How to develop a self care plan: 5 steps to get started

When life gets busy, self-care is often the first thing to slip through the cracks. There’s always another deadline, another errand, another responsibility pulling your attention away from your own well-being.

That’s why having a self-care plan matters. It helps you break the cycle of waiting for the “right time” to care for yourself. Instead, you commit to making space—daily, weekly, or monthly—for the practices that support your mental well-being and physical health. As a result, you’re able to recharge before burnout sets in and stay energized, present, and focused.

A self-care plan isn’t selfish. It’s a vital tool that helps you show up as your best self for your work, your loved ones, and the things that matter most. 

What is a self-care plan? 

A self-care plan is a set of daily, weekly, or monthly activities designed to boost your inner and outer well-being. Self-care isn’t just about pampering or grooming yourself, although that can be part of it. 

By following a self-care plan, you take care of your holistic wellness. When you make time each day to nourish yourself, it helps you live a healthier, happier, and more fulfilling life. Self-care plans also prevent you from falling into bad habits and equip you with coping skills that help you manage stressful situations and challenging life events.

Self-care plans are a lifelong journey, and they look different from one person to the next. That’s because everyone has a unique set of physical and emotional needs they need to fulfill. You may feel energized after an intense workout, while someone else may prefer to meditate instead. Self-care strategies that work for you may not work for someone else. 

The benefits of developing a self-care plan 

Self-care isn’t just a feel-good trend—it’s a research-backed practice that supports both your emotional and physical health. 

From a psychological perspective, self-care taps into a process called behavioral activation. This practical coping strategy is used in cognitive behavioral therapy to help people improve their mood through meaningful action.

When you’re feeling low, overwhelmed, or stuck, even the smallest tasks can feel difficult to start. But research on behavioral activation shows that taking even one intentional step, like walking outside, calling a friend, or tidying up your space, can begin to shift your mental state.

That’s what makes a self-care plan so powerful. When you build a routine around actions that support your well-being, you’re not just getting through the day—you’re helping your brain move out of stress and avoidance and into a state where it’s easier to think clearly, take action, and feel more emotionally grounded.

Over time, these small, repeated choices reinforce healthier patterns, making it easier to care for yourself and manage stressors as they come.

Here are five more reasons to develop a self-care plan: 

• Improve your mental health and well-being: Self-care activities like mindfulness and time outdoors can boost your resilience, build your mental fitness, and prevent emotional exhaustion. Regular exercise is one self-care activity that’s especially powerful—it improves your mood by releasing chemicals like endorphins and serotonin.
• Reduce stress and anxiety: When we practice self-care, the parasympathetic nervous system is activated, allowing us to relax our minds and bodies. According to Dr. Herbert Benson, some of the best self-care practices that counter the stress response include deep abdominal breathing, yoga, and visualization.
• Prevent illness: Research shows that taking care of yourself consistently can help prevent health conditions like heart disease, stroke, and cancer. The more you practice self-care, the more likely you are to stay healthy.
• Boost your productivity: Self-care is the key to becoming more productive at home and at work. Dr. Russell Thackeray, a licensed clinical psychologist, explains that people who practice self-care have better cognitive abilities, including better focus and concentration.
• Strengthen your relationships: Finding time to show yourself kindness isn’t selfish at all. It prevents burnout and makes you a better friend, caregiver, work colleague, or romantic partner. 

6 types of self-care

Think of your self-care plan as your personal dopamine menu: a go-to list of activities that help you shift your state when you're feeling low, unfocused, or overwhelmed. 

Popularized in ADHD treatment, the idea of a dopamine menu is a modern take on behavioral activation. Instead of forcing productivity, you choose small, feel-good actions that spark motivation and help you re-engage with the world around you.

The goal isn’t to check every box. It’s to create a menu of options that meet your needs in different moments, whether you need to recharge, reset, or reconnect. 

To build your own well-rounded self-care plan, explore these six types of self-care:

1. Physical self-care

The physical aspect of self-care involves making lifestyle choices that help you stay fit, healthy, and energized. Here’s how to look after your physical well-being: 

• Exercise daily 
• Go on nature walks 
• Have regular checkups with your health care providers 
• Eat a well-balanced diet rich in nutrients 
• Maintain a healthy circadian rhythm by having a good sleep hygiene
• Quit smoking 
• Drink in moderation 
• Get enough sleep 

Physical self-care is all about forming healthy habits that enhance your well-being and ditching unhealthy ones.

2. Mental 

This type of self-care is all about tending to your mental well-being—in other words, taking care of your thoughts and emotions. Your inner dialogue and the way you speak to yourself play a big role in how you perceive yourself and the rest of the world.

Mental self-care also involves training your mind. Just as you train your body to keep it fit, you also need to keep your mind sharp. This improves your ability to deal with stress and navigate big life changes.

These mental self-care habits can help you keep your mind healthy and sharp:

• Learn something new 
• Work with a coach to strengthen your mindset

• Engage in a hobby you love 
• Take a break from your phone
• Practice positive self-talk

3. Emotional self-care

Emotional well-being focuses on bringing awareness to our emotional needs by becoming conscious of our feelings. This awareness allows us to process our feelings in a healthy way, by focusing on positive emotions and managing the negative ones. 

