Self-care is vital for a balanced and happy life. Self-care can come in so many different forms. Many view self-care as a face mask, a lovely soak in a bubble bath and a good old pamper. Yes, they are great self-care activities, but self-care is so much more than some pampering.
Self-care is about making decisions to preserve or improve your health, so you should invest in powerful, but simple self-care practices.
Have you ever thought about self-care centred on stationery? As a self-confessed stationery addict, I have been able to try stationery self-care ideas that have enabled me to take care of my physical and mental health.
These are 5 ways that stationery can aid your self-care:
Photo by Sixteen Miles Out on Unsplash
1. Helps you to practise mindfulness
When you bust out the colouring pencils or pens and are colouring, you are being in the present. You can focus on the colours you are using and how the colours look on the page, which allows you to practise mindfulness. Therapeutic activities like colouring are known to reduce stress and anxiety, helps to improve your motor skills, vision, sleep and even your focus.
Other stationery activities that allow you to practise mindfulness are: painting, doodling, drawing, leaf printing, scraping art, rock painting and junk journaling.
2. Improves your mental health
Your mental health is just as important as your physical health and stationery themed activities can aid your self-care. Using a journal can give you a safe and secure place to write down your thoughts, feelings and basically whatever you wish to. You do not need to write pages and pages; you could just list feelings if you want. Putting pen to paper can enable you to get your thoughts or anxieties on paper and out of your head. This can already reduce the stress you could be feeling. There are so many positive benefits to using journaling in your self-care routine including: boost in memory, reduction of stress and anxiety, improves your focus, your memory and can help you sleep better if you journal in the evening.
As well as journaling about your concerns and feelings, you can also practise gratitude, which is a powerful practice to create a positive mindset and boost your own happiness. You will start to look for and focus on the positive and good things I your day/life. This will then reduce your stress levels, which improves your overall physical health.
3. Builds self-confidence and self-worth
When you start a creative activity, you reap all the benefits that it brings, but what about when you finish? When you finish a creative venture and have accomplished that task, it can boost your self-esteem, self-worth and your confidence. That sense of accomplishment can improve your mental health. When you have achieved that activity it can boost your confidence to try more activities as well as develop your skills. I have felt that sense of accomplishment when I have finished monthly bullet journal spread.
Photo by Pure Julia on Unsplash
4. Makes you feel good
If you are a stationery lover like me, then you will get a lot of joy from using pretty stationery and you will enjoy shopping for a new notebook, or the latest pen trend. I always get so much joy from shopping for stationery, starting a new notebook or planner.
Being creative with stationery activities is so much fun and a great way to relax and spend your spare time as well as gaining all the benefits mentioned in this post.
5. Creates a positive mindset
Stationery self-care ideas like journaling and gratitude journaling can enable you to improve your mental health, which can give you a positive mindset. With a positive mindset, your whole life can change for the better.
When you partake in self-care activities in any form, it can help you to relax and generally feel a lot happier. When you have a better mood, it is far easier to get into a positive mindset.
Related to: Unhealthy mindsets that are ruining your life
Just remember, when you are planning your self-care routine for the day or the week, it doesn’t always need to relate to pampering. So, why not give stationery themed activities a go and see what benefits you feel and see? You may be pleasantly surprised!
Stationery is life!
Love these different approaches and it’s so true that there’s something healing about grabbing a pen and putting it to paper or doing whatever we want creatively!
Lovely blog as usual!
Joseph
Thank you for reading and commenting Joseph.
Journaling definitely improves my mental health and is a vital self care practice for me and it’s even better if it’s in a cute notebook!
Same! Definitely more so if it is a cute notebook you enjoy picking up. Thank you for reading and commenting.
Okay I am actually a bit of a stationery junkie, I love buying pretty notebooks almost as much as I like buying pretty clothes. There’s just something you about writing in my favourite notebook with my favourite black ink pen, and now I’ve read this post, it makes a whole lotta sense to me now. Great post❤.
That’s great you already enjoy the joys of stationery. Thank you for reading and commenting.
You’re welcome❤
Great ways, these things we need in life and it’s important to improve them. I’m working on it.
Thank you for reading and commenting.
I adore stationery and it certainly makes me feel good when I use it; I love that it can be used in all the ways you outlined and can be an aid for our self-care journey. Great post!
Thank you for reading and commenting.
Ooh I love this! I’m a massive stationery lover too and finding new items is always so much fun. I’m also finding that journaling is fast becoming my go to form of self care, it’s so helpful. Thank you so much for sharing x
That is great you are regularly reaching for your journaling. It is so effective. Thank you for reading and commenting.
