During stressful periods, self-care tends to take a back seat. Attention turns outward — to the source of stress, to responsibilities, to others — and personal wellbeing becomes an afterthought. Yet it is precisely during difficult times that looking after oneself matters most. Maintaining physical and emotional health is not a luxury; it is what enables people to function well, make better decisions, and show up fully for the people and commitments that matter to them.
Practising self-care also supports kindness — to others and to oneself. Research consistently shows that being kind to others has a positive impact on the mental health of the person giving as well as the person receiving. The connection between personal wellbeing and the ability to contribute meaningfully to the people around us is well established.
The following seven ideas provide a practical starting point. Rather than attempting all of them at once, picking one, embracing it fully, and building from there is often the most effective approach.
1. Switch Out Caffeine for Herbal Tea
Caffeine has an average half-life of five to seven hours. A caffeinated drink consumed at 6pm will still have half its caffeine active and circulating throughout the body at midnight. Caffeine also reduces the quality of deep sleep — meaning that even if sleep is uninterrupted, it may not be sufficiently restorative, leaving a person feeling unrested the following morning.
Switching to herbal teas — chamomile, ginger, or peppermint are all caffeine-free options — in the afternoon and evening can support better sleep quality without requiring significant lifestyle change.
2. Reduce Screen Time in the Evening
Blue light emitted by phones, tablets, and computer screens can disrupt the production of melatonin — the hormone responsible for initiating sleep. Beyond the physiological effects, the habitual, scroll-driven nature of social media and news consumption makes it difficult to disengage mentally, which can delay sleep onset and reduce the ability to concentrate the following day.
Setting a screen-free period in the hour or two before bed — and replacing that time with reading, gentle music, cooking, journalling, or time outdoors — provides the mind and eyes with the rest they need and supports a more consistent sleep routine.
3. Try Mindfulness Meditation
Mindfulness meditation has a well-documented positive impact on both mental and physical health. Regular practice can reduce levels of stress and anxiety, improve sleep, and support clearer, more focused thinking. Research suggests that consistent meditation can build areas of the brain associated with positive traits such as focus and self-awareness, while diminishing the neural patterns associated with stress and fear.
For those new to meditation, guided meditation apps such as Headspace or Calm provide structured introductions that are easy to follow and can be completed in just a few minutes a day. Tracking progress through an app can also help to build the habit over time.
4. Drink More Water
Adequate hydration supports cognitive function, concentration, and energy levels — as well as having benefits for skin health and digestion. Many people consistently drink less water than is recommended, often without realising it. The NHS recommends six to eight glasses of water per day as a general guideline.
Keeping a water bottle visible throughout the day, or using a hydration reminder app, can help to build more consistent drinking habits without requiring significant effort.
5. Be More Physically Active
Physical activity reduces negative mood states and increases positive ones, with direct benefits for self-esteem and cognitive function. Activity does not need to be intensive or time-consuming to be effective. A daily walk, household tasks, gardening, or gentle stretching all count as physical movement and can meaningfully improve how the body and mind feel over time.
Sustaining a new activity habit is easier with a degree of accountability. Exercising with another person — or checking in with someone regularly — provides motivation and social connection simultaneously. Online communities and social media groups focused on shared activities can also offer support and encouragement, particularly for those exercising alone. Apps such as Couch to 5K are a useful example of structured tools that help beginners build fitness progressively without the need to design their own plan.
6. Limit Exposure to News and Social Media
Constant exposure to news — particularly during periods of uncertainty or difficulty — can increase anxiety and make it harder to maintain perspective. Social media and online news are designed to be difficult to disengage from, which means intentional limits need to be set rather than assumed.
Setting specific times of day for checking news, rather than having it running continuously in the background, allows for staying informed without becoming overwhelmed. The time reclaimed can then be directed towards more fulfilling and restorative activities.
7. Connect with Others
Human beings are inherently social. Physical connection — including something as simple as a hug — triggers the release of oxytocin, a hormone associated with warmth, trust, and elevated mood. Even where physical contact is not possible, meaningful conversation provides similar benefits.
Sharing concerns and talking openly with a trusted friend or family member helps to reduce the isolating weight of a problem and supports the development of a strong personal support network. The idea that a problem shared is a problem halved reflects genuine psychological reality — articulating a concern to someone else changes the relationship to it, and often opens up perspectives or solutions that were not previously visible.
How Professional Academy Supports Your Journey
Personal effectiveness, resilience, and the ability to manage oneself and others under pressure are themes that run through professional development at every level. Professional Academy offers a range of qualifications in management and leadership and marketing that develop both the strategic and interpersonal capabilities needed to perform effectively in demanding roles.
Use the Qualifications Navigator to explore the options, or book a call with the Professional Academy team to discuss the right pathway for your goals.
