The hottest Self-care Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Health & Wellness Topics

Bite-Sized Self-Care Challenge Day 18

QUALITY BOSS • 19 implied HN points • 18 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-care
  1. Spending time with pets can improve your mood and reduce stress. They offer companionship that can lead to feelings of happiness.
  2. Having a daily routine that includes cuddling with your pet helps start your day on a positive note. The simple act of snuggling can be uplifting.
  3. If you don't have a pet, you can still enjoy their company by visiting a friend’s pet or looking at cute animal videos online.

Bite-Sized Self-Care Challenge Day 17

QUALITY BOSS • 19 implied HN points • 17 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-care
  1. Smiling can help boost your mood and happiness, even if you have to fake it sometimes. It’s a simple way to feel a bit better.
  2. Taking a moment to smile, whether you have a reason or not, can be a fun self-care activity. It's okay if you don’t feel like smiling; you can choose another self-care idea instead.
  3. There’s some debate about whether fake smiles really improve your mood, but trying to smile can still be a good step towards feeling better.

Bite-Sized Self-Care Challenge Day 16

QUALITY BOSS • 19 implied HN points • 16 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-care
  1. Smells can bring back memories and feelings. A scent can remind you of a special moment in your life.
  2. Aromatherapy uses scents to help improve your mood and well-being. Even if you're not sure it works, it's nice to enjoy good smells.
  3. Take time to appreciate nice scents in your life. Whether it's flowers or food, stopping to smell them can make you feel happier.

Space to do whatever, Part II

Tech and Tea • 230 implied HN points • 15 Apr 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-care
  1. Creating space for creativity involves addressing foundational needs like rest, joy, and time for creation.
  2. Setting explicit schedules and boundaries can help carve out space for creativity, even within busy lifestyles.
  3. Understanding personal preferences for time of day for creativity, habits, and motivation is key to fostering a creative environment.
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Bite-Sized Self-Care Challenge Day 15

QUALITY BOSS • 19 implied HN points • 15 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-care
  1. Today's self-care challenge lets you pick any activity from the past days or create your own for five minutes. It's all about what makes you feel good.
  2. At the halfway mark, it's important to think about how these activities have affected your mood and energy. Recognizing positive changes can keep you motivated.
  3. You can mix and match activities, like combining mindfulness with fresh air. The goal is to find what works best for you.

Bite-Sized Self-Care Challenge Day 11

QUALITY BOSS • 19 implied HN points • 11 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-care
  1. Reading is a great way to relax and can take you to new worlds or teach you new things. Whether it's a book or an article, reading can feel like a mini-vacation for your mind.
  2. Spending just five minutes reading something you enjoy can boost your mood and stimulate your brain. It's a simple self-care practice anyone can do.
  3. Everyone has different reading preferences, so it's fun to explore different genres. Whether you like fiction, non-fiction, or poetry, there's a whole world of stories waiting for you.

How do you want to spend your time?

Tech and Tea • 230 implied HN points • 21 Mar 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-care
  1. Many people are reflecting on how they want to spend their time post-pandemic.
  2. Slowing down can lead to enjoying more activities, even if they seem unproductive.
  3. Balancing structured and unstructured time is important for satisfaction and finding joy in unexpected places.

Bite-Sized Self-Care Challenge Day Eight

QUALITY BOSS • 19 implied HN points • 08 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-care
  1. Singing in the shower can be a fun and stress-relieving activity. It allows you to let loose and enjoy your favorite songs without worrying about who's listening.
  2. Singing has several health benefits, like lowering stress and improving your mood. It might even help with lung health!
  3. The challenge encourages everyone to pick a favorite song and sing out loud. It's a great way to boost your spirits and make self-care enjoyable.

Bite-Sized Self-Care Challenge Day Seven

QUALITY BOSS • 19 implied HN points • 07 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-care
  1. Staying hydrated is super important for your health. Drinking enough water can help your mood, memory, and concentration.
  2. Most people need to drink about 6 to 8 cups of water a day. You can also check your urine color to see if you're hydrated.
  3. If you struggle to drink enough water, tracking your intake with an app might help. Little changes in how much you drink can make a big difference in how you feel.

5 simple (but effective) strategies for beating burnout

Tiny Empires • 49 implied HN points • 28 Nov 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-care
  1. Set clear work-life boundaries to avoid burnout. Make time for self-care and disconnect from work when your day is done.
  2. Automate and streamline your tasks to save time and reduce stress. Use tools to help keep track of your work and deadlines.
  3. Build a support network of friends and fellow entrepreneurs. Having people to talk to can help you feel less isolated and more motivated.

