Some might think of luxury vacations or extravagant shopping when talking about self-care. However, this is different from what self-care means. Practicing self-care is the act of being mindful of one’s limit, capacity, and health. It is intentionally engaging in activities that can improve one’s mental state.
Additionally, self-care refers to a wide range of practices, activities, and perspectives that nurture one’s self. A quote by Brianna West puts it, “True self-care is not salt baths and chocolate cake, it is making the choice to build a life you don’t need to regularly escape from.”
Self-care is so important today because of the increasing mental health cases of depression and anxiety. A survey states that participants experience benefits like enhanced self-confidence (64%), increased productivity (67%), and happiness (71%).
Self-care is not only important for people with problems nor does it have to be expensive. This article will list unique and helpful self-care workshop ideas that you can implement for your events.
Benefits of Self-Care Activities
Self-care activities may seem time-consuming but they can be productive. When people invest in self-care, they experience positive benefits in their physical, mental, social, and emotional health.
People can function better when they are at their best selves. They are more sustainable with what they do when they are not stressed or burned out.
This article lists different self-care activities separated into groups that event planners can use for their self-care workshop planning. All these self-care activities can contribute to attendees’ increased energy, self-esteem, self-awareness, and more. Let’s start!
Article Outline
Self-Care Activities for Kids
Painting
Provide kids with a calming and soothing activity to express their emotions and imagination. Painting is one of the engaging self-care activities that can be applied to different ages. This is because it gives opportunities for participants to breathe and quiet down while expressing their feelings.
Outdoor Exercise
Release some energy and endorphins with a fun outdoor activity. For kids who are into sports, you can play soccer, basketball, ultimate frisbee, golf, hiking, etc. Additionally, set up fun and friendly tournaments to encourage engagement among participants. Group fitness classes are also an option for those who are not into sports.
Picnic Time
Enjoy each other’s company with a picnic session. A big part of self-care is building bonds through community and bonding. Ask participants to bring their favorite snacks and share them with the whole group. Add some fun like music and live entertainment or creative activities like arts and crafts.
Mindful Playtime
Children are always bursting with so much energy. Channel this into something productive like setting up mindful playtime in a group setting.
Mindful playtime is essential for a child’s overall development and well-being. Engaging in mindful activities for kids enables emotion regulation, stress reduction, and reduction in screen time.
Clay activity or Slime Making
Working with clay or making slime can be a soothing and tactile experience. The process of kneading, shaping, and molding materials can help kids relax and reduce stress. It allows them to focus on the sensory aspects of the activity and be fully present in the moment.
Nutritious Food Making
Teach kids to value their physical health with a nutritious cooking workshop. Taking care of one’s health is a form of self-care because a healthy body results in a more positive and productive life. After the workshop, participants will be inspired to practice mindful eating and start to develop healthy eating habits.
Prepare easy-to-prepare, fun, but delicious recipes for the kids. Some ideas include vegetable stir fry, Greek Yogurt Parfait, Avocado Toast, Quinoa Salad, etc.
Self-Care Activities for Adults
Facial Session
Nothing beats a pampering session after a stressful work week. Partner with a spa or a venue that can cater to a facial treatment. It’s a chance to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life, unwind in a tranquil environment, and practice self-care.
Journaling
As mentioned earlier, self-care does not need to be expensive or complex. It can be as simple as carving time to capture your thoughts and develop reflections about your life. Journaling encourages mindfulness by requiring you to be present with your thoughts and emotions. It promotes self-compassion and self-acceptance at no extra cost.
Cooking or Baking
Preparing a meal from scratch gives a sense of accomplishment and independence. Participants can enjoy the sensory pleasure of different foods and flavors after the workshop. The self-care workshop can be patterned after the specific food or treats that attendees consider as self-care.
Massage Session
Relieve your body’s tension with a relaxing massage session. Nurturing your physical health helps a lot with the attendee’s overall well-being. A massage workshop session can be interactive by involving a study of body mechanics, massage techniques, and information on massage oils and therapies.
Personal Boundary Setting
Self-care is all about setting healthy boundaries. Start with an overview of what personal boundaries are and why they are essential for well-being and healthy relationships. Discuss the different types of boundaries, including physical, emotional, and time boundaries.
Customize activities where attendees can set boundary-building techniques and boundary action plans.
Nature Walk
Nature paired with physical movement is healing. Guided Meditation in nature is a self-care activity that allows participants to clear their minds and breathe fresh air. Nature walks encourage mindfulness and being present in the moment.
