I was perusing the NOH archives recently and came across this vintage post called Ten Ways to Take Care of Yourself. Now wildly dated, my primary goal was to help out my fellow women by offering a few sound words of advice about life and how to survive. My passion remains the same now in 2026 — so it only seems reasonable to write a new and improved version of this post.
Over the past few years, there have been many emotional and physical highs and lows. We’ve changed career paths, moved states a few times, and consistently turned our worlds upside down. Usually, I stay true to my Gen X self and keep on going, ignoring any warning signs? But as I inch closer to 50, I’m reminded that I can’t just trash my body forever — especially since I know better.
There’s a difference between being sick and being worn down and depleted. You don’t want to reach the bottom point on your health and energy levels because you also can’t be there for anyone else.
You’ve spent more than enough years putting everyone else first. Today is the day that you make self-care habits for yourself that will stick!
What Exactly Is Self-Care?
Before you pull out the bubble bath or your credit cards to do some “therapy shopping”, that’s definitely not what I’m talking about here! We are not going to run away from your current life either. But we will be working on ways to make you enjoy your life more – which is way better if you ask me!
Self-care habits include things that are going to give your day and life more structure and help you have more energy throughout the day. It’s little tweaks and tasks that you can build on that will make a difference over time. Women over 40 know all too well that your hormones can be elusive so these habits are also hormone- and cortisol-friendly too. Taking care of yourself will make you feel and look great, allowing happiness and positivity to flow through you and radiate toward others, too. And who doesn’t want to be a glowing beacon of gorgeous every day??!
The 3 Pillars of Midlife Self-Care Habits
There are so many things you can start doing each day that may make a difference in your life, from nutrition to sleep to exercise and beyond. I myself have tried a range of self-care habits and I’m sharing my top ten self-care habits that will have the most impact on your daily life below. They are broken down into three core areas of focus:
- Reclaim Your Energy
- Declutter Your Mind
- Raise Your Standards
Reclaim Your Energy
Do you wake up feeling tired, need coffee in the afternoon to keep you going? Are you eating less and less but still see the scale ticking upwards or wondering what’s going on with your hormones? You are what you eat and while you may have been able to live ok on donuts and coffee in your teens and twenties, it’s not the way to be at your prime when you’re over 40. Here’s how to get your energy levels back to normal:
- Eat like your hormones matter — Caffeine is not the cure all food source. Now is the time to prioritize protein and make sure you’re consuming around 30g per meal so you can hit about 100-120g of protein daily. Grazing on crackers, cheeses, or sugary fruits has to stop so you can stabilize your blood sugar levels. Start your day off with a glass of water and a protein-rich meal within ninety minutes of waking up if you really want to stabilize your midlife metabolism.
- Move smart every day — Are you walking 10,000 steps every day? It’s key to resetting your nervous system and regulating your brain. This is not punishment; it’s an opportunity to get outside and connect with nature, experience the changing seasons, and maybe get to know your neighborhood a little better. While you may have been a cardio fiend in the past (hey fellow runners!), once you’re over 40 it’s time to consider transitioning to more strength training and less endless cardio to keep your body fit and lean.
- Sleep is your new best friend — Do you prioritize sleep and have a sleep ritual? I’ve always been one of those people who is fast to fall asleep but have experienced night sweats off and on for about a year which are a terror! And guess what — poor nutrition and elevated stress levels can definitely be correlated to my horrible sleep patterns. Drinking more than 1-2 alcoholic drinks in the evening will definitely cause my sleep disruptions (and I really do love my Old Fashioneds!) But so will not getting enough protein and eating general crap all day! For best results, build yourself a daily wind-down ritual with self-care habits like brushing your teeth, basic facial care, turning off screens, and allowing your brain to unwind. (Check out the download into below for my daily self-care habits cheat sheet!)
- Let the morning light in — Morning light is incredibly helpful for triggering a cortisol rise, which is what you need after you wake up to get your body moving. It’s best if you can spend at least 10-20 minutes outside in the sunlight within 1 hour of waking up. A simple stroll or dog walk, coffee on the front porch, or meditation on your patio resets your circadian rhythm and can help regulate your energy, mood, and sleep. Wake up long before the sun does? Don’t worry! You can still go outside as soon as its daylight and get the same effects. Or try turning on bright lights in your home to simulate the sun and wake yourself up.
