Looking for a way to jumpstart or improve your self-care routine this year? In addition to setting goals that promote daily self-care, you might want to use a self-care checklist.
This type of checklist not only allows you to monitor if you’re on track in accomplishing your goals, it’s also a great reminder that you’re accountable for your own well-being.
The American Psychological Association published an article online that emphasizes the importance of taking care of ourselves, especially since we’ve all gone through challenging experiences in the past several years.
Today, we’ve rounded up 15 cool examples of checklists you can download and print for free and use to establish a routine for taking care of yourself amidst all the challenges life dishes out to you.
Before we get to the examples, let’s clear up some misconceptions about self-care.
What Is Self-Care, Really?
Self-care has become a trend in recent times. You’ve probably noticed that there are a number of products and services claiming to be “essential” for self-care.
Self-care has also become synonymous with selfishness, with many people only indulging in experiences that give them pleasure and avoiding those that make them uncomfortable or challenge them.
However, real self-care doesn’t necessarily mean shelling out money to relax, rebalance, and recharge yourself.
Self-care is actually about taking good care of yourself in the midst of all the challenging experiences and difficult situations you find yourself in.
Taking breaks does not mean totally abandoning the life you currently have.
Nonetheless, you need to take necessary steps to ensure your physical, mental, and emotional health.
There are real, actionable steps you can take to care for your physical health and overall well-being. That’s the true essence of self-care.
For example, you can take a break if you are tired. From time to time, you might want to unplug yourself from the daily grind.
You might also allow yourself to relish being in nature and not surrounded by gadgets that blink, beep, and whirr.
Are you ready for our checklists? Here we go!
15 Self-Care Checklist Printables
1. Jenn’s Daily Self-Care Printable
This simple checklist is pre-filled with several daily self-care practices that benefit your mental, spiritual, physical, and emotional well-being.
There is a checkbox beside each item, so it’s easy to keep track of whether you’ve already:
Signing up for their newsletter gives you a password to the resources library, where the PDF version of this printable can be accessed and downloaded.
2. Self-Care Coloring Checklist
Coloring activities can help adults settle into a mindful state and lessen their anxiety and stress. This idea has been incorporated into this self-care coloring checklist.
It features three different border designs, which you can color while keeping track of your self-care routine. The checklist has a weekly self-care tracker, with suggested self-care affirmations and activities such as “I recognize I am enough” and “I did something creative.”
The lower half of this checklist allows you to write five self-care priorities that you can track for an entire week.
Subscribing to their newsletter gives you a link to a PDF version of this checklist.
3. Aesthetic Self-Care List
This checklist is tastefully designed with a pastel color palette. It comes in two versions: a pre-filled one and a blank template.
The checklist allows you to monitor your daily self-care routine and easily shows you if you’re on track.
The pre-filled version has self-care tasks such as:
The blank template also has sufficient space for writing 10 self-care activities/practices that make up your daily routine.
As with most of the checklists in this post, signing up for the newsletter is necessary to access the printable.
4. Linda’s Simple Checklist (Pre-filled and Blank)
If you’re looking for a template that has a simple design, here’s one you might like from Linda of Tortagialla.
The checklist has pre-filled and blank versions. It has a light green theme and has a cute drawing on the header.
This checklist is also a weekly tracker for your self-care routine.
You can access the PDF version of this checklist directly by clicking any of the two links found at the lower part of the page in the original post.
5. Because You’re So Worth It
This free printable checklist doubles as an infographic. It features several ways you can practice self-care throughout the day, with a corresponding graphic for each item.
You can download this checklist immediately after clicking the link found towards bottom of the page in the creator’s original post.
6. Kecia’s Printable Checklist
This checklist is blank and allows you to write 12 tasks that make up your self-care routine.
You can use this checklist to track your commitment to taking care of yourself by putting checkmarks on those days of the week when you’ve accomplished a task.
Space at the bottom of the page is designated for writing down your weekly reflections.
A PDF version of this checklist opens when you click the image found at the bottom of the original post.
7. Blank Printable Self-Care Template
This template comes in blank and pre-filled versions. The blank version has space for writing eight tasks, with a checkbox right before each item.
Meanwhile, the pre-filled checklist features tasks such as:
This template can be downloaded directly from the site as a .jpeg file.
8. Blue & Pink Checklist
If you love the combination of blue and pink, here’s the perfect checklist for you.
This daily checklist features hearts instead of checkboxes. It’s up to you whether to make every item on this list a part of your daily self-care routine, or you can choose only those activities or practices that resonate with you.
A link directs you to a downloadable PDF version of this checklist.
9. Mom’s Checklist for Self-Care
What have you been putting off that is supposed to be part of your self-care routine?
This checklist helps clarify the areas of your self-care routine that you need to pay attention to.
The nurturing nature of most women often causes them to miss out on self-care. This checklist was designed with women in mind.
It serves as a reminder that it’s very important to take care of their own well-being, not only to avoid burnout, but also because it’s only when they’re mentally, physically, and emotionally well that they can give their best selves to those they care about. [Check out this post for some self-care ideas for women to avoid burnout.]
Signing up for the newsletter is necessary to access the printable checklist.
10. Daily Self-Care Ideas Checklist
This checklist features several ideas for self-care tasks and activities. The tasks are grouped into three categories of self-care ideas, namely:
Space is allocated at the lower portion of the checklist for notes and reflections.
Signing up for the newsletter is necessary to access the printable checklist.
11. Suzie’s Teal Checklist
If you’ve been feeling anxious lately, this checklist can help lessen your anxiety by guiding you to some actionable steps for self-care.
In addition, space is designated for writing down stuff you’re anxious about.
To download a PDF version of this checklist, scroll down to the bottom of the original post then click on the image.
12. Daily Self-Care Worksheet
This template provides spaces for writing down self-care practices for the physical, spiritual, social, and emotional aspects of your life. You can directly download a PDF version of this checklist by clicking on the “Download Now” link found near the end of the original post.
13. Self-Care Assessment Checklist
Assessing your self-care practices lets you know how well you are taking care of yourself. This checklist helps determine the areas of your self-care routine that need improvement so you can make the necessary changes.
Signing up for the newsletter lets you have the password to access their resources library, where you can download the checklist and other free printables/resources.
The Self-Care Assessment Checklist is the 15th item on the list of free downloadable resources in the resources library.
14. Mind Remake Project
Here’s a checklist designed to look like a restaurant menu. Self-care activities/tasks/practices are categorized as:
Writing prompts guide users on how to fill out this checklist. There are also spaces designated for more self-care ideas and notes.
A PDF version opens when you click the Pinterest link.
15. Anti-Burnout Checklist
If you’ve run out of self-care ideas, here’s a checklist with detailed suggestions of what you can do daily, weekly, and monthly to take care of yourself. There are also suggestions for things to do in case of emergency.
A downloadable PDF version of the checklist is sent to you when you sign up for their newsletter.
Final Thoughts on Using a Self-Care Checklist
You can accomplish your self-care goals more easily with the help of a checklist.
Several of the checklists in today’s post were designed to help you plan out a routine that includes the different types of self-care.
I hope you’ve found some favorites among the checklists featured here. The way you use them is up to you.
My only suggestion is that you refer to your checklist regularly to make sure that you’re on the right track with your self-care routine.
Finally, if you want the perfect morning routine, then check out this seven-step process for creating a morning routine that will become a vital part of your daily life.)