Bite-Sized Self-Care Challenge Day One

QUALITY BOSS • 19 implied HN points • 01 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-care
  1. The self-care challenge encourages taking a few minutes each day for self-care activities. It's about finding what works best for you.
  2. Day one focuses on breathing, which is an important but often overlooked aspect of well-being. Taking time to breathe properly can improve your health.
  3. You can try different breathing techniques like box breathing or 4-7-8 breathing. These exercises help you relax and center yourself.

Sorry I doubted you, Screen Time

The Rectangle • 113 implied HN points • 16 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-care
  1. Avoid looking at your phone first thing in the morning and last thing at night to resist the urge of always being on it.
  2. Limit social media usage to around 30 minutes a day to balance benefits like information and connection without negative effects like depression or anxiety.
  3. Using features like Screen Time on Apple devices can help manage screen time by setting daily limits on specific apps, fostering better usage habits.

New Year's Challenge: 30 Days of Bite-Sized Self-Care

QUALITY BOSS • 19 implied HN points • 27 Dec 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-care
  1. A 30-day self-care challenge starts on January 1, 2024, with small tips that take 5 minutes or less. It's an easy way to make self-care a daily habit.
  2. The goal is to encourage people to focus on things they enjoy rather than what they feel they should do. Enjoying life more can help reduce burnout.
  3. Besides self-care tips, other content like Quality Engineering Basics will continue in February. This shows that even while focusing on self-care, other interests can still be pursued.

The Trap of New Year's Resolutions

David Spinks' Newsletter • 3 implied HN points • 12 Dec 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-care
  1. New year goals often come from a belief that you are broken and need to be fixed, which just reinforces feelings of not being enough.
  2. A better approach is to start from a place of enoughness and pick goals because they bring joy, meaning, or align with your values, not to prove your worth.
  3. When goals come from enoughness you feel less stressed about outcomes and can focus on growth, connection, and what genuinely makes you happy; regular reflection helps you stay oriented toward that place.

Truths About Health and Fat People

Weight and Healthcare • 139 implied HN points • 10 Nov 21
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-care
  1. Health is a complex concept with many factors beyond our control, individual to each person.
  2. Health is not something anyone owes others, and judgments based on health status are inappropriate.
  3. Health is multifaceted and not entirely within our control; no behaviors guarantee specific health outcomes.

Motivational malaise

Running Probably • 59 implied HN points • 16 Mar 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-care
  1. Motivation for running can be challenging and fluctuates due to various factors like lack of sleep, stress, or weather.
  2. Listening to your body is important - if you're sick, tired, or sore, it's okay to take a break and prioritize rest.
  3. Establishing a solid pre-run routine can help combat lack of motivation and make it easier to get out the door.

In Times of Crisis, Enjoy The Silence.

OK Doomer • 29 implied HN points • 15 Feb 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-care
  1. Silence can be very beneficial for our mental health and focus. Taking time to enjoy quiet moments helps our brain work better.
  2. Life is becoming increasingly chaotic and normal seems far away. We need to adapt to these changes and find ways to cope with the new reality.
  3. Rest is important and shouldn't feel like a luxury. We all need to prioritize taking breaks for our well-being.

'Hip' to be on TikTok

My Home Office Hacks • 12 implied HN points • 14 Jul 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-care
  1. Taking care of your knees and hips is really important if you sit a lot during the day. There are helpful exercises on TikTok that you can try.
  2. Some specific exercises for knees and hips can make a big difference in how you feel. It’s worth checking out videos that show these movements.
  3. TikTok can be a distraction, so it's smart to download useful videos instead of just bookmarking them. This way, you won’t get sucked into scrolling for too long.

Jump...

Notes in the Margins • 19 implied HN points • 19 Nov 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-care
  1. Trusting your intuition is crucial, even when past experiences may make you doubt yourself.
  2. Our gut instinct is a valuable decision-making tool that can be more reliable than overthinking things in our brains.
  3. Confidence, boundary-setting, and self-trust are key elements that many seek to improve through coaching.

Leadership Lab #23 | Being in your Funk

The Leadership Lab • 78 implied HN points • 28 Feb 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-care
  1. Funks happen, and it's important to accept and be in them. Avoid having an avoidance mindset and shift towards an approach mindset.
  2. Navigate through a funk by focusing on balancing stress and rest cycles rather than overworking or completely avoiding work.
  3. Practice awareness, acceptance, and letting go to move through a funk. Embrace the journey of being in a funk instead of trying to escape it.