One popular event now is called Boardwalk where people sign up and gather to walk 10,000 steps while discussing different topics. It has been a successful group activity in the city as people build connections with other people.
Self-Care Activities for the Workplace
Meditation
A clear mind is important for one’s productivity and efficiency. Meditation gives opportunities for self-care as it helps one bring awareness and improve focus. Additionally, it is proven to help manage emotions and reduce stress levels.
The group can engage in meditation activities like breath awareness meditation, mindfulness, breathing techniques, group sharing, etc.
Goal or Vision Board Designing
Give your workshop participants a renewed sense of inspiration and peace as you organize a corporate workshop for self-awareness and goal designing.
Help your participants transform their disposition from lost to motivated when they discover what they are truly working towards in life. This can be a good group activity in the workplace as they unite and work towards their vision for their team.
Counseling Session
The workplace can be the most common place of stress. Because of employees’ busy lives, it is easy to neglect the need for a mental health check-up.
A counseling session at work provides a safe space for employees to air out their feelings and thoughts and develop a self-care plan. Professional counselors can also help teach coping strategies and give validation and support which are important factors in improving employees’ mental health and performance.
Ergonomic Workshop
Ergonomics is defined in the dictionary as the science of designing and arranging things that people use so they can interact with them most safely and efficiently.
An ergonomics workshop can focus on priming the employee’s workplace so they can reduce physical strain and lessen discomfort at work.
Yoga or Tai chi
Relax with a session of yoga or tai chi during work breaks. Yoga enhances the mind-body connection by emphasizing the importance of being present in the moment and tuning into physical sensations.
Fun Self-Care Activities for Students
Book Club
Students are constantly stressed with academics and schoolwork. A book club can be a form of intellectual stimulation that can keep participant’s minds active and engaged.
Being immersed in a good book helps one to take their mind off things and develop different perspectives. Additionally, being part of a book club is a great way for student groups to strengthen group bonds and engage in mindful conversation.
Learning a New Language
Boosting one’s self-confidence is one way of productive self-care. Learning a new language can connect you with a community of like-minded learners and native speakers. Building these connections can foster a sense of belonging and support.
Scrapbooking
Take a reflective look at your life as you create a scrapbook of your life and experiences. The workshop can focus on a theme or experience of your life. Students can take the time to reflect on lessons learned along the way. Scrapbooking is also a creative outlet for emotional expression.
Learning a New Musical Instrument
Music can evoke different emotions. It can promote a sense of calm and relaxation for the listener. Learning a new musical instrument is an investment that can boost one’s self-confidence and creative thinking. Some people turn to music when they undergo pressure to unwind and release stress.
Self-Care Ideas for the Elderly
Knitting or Crochet
The relaxing movement of knitting or crocheting promotes a sense of calm and enjoyment for the elderly. Aside from a creative outlet, this hobby can be turned into a side project for extra profit. Workshop attendees can feel a sense of accomplishment once they make a profit out of this self-care activity.
Board Games
Playing board games with people can build a sense of belonging and community. Social interactions are a form of self-care because they reduce isolation and stress. Additionally, a fun round of board games helps build memories and connections among each other.
There are a variety of different games that cater to different interests. Examples of board games are Scrabble, Bingo, Chess, Checkers, Dominos, Card Games, etc.
Dance Classes
A fun way to stay active is through a dance session tailored to your community’s favorite songs. Hire a professional dance instructor who can teach moves that are elderly-friendly. To conclude the workshop, you can organize an exciting gala event.
Gardening Inspired Workshops
The quote “Slow down and smell the flowers” is famous for a reason. It’s a relatable reminder to be present and live in the present moment. A gardening workshop helps participants to do that.
Some topics and activities to consider are mindful gardening, herb creation, herbal tea blending, sensory exploration, farm-to-table planning, etc. The gardening-inspired workshop is not only relaxing but it brings benefits to your group by raising awareness about sustainability.
Host a Self-Care Workshop for your Community
With all the ideas listed above, you can easily start planning for a self-care workshop for your group. Make registration smooth for your attendees with platforms like Event Espresso and Event Smart.
Create a series of workshops and collect payments securely with the numerous features that come with it. Event Espresso is a WordPress plug-in while Event Smart is for people who don’t use the WordPress platform.
Check out our live demo or our 14-day free trial now.