Self-care
Self care checklist: a free, printable tick-list of small things that look after you
Updated 25 October 2026 · 6 min read · Free to print
A self care checklist is a tick list of small things that look after you, grouped by area: body, mind, feelings, people, home, money admin, and fun and rest. This free printable one keeps every item cheap or free, then helps you pick three for this week and keep a bare minimum list for hard days.
Drawn from everyday self-care habits and simple weekly planning · Part of rest and self-care
Fill it in here (it saves in this browser, but not in a private window), print it, or download the PDF. Free, no sign-up.
Some weeks you know you should look after yourself and you have no idea where to start. A tick list takes the thinking out of it. Read down the page, tick what you could do, and leave the rest. Every item is small, and most cost nothing.
This is different from the self-care worksheet, which asks you to score how looked after you feel and build a plan. Here you just tick and choose. If what you need most is sleep or a proper break, the types of rest guide shows the different kinds, and you can tick the ones that fit.
Two things to know. This is not a health checklist, and it is a self-help tool, not therapy. If low mood or stress is what's really in the way, a GP is the right person to talk to. You deserve real support, not just a list.
How to use this worksheet
- 1Read each area and tick the items you could do, or already do. Skip any that don't suit you.
- 2Pick three for this week. Three is plenty. Write down when you'll do each one.
- 3Fill in the bare minimum list while you're feeling OK, so it's ready for a hard day.
- 4At the end of the week, do the quick look back and choose what to keep.
The worksheet
selfgrowth.org
My Self Care Checklist
Tick what you could do in seven areas, pick three for this week, note what to try if ticking feels hard, write your bare minimum list for hard days, and look back at the end of the week.
01Body, mind and feelings
Tick anything you'd like to do more of, or already do. A tick means 'yes, that would help me', not 'I must'.
Body
Mind
Feelings
02People, home, money admin, and fun and rest
The small practical areas count too. A tidy corner or an opened letter can lift a weight you didn't know you were carrying.
People
Space at home
Money admin
Fun and rest
Anything of my own to add to the list:
03My three for this week
Look back over your ticks and choose three. Pick at least one that is easy. Then give each a time, for example 'after dinner' or 'on my lunch break'.
Entry 1
Entry 2
Entry 3
04If ticking feels hard
Some days even a small item feels like too much. That is common, and it is not a failure. Write what is in the way, and one smaller thing to try instead. If nothing feels doable, the bare minimum list below is enough.
Entry 1
Entry 2
Entry 3
Entry 4
05My bare minimum for hard days
On a hard day, one list is enough. Tick what you'd count as a good enough day, and add your own. Fill this in now, while you can think straight, so you don't have to decide later.
On a hard day, I'll aim for:
My own bare minimum items:
- 1.
- 2.
- 3.
Who I can message on a hard day:
06Weekly look back
At the end of the week, take two minutes. You're not marking yourself. You're finding out what is worth keeping.
How looked after do I feel this week?
What I did, and what helped:
What I'll keep for next week:
What I'll drop or swap:
When you're done, a moment to reflect
- Which tick surprised you, and what made you want to do it?
- Which area had the fewest ticks? Is that a gap, or is it simply not what you need right now?
- What do you do for other people that you rarely do for yourself?
- What would count as a good enough day when everything feels too much?
- Who could you tell about your bare minimum list, so they know what a hard day looks like for you?
Done for now?
Save today's answers as a dated entry. You can come back, fill it in again and compare the two side by side.
Why a tick list can help
When you're tired, choosing from a short list is easier than thinking up ideas. A tick list works as a menu. Grouping the items by area may help you see which parts of life you tend to leave out. The seven areas here are a practical way to sort everyday things, and there is no single agreed list of what self-care is.
The 'pick three' step and the 'when and where' column are ordinary planning: a small number of things, each tied to a time in your week. The bare minimum list is there so a hard day has a floor, not a pass or fail.
This is a planning format. No study has tested this particular checklist, and ticking boxes is not a treatment. Use the items that suit you and ignore the rest.
These are educational self-reflection tools, not therapy.
Your questions, answered
- What is a self care checklist?
- A self care checklist is a tick list of small things that look after you, sorted by area of life. You read down it, tick what you could do, and pick a few for the week. This one covers body, mind, feelings, people, space at home, money admin, and fun and rest, and keeps every item cheap or free.
- What should be on a self care checklist?
- Small, ordinary things you would really do on a tired day: a glass of water, a short walk, a text to a friend, a cleared surface, an opened letter, ten minutes with a hot drink. Leave off anything that needs a lot of money, time or energy. If it feels like another job, it doesn't belong on the list.
- How many things should I do each week?
- Three is a good place to start. A short list you can keep beats a long one you drop by Wednesday. Choose one easy item, tie each to a time, and add more only when the first three feel natural. There is no right number, so use whatever fits your week.
- What is a bare minimum list for hard days?
- It's the short list of things that count as a good enough day when you have very little to give. For example: eat something, drink water, send one text, step outside. Write it while you feel OK, so on a bad day you can follow it without having to think.
- Is there a self care checklist PDF?
- Yes. Use the Download PDF button for a clean, print-ready copy, or Print to print straight from the page. It is free, with no payment and no email needed. You can also fill it in on screen, and your answers save in your browser.
- Is self care selfish?
- No. Eating, resting, tidying up and keeping in touch with people are ordinary upkeep. If guilt is what stops you, use the 'if ticking feels hard' step to write a kinder reply. If saying no is the hard part, the boundaries worksheet may help.
- Is this a substitute for therapy?
- No. It is a self-help tool, not therapy or medical advice, and it is not a health checklist. If low mood or stress is what's really getting in the way, please talk to your GP. If you ever feel unsafe or have thoughts of harming yourself, call Samaritans on 116 123 (UK and Ireland), 988 (US), or find a line at findahelpline.com.
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