I usually think of self-care as something indulgent and unnecessary, but it really is required to not burnout. For the next semester one of my big goals is to make myself happy and give myself time to rejuvenate. That doesn't mean huge things like massages or vacations or things that stand in the way of other goals like eating sugar. It just means doing small things that will improve my own health and happiness, which will make my work a whole lot better. So here are five things that I am either going to buy or have already bought to start taking care of myself just a little bit more.

A Sound Machine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHJVDAkLS10

I have absolutely fallen in love with white noise machines to help me go to sleep. Most of them have a ton of different options. My personal favorites are either beach waves or rain, basically anything involving water. Plus some sound machines have spa music too, which is perfect for super long showers or skincare routines or anything else. I've always had troubling falling asleep and this has helped entirely.

An Oil Diffuser

https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-putting-finger-on-mist-1582457/

I don't have one yet but I am so excited to try an oil diffuser. I love the idea of having my room smell like lavender or eucalyptus or citrus. Plus I am obsessed with the thought of scents for every mood. I know a lot of people recommend lavender for relaxation for sleep and citrus scents to feel energized in the morning or when working.

A Salt Rock Lamp

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CznYcIoBkd4

I love my lamp and not only because it looks cute in my room and is trendy. Orange light has actually been proven to improve alertness. Orange light is the opposite of blue light, which is what we are exposed to on screens all day long. We all know that screens do not benefit our health, but particularly our sleep. In fact the nighttime function on iPhones just makes the light more orange than blue. So I love that I'm helping my body to neutralize by giving it the opposite of a screen and it makes me far more productive and awake in the morning.

An Air Purifier

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_B0N3DCkcY

I was sick all of Freshman year, which I partially attribute to the horrible air quality of a college dorm. I'm hoping that an air purifier will help my health and just make me feel better, maybe even sleep better? I've heard such great things so I'm really looking forward to trying one. Also, I have friends who said they stopped getting sick once they put an air purifier in their room, so it has to work.

A Headspace Subscription

https://www.pexels.com/photo/silhouette-of-man-at-daytime-1051838/

One of my many New Year's Resolutions this year was to start meditating in the morning. I didn't actually start until this summer, because who sticks to resolutions immediately? However, now I have started meditating regularly and it has made a huge difference. Learning to be present is just such a game changer. I see a difference in my mindset in the rest of my life, even after my ten minute morning meditation is over. Plus those ten minutes give me such a positive set up to my day and everything feels more relaxed and centered.