a happy space for yourself where you can recharge and do thing you love.

3. Cook a delicious meal

Use the weekends to cook something special for yourself and your loved ones. Have a hearty breakfast. Enjoy a proper meal together and even add a dessert to end it with.

Here are some best selling cookbook you can keep to yourself:

4. Listen to soothing music

Don’t do anything. Simply listen to a soothing instrumental music. I am currently loving hand pan music. It is calming and relaxing.

You can listen to it by simply sitting down in a meditation position, close your eyes and listen to every tune of it. That is meditation too.

5. Paint your nails

Yes, take your time and paint your nails. Listen to music as you paint and enjoy.

6. Follow a full skin care routine

If you don’t have a skin care routine, then try following one. Go to YouTube and see different skin care routine which you can apply.

Do this over the weekend.

7. Have at at-home spa

If you had planned to keep self care your priority this year or you want to get intentional with how you take care of yourself, getting a spa done is one of the best thing you can do for yourself to make your body and skin feel nice.

But you don’t always have to step outside your home for a spa. You can enjoy your own spa day at home and practice self care.

Here is how to have a spa day at home

8. Have a long shower

On the weekend, take a long elaborate self care shower routine.

Here is a 20-step self care shower routine to wash off stress

9. Write a gratitude list

Write down your gratitude list. Write at least 10 things you are grateful for. Be elaborate about it and not just mention the things.

P.S If you want to feel more grateful and positive in life, take my free 21-day Gratitude Challenge that so many have loved.

10. Make a vision board

I highly recommend keeping a vision board and looking at it every morning and night for visualisation.

If you haven’t made one already, here is how to make a vision board that manifests.

Plus, Vision board manifestation checklist.

11. Have a screen-free day

Keep one weekend screen-free and see what difference it makes in your energy level, your mood and in the things you then get to do.

Going screen free allows us to reconnect to things that we actually love doing. It helps us live more.

Here are 25 actual ways to reduce screen time for adults.

12. Engage in a hobby

Having and giving time to our hobbies is self care. I used to think hobbies are underrated and we don’t need one, but as I grow older I realise how important it is to have hobbies and give time to them.

In the busyness of our life and catering to everyone else’s need, we forget to make ourselves feel good and do things we enjoy and do things just for fun.

Having a hobby helps us connect with ourselves better and love our life better. I have even written a post on why you should make time for hobbies.

This weekend pick up a hobby and make time for it.

If you don’t know what your hobbies are, you can always pick a new one.

Here are 50+ hobby ideas for adults to have fun in life.

Relaxing self care weekend ideas

13. Take a nap

Keep your phone away and just take a good nap. Its my best way to truly have a good rest.

P.S how to truly rest and relax

14. Have a do-nothing day

If you’re someone who always go by planning and a routine, allow your weekend to have a do-nothing day and enjoy a lazy day.

Allow the day to unfold on its own and do what you wish to.

15. Moisturise your whole body

After a good self care shower routine, its time to show love to your body even more and moisturise your body. make yourself feel good and relax. Use hand cream, foot cream and enjoy this moment of taking care of your body without rushing.

P.S how it feels to not rush and hurry with my body

16. Go for a mindful walk

Zen master Thich NHat Hanh says, “Walk as if you’re kissing the Earth with your feet.” Mindful walk is all about walking gently. Its relaxing and kind of like meditation.

Here is a mindful walking guided meditation.

17. Watch a movie

Find a good movie to watch and relax with popcorn and something to eat. What are weekends for?

But also make sure you don’t end up spending all day at bed.

18. Cozy up and read a book

I recommend picking a book for yourself every start of the month and read at least 1-2 books in a month. If you haven’t picked already, now is the time.

Here are best books everyone should read.

19. Stretch and relax

While I recommend everyone to move their body and exercise everyday, if you aren’t someone who exercises or gets to move their body too much in the week, try to at least use the weekend to stretch and move your body.

Its so relaxing you will end up smiling and being so thankful you did it.

I love stretches by Pamela Reif, Mady Morisson and light Yoga by Jessica Richburg. You can try this one this weekend. It’s so relaxing!

20. Put on facemask

Take care of your skin by putting on face mask and in the while you have put it on, just close your eyes, lay down in bed and relax, do nothing.

21. Try gardening

I find gardening relaxing. Usually when I know I am procrastinating on something, I turn up to gardening- pot some plants, propagate some plants and take care of them.

I usually give time to gardening on my weekends and I feel that is self care too, because I need them more than they do because my plants make me feel good.

22. Listen to podcast

Listen to a good podcast on a weekend as you do your house chores, clean your home, cook food and any of the stuff.

Below are the podcasts I love listening to and learn so much from:

23. Talk to your bestie

Talking to our best friends also counts as self care because they make us feel so good. When I call my best friend over the weekend or just anytime when we are free, we end up talking for more than 2 hours and there not a moment that goes by without laughing!.

