Do you ever feel like self-care is something you’re supposed to be doing, but it seems like it takes way too much time and costs too much money? Whatever you think self-care is supposed to be, the reality is that self-care is highly individual. True self-care is whatever you need to keep well. When you look at it this way: It’s easy to see that self-care doesn’t have to be time-consuming or expensive. Since the best self-care is whatever works for you, we encourage you to try a few of these ideas — and even explore others.

Get Away… Or Stay

There’s a reason why taking a vacation is a form of self-care. Whether you like to spend your time exploring or you’d rather chill with a good book, vacation lets you disconnect from day-to-day life. Of course, taking a vacation isn’t always an option when you need it, which is why we suggest taking a “staycation” instead. Get the most out of your staycation by turning your home into a relaxing space. This could involve diffusing some essential oils, playing some calming music, or relieving tension by decluttering and letting some extra light in.

Set a Fitness Goal

You can be a complete fitness newbie or a seasoned expert. Wherever you are, setting a fitness goal is one of the best ways to make exercise part of your regular self-care routine. This is because having a goal gives you something to work toward, which is an excellent source of motivation. So, find ways to encourage yourself to stick with it, such as setting a reminder for your daily workout and tracking your progress.

What kind of fitness goal should you set? This is highly individual, so we suggest chatting with your trainer about their recommendations. Another way to choose a fitness goal is to brainstorm new activities you’d like to try, along with goals you’d like to hit in something you’ve been working at. For example, Daily Burn recommends focusing on specific challenges, like doing a perfect pushup, a pull-up, or balancing in crow pose.

Do Something You Can Get Lost In

Sometimes, what you need from self-care is the ability to tune out from all the thoughts and to-dos that are on your mind and simply lose yourself in an activity you love. Again, this will be something different for everyone. For some of us, exercise is one way of tuning out, but there are so many other things you can try. Blogger Rachael Kable recommends browsing Pinterest for inspiration on your next project or doing any activity that’s creative. You can choose something that’s relaxing, or it can be something that requires a little more energy. Either way, the general idea is to do something familiar that’s comforting and that allows you to disconnect.

Try Something New

On the other end of the spectrum from doing an activity that’s comforting is the idea to get outside your comfort zone by trying something new. While comforts serve a purpose in self-care, there’s also a great benefit to shaking up your routine. Doing this is especially helpful when you feel like you’re in a slump, but it’s always good to be open to new experiences. One example from a nutritionist with Brit + Co is to try healthy new food, such as a yummy and good-for-you smoothie or a new ethnic restaurant.

You can see how these general ideas are a great starting point, but of course, you have to make them work for you. If you think about it, it doesn’t make sense to do what everyone else is doing and call it self-care. Easy, affordable self-care truly is all about you — and what you need to recharge and be your best self.