Here’s a quick self-care checklist for boosting your emotional health:

• Start journaling
• Practice self-compassion
• Observe your thoughts without judging
• Practice gratitude 
• Use breathwork to regulate emotions
• Do acts of kindness 
• Try therapy or join a support group 
• Engage in shadow work or inner child work to heal deeper emotional wounds

Emotional self-care helps you respond rather than react to life’s challenges. Responding means you’re measured and thoughtful when you approach a situation. Reacting, on the other hand, is an immediate emotional response that usually results in a negative outcome.

4. Spiritual self-care

Spiritual self-care is about connecting to something greater than yourself, whether that’s nature, community, a personal belief system, or simply a sense of purpose. You don’t need to be religious to nurture your spiritual well-being. This kind of self-care helps you feel more grounded, centered, and connected to your values.

Here are a few ways to support your spiritual self-care:

• Practice meditation and mindfulness
• Make time for stillness and silence
• Explore practices that align with your beliefs or traditions
• Volunteer in your community or contribute to a cause you care about

5. Social self-care

Social self-care involves nurturing the relationships that support, energize, and uplift you. Meaningful connection is essential to overall well-being, whether it comes from close friendships, family bonds, or simple shared experiences. 

According to the World Happiness Report by Gallup, even something as small as sharing one meal a week with another person is linked to significantly higher life satisfaction and more positive emotions. This shows that social self-care doesn’t require a packed calendar. It’s about being intentional with your time and choosing relationships that feel safe, fulfilling, and aligned with who you are.

Here are a few ways to care for your social well-being:

• Reach out to a friend you trust
• Spend quality time with friends and family
• Set healthy boundaries in draining relationships
• Join a social group or community that shares your interests
• Say yes to connection but also give yourself permission to say no

When you prioritize social self-care, you strengthen your relationships and your overall sense of belonging, one meaningful interaction at a time.

6. Professional self-care 

Professional self-care is any activity that helps you thrive in the workplace while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Engaging in activities that help you develop professionally and bring you a sense of fulfillment, like doing Inner Work™ or applying for a promotion, is one example of self-care in the workplace. 

Here are a few other occupational self-care practices: 

• Use your vacation days 
• Learn a new soft skill
• Work for a company that prioritizes employee wellness 
• Become a mentor 
• Set professional goals

How to develop a self-care plan: 5 steps

The right self-care plan for you is the one that meets your individual needs. Start your personalized self-care plan today by taking the following steps:

1. Take a look at your current habits 

Before building your self-care plan, start with a clear picture of where you are now. Take some time to observe what habits you naturally turn to when life feels overwhelming. 

Maybe you scroll on your phone after work to decompress or pull away from friends and family when you're stressed. These are coping strategies, even if they aren't always helpful.

Take an honest inventory of the behaviors you rely on. Noticing your current patterns makes it easier to identify what’s already working and what you might want to shift.

2. Identify your self-care needs

Think about what you value most in your day-to-day life. Make a list of all your physical, mental, emotional, and professional needs. A good example of a self-care plan is one that considers all areas of well-being.

Writing down your needs can be a real eye-opener. For example, after some reflection, you may discover you’re already meeting your physical needs through daily exercise, but you’re neglecting your emotional needs.

3. Write down practices that support your needs 

Now it’s time to decide what self-care activities will help you meet your needs. Consider asking yourself questions like: 

• What activities bring me joy? 
• What helps me feel energized?
• When do I feel at peace? 
• What makes me feel fulfilled? 
• What’s helped me cope with difficult moments in my life?

Write down the self-care practices that you plan to do daily and those you’ll only do once in a while. For instance, you’ll want to eat healthy every day, but you may only schedule dinner with a friend once a week.

4. Fit them into your schedule

Prioritizing self-care amid a busy schedule can seem difficult, but keep in mind that self-care isn't selfish. It's an act of kindness. Creating pockets of time throughout the day for intentional self-care is a powerfully affirming practice, not only for yourself but for those around you.

Instead of jamming all sorts of activities into your day, start small. Choose one habit that no longer serves you and gently replace it with a self-care practice that feels nourishing. 

One simple way to do this is through habit stacking—linking a new, supportive behavior to something you already do each day. For example, you might take a few deep breaths after brushing your teeth or stretch for five minutes after closing your laptop.

Start with the self-care activities you need and value most. Your priorities will also change from time to time. If you’re battling a cold, for example, your physical needs take precedence over professional self-care. 

5. Commit to your self-care plan 

Now that you’ve identified the habits holding you back, it’s time to make space for the ones that truly support you. Letting go of unhelpful patterns isn’t about perfection—it’s about progress.

Commitment means showing up for yourself, even on the hard days. Start by choosing practices that feel realistic and meaningful to you, and build them into your routine with intention.

You’re more likely to stay consistent when you feel supported. Share your plan with someone you trust—a friend, family member, or coach—who can encourage you and celebrate your progress along the way. Small steps add up when you keep going.

Create a self-care plan that helps you thrive

Remember that your self-care plan can also be as flexible as you need it to be. You’ll have your good days and your bad days. Don’t be too hard on yourself when things don’t go as planned. You can always have a fresh start. 

If you need some extra support, working with a BetterUp Coach can help you clarify your values, set meaningful goals, and build self-care into your everyday life.