Declutter Your Mind
When there is a lot of mental and physical clutter around, I definitely feel an impact on my productivity levels. While I try not to focus too much of my day on household habits, there is no doubt that cleaning a few counters or my desktop so I have a clean area to work in makes a huge difference. Here’s a few more ways you can increase your productivity and stay on top of life.
- Create a digital calendar for your life — Mental clutter will drain you, and there are few things more frustrating than forgetting appointments. Simplify your struggles by using a good digital calendar like Google to keep track of everything. You can color code calendars by person and repeat tasks or events with ease, You can even share your calendar with your spouse or other family members so everyone can sync up. But most important is just keeping everyone coordinated together so nothing gets overlooked – and so you don’t have to remember it all yourself!
- Reduce the visual “noise” — Did you know that the average home has about 300,000 items in it. If you have to find, rearrange, clean, and or interact with even 10% of those items daily, ,you’re brain is definitely going into micro-decision overdrive! I could go on about decluttering and simplifying your life for ages but getting rid of the things you don’t use or need is setting you up for your next stage of life. Wherever the transition may lead you, if you’re sitting in a house full of stuff, the last thing you want to do is put it all in storage or make someone else deal with it, right? So just release the things that no longer make you happy so someone else can enjoy them…and chip away at things a little bit every day while keeping your space cleaned up to create a peaceful mind.
- Ask for help (without apologizing) — If you’re like me, you may suffer from perfectionism or have trouble letting go of tasks that you think others will mess up. Being able to delegate or outsource tasks to others is a crucial part of great success, though. There will always be things that others can do more efficiently or will be better qualified for. if you have the luxury of getting help for certain tasks, give it a try and see how it goes. And know that having things done is usually “good enough” instead of making no progress at all.
- Close your kitchen every night — I detest waking up to a kitchen full of dishes and chaos. So every night before I go to bed, I make sure the dishes are washed, the sink is cleaned out, and there’s no cookware lurking in the corners. Creating this small “win” before bedtime clears your mind and will set up your morning for success psychologically as well when you walk in to a fresh, clean room.
Raise Your Standards
Setting boundaries and limitations for our life may not ensure we have the highest level of fun – but it may save you a hungover morning or two and prevent you from a panic attack or worse when the stress piles up. There are a few things I keep in mind daily when I want to set myself up for success and remember that I am worth going the extra mile for.
- Get fully dressed every day — I enjoy doing my fitness activities like weight lifting, yoga, or walking in the mornings to kick off my day. So it feels natural to progress to a shower and full grooming afterward. Even when you’re not working up a sweat, your body needs to be cared for and cleaned. And just me, your neighbors will also notice when you’re not checking the mail in your pajamas anymore. This one is to show yourself and your family that you are on top of things every day.
- Enjoy life – but remember the consequences — I’m the last one to tell you to give up all your vices. But there are benefits to minimizing the amount of alcohol you drink. You also need to give your body time to relax and destress on a regular basis. To recharge your batteries and focus on sleep. And punishing yourself with late nights and party time or lots of late work nights isn’t the healthiest strategy. Your midlife doesn’t have to be boring, but being more strategic is absolutely worthwhile.
- Learn to say “no” — We are people pleasers by nature so I have often found myself agreeing to do things that I didn’t necessarily want to do. But how to just say “no” to someone who needs your “help?” But consider this – there is a cost of opportunity for everything you say “yes” to. If you are helping a friend or donating your time, you have to give up that time with your family, growing your business, or taking care of yourself. So just make sure it’s a worthwhile request that you’re saying “yes” to.
Learn to Listen to Your Body
You know yourself better than anyone else. So take a moment each day to slow down and just listen to your body. How do you feel, what are you aches and pains, and what might you need to focus on to get yourself feeling 110%?
Beyond listening to yourself, there are also many tools you can use from smart watches to health tests that allow us to tune in to what’s happening with our bodies. If you feel like you’re hitting a wall, maybe it’s time to get some lab tests. If you want to check on your hormone, thyroid, allergies, or any other levels, you can order tests yourself online or speak with your GP who can order any test you may need (which may also be covered by your insurance.)
Wondering when to start? How about now? You never know when tomorrow might be too late.
Challenge Yourself Today
Are you ready to put your health and wellness first? I’ve got just the tool you need to jumpstart your success. Sign up for my free 10-day reset challenge today.
What you’ll get:
✔ A printable 10-Day Reset Checklist
✔ 10 simple daily habits that restore energy
✔ Gentle accountability emails
✔ A calm reset for your body and mind
And it only takes about 45 minutes a day.
No perfection required.
Do you have additional habits that you’re like to share? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
