As the saying goes, you can’t pour from an empty cup, and making time for self care is essential if you’re eager to be at your best this summer. If you’ve got a to-do list as long as your arm and pressures coming from everywhere you look, then you’ll need some gas in the tank to help you get through it all and remain vibrant and full of life throughout. And from meditation to massages, decadent dining to shopping sprees, there are myriad ways you can enjoy some ‘me time’ whilst providing yourself with a much-needed boost.
Here, we take a look at four easy, enjoyable and all-round luxurious ways to practice self care this summer.
Splurge on a private wellness retreat
When snatching five minutes to yourself for a quick meditation session isn’t quite cutting it, it’s time to go all out, and what better way than by booking yourself onto a luxurious wellness retreat? A whole weekend – or even a week – of focusing on nothing but yourself and your wellbeing, combining relaxation with health-focused activities like yoga, breathwork and mindfulness meditation.
Destinations like Ananda in the Himalayas, SHA Wellness Clinic in Spain, or Amangiri in Utah provide bespoke wellness programs tailored to your specific needs, and offer opulent suite or private villa accommodation, mouthwatering and nutritious menus to keep you satiated throughout your stay, and one-to-one sessions with wellness experts to ensure you get the most out of the experience and leave feeling like you’re back to being the very best version of yourself.
Pamper yourself with high-end spa treatments
There’s nothing quite like heading to your favourite luxury spa for the day to indulge in some pure rest, relaxation and rejuvenation, in an oasis of tranquility far from the stresses and strains of modern life.
From cutting-edge treatments at world-renowned spas such as the Spa at The Peninsula in Paris, The Bulgari Spa in London, The Four Seasons Spa in Bali, or simply enjoy the Sifnos massage experience in the many spas the gorgeous Greek island has to offer. You can stay on home soil or jet off abroad and make a weekend of it. Must try treatments, if you can find them, include the anti-ageing ‘diamond facial’, which uses diamond-infused products to exfoliate and rejuvenate; the decadent ‘gold body wrap’, which leverages the healing properties of gold to nourish and hydrate the skin, or the classic hot stone massage, which never fails when it comes to relieving tension and leaving you feeling thoroughly relaxed and renewed.
Spend some mindful time in nature
If you’re feeling the need to recentre and re-instill a sense of calm into your life, then spending some mindful time in nature is one of the easiest ways to achieve just that. Connection with nature has been shown to be beneficial for mental health and can help to alleviate the symptoms of depression and anxiety as well as everyday stress, so the more time you can spend in the great outdoors, the better.
Of course, you don’t have to compromise on luxury in order to do so – renting a lavish villa on a private island or heading glamping in the mountains are both ways to immerse yourself in the beauty of the natural world. A safari in the Maasai Mara in Kenya, hiking in the Swiss Alps, or languishing on the tranquil beaches are some of our favourite ways to combine the calming influence of nature with an opulent getaway.
Focus on nutrition
Today’s fast-paced lifestyles and always-on world can often see us neglecting our nutrition, grabbing food on the go and rarely finding the time to cook from scratch. But as the saying goes, you are what you eat, so it’s important to prioritise what you’re putting into your body and ensure that it’s nourishing you from within, providing you with the fuel you need to get through the day.
If your schedule simply doesn’t allow for much home cooking, then splurge on a personal chef to do the legwork for you, and you’ll have balanced and delicious meals based around fresh, seasonal ingredients on the table every day, just waiting to be enjoyed. If you do feel like taking the reins yourself, then why not enroll in a gourmet cooking class to learn how to take your dishes from ‘does the job’ to ‘wow’ status? You could even combine it with an escape to New York, Paris or Tokyo, all of which offer an array of exclusive culinary experiences and cookery schools that blend wellness with gastronomy.
