5 Self-Care Tips to Start 2026 Strong

Spa days and candles are great, but real self‑care goes deeper. January brings big goals and bold intentions, and whether you’re chasing fitness, better nutrition, business growth, more patience, or a career milestone, it all starts with taking care of yourself first. Here are some tips that can help you in the coming year.

Get Enough (Good) Sleep

It's easy to get wrapped up in a project, a Netflix binge, or a good book and lose track of time. What about checking Instagram before bed and then realizing an hour (or more) has passed?

Commit to improving your sleep hygiene this year if you want to improve your quality of sleep. Clean up your bedtime habits: turn off the screens, determine your optimal bedtime to get the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep, and keep your wake-up time consistent.

Develop a Routine 

Putting the same things you do every day, week, and month on autopilot can help remove a great deal of stress from your day. Make a list of the things you need (or want) to do every day to determine where you can build or enhance your routine.

Don't feel like you need to overhaul everything all at once. For example, if you start with setting a consistent bedtime and a regular wake-up time, once you begin to notice the changes, assess what tweaks you can make from there. If you find yourself waking up earlier, you could turn those mornings into time for a workout, meditation, or catching up on emails.

Hydrate

Dehydration can make you fatigued, affect your concentration, and in general, prevent you from feeling your best. Get a cute water bottle, slap some motivational stickers on there, and keep it by your side all day as your go‑to reminder to sip often.

Check In With Your People

It's hard to go it alone when you're going after your goals. Make sure you have a trusted friend or group of friends to be your sounding board as you work to make your dreams a reality. 

Whatever your situation looks like in the New Year, be sure to tap into your support network. Human connection is vital to health and wellbeing.

Be Kind To Yourself

Tune in to how you talk to and about yourself, and choose language that’s kind. Those small shifts in self‑talk can change the way you show up in every part of your life.

Reaching your goals isn’t always easy. Treat yourself the way you’d treat your closest friend, and when discouragement hits, offer yourself the same advice you’d give them.

Whatever you're doing to make 2026 your year, be patient and kind to yourself.