Loving that you highlight the useful benefits of stationary (besides its wonderful tendency to hold words!). I believe the biggest benefit of stationary for me is that it makes me feel happy. That alone makes me feel good and at peace, however briefly, with the world. 🙂
That’s great it makes you happy! Thank you for reading and commenting!
I absolutely love using stationary too! And these are such great ways that it can improve your self care too! Thanks so much for sharing it!
Thank you for reading and commenting.
We had no idea about the effect stationery can have on one’s mental health. Thank you for sharing. We really enjoyed this post!
I am glad you enjoyed the post, I have shared stationery self care ideas in this post if you are interested.
We did, and that sounds good. Thank you!
I have a serious obsession with stationery, but it does help me be more organised and grateful. I often look back in my diaries at the lovely things I’ve done or have to look forward to. I also love journaling as a way to manage my anxiety.
That’s great you are using journaling. It is so powerful. Stationery is needed for organisation – that is what I tell myself anyway! X
As a collector of cute stationeries, I agreed with all points listed. Stationeries does make you happy. Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you for reading and commenting.
I like choosing pretty stationary that cheers me up. I also like jotting down thoughts on notebooks .
Thank you for reading and commenting. Do you have a blog?
Love this! I was always a stationary nerd as a kid I loved pretty paper and pens, stickers, etc 😀 Something nice and meditative about writing on nice paper. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thank you for reading and commenting.
Oooh I’ve not really thought about using stationery as self care. I’m terrible, I barely use any stationery and if I do, I never end up fully using it. These are all great points though. You’re so right!
Claire.x
Thank you for reading and commenting. X
I’d never of thought of stationary being a form of self-care but after reading this, I totally agree that it can be. I love writing down my thoughts and feelings, it helps me to feel like a weight has been lifted. I love the fact using stationary creates a positive mindset, its defiantly something I’m going to work on more. Thank you so much for sharing with us lovely. Such a interesting post! Xo
Elle – ellegracedeveson.com
I hope you can find some stationery themed self-care activities you can try. Journaling is great for mental health. Thank you for reading and commenting.
Haha I wish you wouldn’t have given me more reasons to buy more stationary just now, but I totally agree with your reasoning for it! Stationary can be used in wonderful ways that we often don’t even see. I always have multiple notebooks with me.
That’s good, you can never have enough stationery I think. Thank you for reading and commenting.
I’m someone who does find colouring in very therapeutic and relaxing, as does painting. I didn’t realise that there were some good ways that stationery can help with self-care x
Lucy | http://www.lucymary.co.uk
They are some good self-care activities! Thank you for reading and commenting.
Great post Lauren! I’ve tried stationary themed self-care activities and found them very helpful. I love interactive work that allows you to think on a deeper level while allowing your mind to relax. Thanks for sharing!
That is awesome! Thank you for reading and commenting.
great post, lauren! i love stationary and find writing things down so helpful. i usually love coloring to relax so i can imagine journals would do the same. thanks for sharing!
Thank you for reading and commenting.
I do love the sense of organization having new stationary gives me. I go through so many pens and notes books it’s unreal. I’m a list maker, lists also help me feel organized. Keeping a journal has helped too!
Thank you for reading and commenting.
I also never thought of stationary as being a form of self-care. I just started a gratitude journal this week. I got a cute one from Amazon. We’ll see how it goes.
Thank you for reading and commenting. Do you have a blog?
Stationery self-care activities are great. Sometimes when my day isn’t going well and I visit a stationery stores everything feels better. I enjoy buying pretty stationery and putting them to use. Self care is definitely not just about pampering. Thanks for sharing.
That’s great stationery makes you happy and can lift your mood. Thank you for reading and commenting.
Such an interesting post, I never though about stationary and self care – it was always more about candles, taking a bath…etc.
Thelifestylebloggeruk.com
hi Lauren, i can totally agree with you about stationery. My craziest is post-it of different colors. Recently i am attracted to learn some drawing and i also get inspired by your drawings on bullet journal that you sometimes flash (image). Will start with sketching and see how i can learn some colouring as well.. great post.
Thank you for reading and commenting.
Beautifully written posts, sounds so motivating.
Love the idea..
Thank you for reading and commenting.
Love this post and I love stationary. Having pretty stationary always makes me want to write more as I like using them and looking at them. Definitely makes a difference to me.
Stationery is an amazing thing. Thank you for reading and commenting.