If you haven’t called your best friend in a while and are just sending memes to each other, make sure you call them on the weekend.

24. Sit for prayer

Go to Church or stay at home, but make time for prayer. Simply close your eyes and pray earnestly and sincerely. Prayer is just talking to God through your heart.

You can also write down your own prayers.

Self care weekend outside home

25. Visit your favourite cafe

Meet a friend in a cafe or go by yourself, take your laptop, get some work done in there and enjoy.

26. Visit your loved ones

How Long has it been since you have been planning to meet a friend or a loved one? Use your weekend to make it happen and have a good time together.

27. Go for a solo date

In the book, ‘The Artist’s Way’, Julia Cameron asks us to take ourselves for a solo date once every week without fail. She calls this ‘Artist’s Date’.

There is something else about going places alone. It makes you feel more confident in yourself and you start to trust yourself more.

You enjoy your own company and learn to care less about what other people think.

Here are some great solo date ideas you can go to.

28. Dress up well

Dressing up well is also a part of self care. How we look impacts how we feel and show up.

If you dress poorly and say to yourself, ‘I don’t care how I look’, that also means that you don’t care how you feel.

Give a little bit effort to dressing up well. If you cupboard is filled with boring clothes, try to spruce it up and think to yourself, “what would you really love to wear?” and start building a new closet.

It’s okay to change your styles. You don’t always have to be the same person with same style, same haircut all your life.

Dress up well and go outside.

29. Get a head massage

Go to a parlour and get a head massage done. I have never done this, but I’d love to try it too.

30. Get a mani-pedi done

Take your time out of the weekend for getting your mani-pedi done and feel good.

31. Go for a long drive

Decide to visit some place in the weekend, probably the countryside and go for a long drive with your partner, or even by yourself if you wish to.

32. Read outside

Take a mat, book with you in the park and enjoy reading outside in the shade of trees.

33. Go to watch movies

Check what movie is being run and head out for the movies alone or with your friends or partner.

34. Go for a picnic

Plan a picnic with friends or even just by yourself. Choose a perfect day, plan your snacks, get your coziest blanket, make a basket with all your picnic essentials, choose a perfect spot and place in nature with a great view and enjoy your time with yourself or with friends.

Here is why and how to go for a solo picnic

35. Rent a cycle and be a tourist

Have you missed any touristy place because you have just taken it for granted thinking it will always be there and you will always be there?

If so, then this weekend actually decide to be tourist at your own place and explore.

Rent a cycle or a bike and enjoy being a tourist at your hometown.

36. Visit the park

Go for a mindful walk around the park, or take a book with you to read in the park, get some writing done outside if you’re into writing, or take your journal and do some journaling.

You could journal your feelings, your day or what you’re seeing in front of you and the various activities people are doing around you. Enjoy being alive and being in the world as you do.

Self care weekend getaway

37. Go for a weekend solo trip

Take a short solo trip in the weekend and have good time with yourself.

Check out the nearby attractions and plan your trip or just be spontaneous.

I took my first ever solo trip this year and here are 5 lessons I learned from it.

38. Book a staycation

Have you ever booked a staycation before? If not, here is a reminder that you can book one and enjoy a day or two of self care in a place outside your home.

Our mind loves new environment and we are much better at starting something new from a new place altogether. You don’t always have to go on a long vacation. Just book a staycation.

I love airbnb for this and love looking at pretty homes in different places where I can go and stay.

39. Rent a cabin

If you happen to live in a place where the hills, the forest and the woods are not so very far and you can rent a cabin, don’t miss out on the opportunity.

Rent a cabin and enjoy your time to yourself in the weekends by yourself doing the things you love. P.S leave the phone and social media aside.

40. Take a walking tour

Look for walking tours at your own city or in a nearby place where you would love to go for the weekend.

Learn about the heritage, history and culture about the place and learn how to enjoy a lovely walk.

41. Go for a hike

Going outside, enjoying the scenery and getting in fresh air is self care too.

It boosts our mood and makes us feel good. It challenges our comfort zone and challenges are actually good for our growth and inspiration.

So go for a hike and enjoy nature before the mundane weekday begins again.

42. Go camping

Plan a a camping trip to the hills, to the forest, to the river side, anywhere with your friends for a self care weekend getaway.

Watch the sunset, hear the birds, gaze at the stars and the moon in the open sky and recharge yourself in nature. It is surely the best therapy you can get.

So these were all the self care ideas

how to enjoy a relaxing self care weekend

I hope you try them and put them on your list. Also feel free to add what I might have missed or something you want to add to this weekend self care ideas.

Enjoy the weekend and have fun and relax!

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Hello, I'm Vishaka!