No longer on Easy Mode

I have thoughts • 59 implied HN points • 22 Jun 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-care
  1. Recognize the impact of prolonged stress on mental health and physical wellbeing. It's important to prioritize self-care and rest.
  2. Acknowledge and share struggles with others. Everyone faces challenges, and it's okay to seek support and camaraderie.
  3. Remember to find moments of joy and connection amidst difficulties. These can help sustain and uplift us during tough times.

My journey overcoming Anxiety, ADHD and Depression

Ben’s Blog 🏉 🧠🧑‍💻 • 40 implied HN points • 23 Oct 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-care
  1. Low energy can be a major cause of anxiety, ADHD, and depression. Improving your energy levels might help improve your mental health.
  2. Small lifestyle changes like better sleep and nutrition can make a big difference. It's important to figure out what keeps your energy up.
  3. Talking about your struggles is valuable. Many people feel the same way, and sharing your story can create connections and support.

Story Fifteen

Stories From The Rail • 99 implied HN points • 27 Feb 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-care
  1. Poignant experiences can vary greatly from person to person based on individual context and feelings.
  2. Having the right tools, like a rollator, can significantly increase independence and freedom for individuals with mobility challenges.
  3. Exploring and finding new paths can help break free from the confines of a limited world, bringing a sense of wild joy and the opportunity to create new soundtracks.

What is #Aftercare and Why is it Critical to Sexual Intimacy and Health?

Ladyparts • 119 implied HN points • 28 Nov 21
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-care
  1. Aftercare in sexual intimacy refers to the care and support provided to each other after sex, not to school programs for kids.
  2. Aftercare involves consent, boundaries, communication, and is considered an important part of a healthy sexual relationship.
  3. Understanding the concept of aftercare in sexual intimacy can improve overall sexual satisfaction and well-being in a relationship.

I'm 40 🎂

Ben’s Blog 🏉 🧠🧑‍💻 • 36 implied HN points • 12 Nov 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-care
  1. You are more than your job. It's important to remember that your worth isn't tied to your work performance.
  2. Taking care of yourself is crucial. If you want to support others, make sure you're prioritizing your own well-being.
  3. Your energy affects your mental health. It's not just about sleeping well or eating right; how you manage stress and spend time with loved ones also matters.

I gave up my $800k/yr Google AI job in the hope of having a baby. 

Aditi’s Substack • 4 HN points • 17 May 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-care
  1. The author left an $800k/yr Google AI job to focus on having a baby after struggling with burnout and health issues. This decision led to a fulfilling experience of motherhood and healing.
  2. Following instincts and dreams is important, as shown by the author's journey of listening to her body's signals, trusting her dreams, and making conscious choices.
  3. Prioritizing personal happiness, well-being, and creating a thriving environment for oneself and one's child is worth more than financial success, as highlighted in the author's story of finding joy and contentment in motherhood.

Cheers to a (California) sober 2025

Sex and the State • 29 implied HN points • 31 Dec 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-care
  1. Going sober for a year can help you realize what alcohol actually adds or takes away from your life. It's about finding clarity and feeling more present.
  2. Being sober means facing your emotions rather than hiding from them with drinks. This can help you deal with social anxiety and other feelings more effectively.
  3. Living without alcohol can lead to better energy and memory. The focus shifts from seeking fun through drinking to enjoying life as it is.

Take a break

Klement on Investing • 2 implied HN points • 05 Dec 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-care
  1. Breaks framed as happening between tasks reduce stress and stop you from ruminating, so you can mentally switch off.
  2. That benefit appears whether the break is expected or surprising and even if the task is just mentally split, meaning how you frame the break matters more than its exact timing.
  3. Break big tasks into smaller chunks and take a break after each chunk to get a sense of accomplishment and improve performance when you return.

Why It's Important to Be Happy: an Instruction for Empaths

Tessa Fights Robots • 35 implied HN points • 21 Oct 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-care
  1. It's important to prioritize your own happiness; you are not a sacrifice for others. Taking care of yourself allows you to genuinely help others too.
  2. Feeling the pain of others can lead to self-destructive behavior. It's better to find a balance where you can support others without losing yourself.
  3. Real love and healing come from within. Being happy and nurturing yourself empowers you to contribute positively to the world.