I love these! I’ve never utilized stationary (it seems too nice to write on 🤣), but I love colorful pens and activities to keep me present and focused! Thanks for sharing. ✌️
Thank you for reading and commenting.
I love your take on this. I love stationary but I’ve never thought of it as helping self-care!
I also have a post that shares 10 stationery self care ideas to try, if you are interested. Thank you for reading and commenting.
I love how you articulated your points. I love this post so much. Thanks for sharing x
Thank you for reading and commenting.
I love this! I’ve never considered stationary as self care before but you make some great posts. Thanks for sharing ♡
Thank you for reading and commenting.
i’m a big fan of stationary, and it’s great to see all the positive effects it has. especially motivating me to use them. i like pretending like I’m of the pinterest or youtube girlies, where i’m filming a study or work with me video.
sejal | thelazygal.com
Thank you for reading and commenting.
I love buying beautiful notebooks and filling them with my learnings. I have special colored pens for this occasion. Each notebook has a different theme, to keep me organized.
Crystal | http://www.amazingbaby.app
Thank you for reading and commenting.
Fellow stationary lover here! I forget how brilliant it can feel to hold a fresh new journal in your hands sometimes, but it really does give a boost! I journal and have a bullet point gratitude journal running alongside each other and it really does give me a lift! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for reading and commenting.
I had never thought about the way stationery could help with self care, I feel like sometimes the extra accent of colour can only brighten up my mood!
Thank you for reading and commenting.
It’s been a pretty long time since I last bought some stationary. I don’t tend to write because my handwriting is awful and my dyslexia means I constantly need to check my spelling.
I can’t say I’ve coloured in anything since I was at school. Not sure why, but I guess if I’m not drawing I have nothing to colour in.
The only really use I’d have for writing would be to help process problems in my life by keeping a journal. But you could also write a to-do list so you can get the satisfaction of crossing items off with a pen
I would suggest an adult colouring book for mindfulness. Definitely. Thank you for reading and commenting.
I love to do lists, and journaling. But I’m crap at keeping up with a journal. It really does help when I’m consistent though!
Thank you for reading and commenting.
I love a good stationery haul! Thank you so much for sharing this post Lauren, I think the points you’ve made here are very true.
Thank you for reading and commenting.
I’m absolutely in love with your post, Lauren! I like how you define self care being much more than some pampering. We tend to forget that happiness is found in the simplest of things. Colouring and journaling are my favorite ways to unwind. Thank you so much for sharing!
I am really glad you enjoyed this post. Thank you for reading and commenting.
As someone who loves stationery and self care, I agree! I love how I can break down difficult tasks with colourful pens and paper!
Thank you for reading and commenting.
I love stationery, but hadn’t appreciated how much of an impact it has upon my wellbeing. I am definitely going to do more mindful colouring and crafting after reading this. Fab post 🙂
That’s great! Thank you for reading and commenting.
We agree that self-care is so important and journaling is such an important tool.
Thank you for reading and commenting.
I love this post! I maintain both a regular journal as well as a bullet journal for my reading and blog, so I like to buy pretty notebooks and colorful pens to use in them. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for reading and commenting.
So on board with stationery as self-care! I started a (pretty basic) journal this year, and although I use it more for just general to-do lists I always make sure to sit down at the beginning of the month and create a cover for the month and that little task always leaves me feeling so calm!
Amy x
callmeamy.co.uk
Thank you for reading and commenting.
I enjoy a few of these activities. I love buying new stationery, especially notebooks, I love writing in them.
I love buying more too ha ha! Thank you for reading and commenting x
I used to collect so much stationery goodies. I need to use them all now haha. They are great with so many different journaling/sketching experiences. I should start doodling again. Thanks for these ideas!
Nancy ✨ Cold Brew Vibes
That’s awesome. Enjoy your doodling. Thank you for reading and commenting.
Amazing Post 🌸
I love stationery, it’s a big part of my life. When life gets too much I colour in or draw. When my life has balance I mostly focus on writing novels, or as of now new blog posts. Every now and then I do gratitude journaling to keep me humble and attract more good and better my mindset. I love the feeling of writing on a clean page in a new and pretty book. I adore truly stationery.
One of my favorite gifts are books and pens 😍
Once again, great post ❤
Thank you for your really kind comment. I cannot read your blog as the link doesn’t work x
❤ Thanks for letting me know.
I love stationary! Can’t ever have too much lol It’s amazing how many ways it can aid us in so many ways. I love keeping a gratitude list and using it in my self-care routine, especially when I’m feeling down.
It is great you can relate to my love of stationery. Thank you for reading and commenting.
🫶🏻🫶🏻😍