48 IDEAS · WEEKLY CHECKLIST · PRINTABLE

Printable self-care checklist and weekly menu

Pick self-care ideas by time (5 minutes to half a day), area and cost, tick them off each day and print a one-page weekly self-care checklist. Free.

A self-care checklist card with blue ticks, herbal tea, bath salts, a candle, a yoga mat, a book and wool socks under a garden scene

The short answer

A self-care checklist is a short, personal list of things that help you feel rested and steady, sorted by the time they take: a few 5-minute ideas for every day, some 30-minute ones for a few times a week and one bigger thing each week. Tick what you actually did and change the list when it stops helping.

How to use the self-care checklist

Keep the example or pick your own ideas. Choose up to four ideas for each list: every day (5 minutes), a few times a week (30 minutes) and once a week or month (half a day). Filter by body, mind, people or space, or by free.
Tick what you actually did. Tap the box next to an idea on the day you did it. The dots under each idea show your week, Monday to Sunday.
Print it or keep it on your phone. The printout has a box for every day of the week. Save as image makes a wallpaper, so the menu is there when you have five spare minutes.
Review on Sunday. Keep what you used, swap out what you skipped. A menu that fits your real week beats a long list of ideal habits.

A self-care menu sorts ideas by the time they take, so on a tired evening you choose from a short list instead of deciding from scratch. Every idea above is in one of these three lists; here is a sample from each.

Time	How often	Examples
5 minutes	Every day	A glass of water, daylight at the door, six slow breaths, text a friend, make your bed
30 minutes	A few times a week	A walk, a bath without your phone, a chapter of a book, a call with a friend, tidy one drawer
Half a day	Once a week or month	A phone-free afternoon, a long walk in nature, a picnic with a friend, declutter one room

The four areas: body, mind, people and space

Body: water, food, movement, sleep and rest. The National Institute of Mental Health lists these first in its self-care advice.
Mind: quiet time, reading, journaling, a break from screens. Try a short meditation timer session or a journal prompt.
People: a call, a walk with a friend, helping someone. Staying connected is on every self-care list for a reason.
Space: your room, your desk and your phone. Ten minutes of tidying or muting a busy group chat changes how the rest of the day feels.

For more ideas with the reasoning behind each one, read the self-care ideas guide. If kind words help you too, the affirmation cards print 12 on a page. Want to try many small ideas over a month instead? Play self-care bingo, alone or with a group.

Frequently asked questions

What should be on a self-care checklist?

A mix of body, mind, people and space: something that moves or rests your body, something that quiets your head, someone to talk to and one small tidy-up. Four quick ideas for every day, four for a free evening and two or three bigger ones is plenty. The menu above starts with an example you can change.

How do I make a self-care menu?

Sort ideas by how much time they take, not by how good they sound. When you have 5 minutes you pick from the first list, when you have an evening from the second. That way you never have to decide from scratch when you are already tired.

What are some free self-care ideas?

Step outside for daylight, drink a glass of water slowly, stretch, take six slow breaths, write three lines in a journal, call a friend, make your bed, take a walk or a library visit. Filter the ideas above by Free to see all of them.

How often should I do self-care?

A little every day and something bigger once a week works for most people. Daily 5-minute ideas are easier to keep than a monthly spa day, and the weekly checklist shows you which ones you actually use.

Can I print the self-care checklist?

Yes. Print checklist gives your menu on one Letter or A4 page with a box for each day of the week and empty lines for your own ideas. Print blank gives the same page with every line empty. Save as image makes a phone wallpaper of your menu.

Is self-care enough when I feel really low?

No. Self-care helps with everyday stress, but it is not treatment. If you have felt low, anxious or unable to cope for two weeks or more, talk to a doctor or a mental health professional. In the US you can call or text 988 at any time.

Where are my ticks saved?

Only in this browser on this device, including your menu, your own ideas and your ticks. Nothing is sent to our server and there is no sign-up.

Sources and evidence

National Institute of Mental Health: Caring for your mental health — Defines self-care as taking the time to do things that help you live well and improve both physical and mental health, lists regular exercise, healthy meals, water, sleep, relaxing activities, goals, gratitude and staying connected, and says to seek professional help for severe or distressing symptoms that last two weeks or more.
World Health Organization: Self-care interventions for health — Defines self-care as the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote and maintain their own health, prevent disease and cope with illness, with or without the support of a health or care worker.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — Free, confidential support by call, text or chat, 24 hours a day, in the United States.
Harkin et al. (2016): Does monitoring goal progress promote goal attainment? — Across 138 studies, monitoring progress improved goal attainment, more so when progress was physically recorded, as with a checklist you tick.

Stay in the loop

New plans, guides and app features, a few times a month at most.