Lakanto Staff Answered: What Do You Do For Self-care?

By now, we’ve heard it a zillion times – we have to take care of ourselves if we want to properly show up for our families, for our jobs, and for ourselves. 

It’s absolutely true. But do we really know how to properly recharge and restore, so that we’re fully ready to face whatever comes next? 

Baths are nice and all, but real, refreshing self care practices have to be enjoyable to you. Seems obvious, but most self-care ideas you come across have an ultra-feminine, spa-goer appeal. What if a smushed avocado mask on your face isn’t your thing? What if massages make you jumpy? What about the rest of us?

We rounded up the staff at Lakanto and asked, “What do you do for self-care?” And they came through with some incredible ideas. Surely you’ll find one (or three!) that get you excited for a little “me” time. 

Libby, our Creative Project Manager, races the sun for a re-set before starting the #momlife shift. 

“I try to go on a quick hike (20-40 minutes) at sunset when I work from home. We live at the base of a mountain, and I try to get as high as I can just before the sun sets, watch it, and walk back down. The cardio up, meditation during, and quiet wind-down during the descent is just what I need to get ready for Round 2 (kids),” Libby shares. “I also like making sourdough. The process has a forced-slow-down-and-be-intentional effect over a matter of days and has a delicious result.” 

Our Accounts & Customer Service Coordinator, Kacie, doesn’t look for the silver lining. Instead, she forges one with her own two hands.

“My favorite thing to do to unwind is silversmithing. After a long day of work, I love to duck into my workshop, turn on some relaxing music and turn pieces of silver into beautiful jewelry. While I’m working, I’m completely disconnected from day-to-day life, and there’s something satisfying about creating something beautiful from ordinary scraps of metal and stones.”

Our Content Writer, John’s two Ridgebacks get him out and active at sunup with activities that align with the season (plus the occasional roughhousing in the living room). 

“Every morning, I wake up early, and, depending on the season, typically do something with my dogs, Jackson and BamBam. In summer, when the sun comes up early, I take them mountain biking. In Spring and Fall, we do the same but transition to more hikes and trail running, depending on snowpack. In the winter I try to go skiing 4 - 5 times a week. They only come skiing sometimes but they probably love it the most, same as me. If the day was particularly stressful and I still need to unwind, I'll drink a couple beers and have a wrestlemania with them,” he says. If the dogs aren’t enough to melt the day away, he hands his troubles over. “At the end of the day, Jesus takes the wheel.”

We secretly want to trade lives with John’s Ridgebacks.

Take a few minutes of “me” time in the middle of the day with NEW sugar-free Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups! 

Joann, our Senior Communications Manager, is über-methodical with her crafts at home so that she can unleash her creativity at work. 

“During the pandemic, I started sewing and crocheting, and it’s been beyond therapeutic! I enjoy following the rules exactly so I get the desired outcome, and I love listening to music as I work. It’s a meditation, in a way. While I’m in the zone, I am able to focus on the now and be intentional with my crafts,” says Joann. 

As a bonus, Joann’s pup benefits from her newfound yarn skills. “My dog now has enough crocheted sweaters to last her a lifetime!” 

Joann also hops on the Peloton to break a sweat and clear her mind. 

Rachel, our Email Marketing Manager likes to get loud, then quiet.  

“I decompress by blasting music on my way home from work after a rough day. When I have more free time, I like to read different types of books – everything from horror, to classics, to young-adult fiction, to non-fiction, etc. I've actually read almost 15 new books this year because I'm working on hitting my goal of one new book a week!”  

Adam, our Quality Assurance Manager’s self-care comes through as pet care. 

“I give my cat, Michelin, belly rubs before I go to work in the morning. She hums along like a little purr engine! It's very relaxing for the both of us, and it starts my day off on a positive note.” 

How could you feel anything but good vibes after starting your morning with your furry friend?

Deserei, our Senior Graphic Designer, pulls out all the stops when it comes to recharging.  

“Some of my self-care routines include working out at my kickboxing gym, drawing, reading, going out for girl's nights, and my very favorite, just sitting in the sun.” 

Soaking up the rays as they peek over the Wasatch Mountain Range? That would make us feel as good as new, too. 

Serena, our Purchasing Agent, likes to break away from #adulting and peek into the mind of a three-year-old.  

“One of my favorite ways to unwind is to do crafts with my three-year-old daughter.  It's really fun to see her imagination come to life.” 

Megan, our Social Media Manager, spends her days dialed into the conversations-of-the-minute on every social platform, and puts sleep at the top of her list at night.    

“My self care routine is getting a lot of good sleep! To help with that I like to stretch before bed and roll out any tight muscles with my foam roller. Putting lavender oil on my feet also knocks me out and I sleep the whole night when I do that! Another self-care practice I’ve been doing is walking because it’s been sunny and warm, and my legs need to move after sitting for so long. I bring my headphones in case I want to listen to a podcast, an audiobook, or music. But on that note, it’s also really nice to just listen to the birds or cars driving, it’s very grounding.”

Rod, our Product Marketing Manager, has a free-range style of self-care.  

“When my children and I play with our chickens and baby chicks, it turns down the volume on anything else that might be going on,” he says. 

When our Product Content Manager, Brooke, feels rested and hydrated, everything else in life falls into place.

“I have a set wind-down time before going to bed. I turn off all bright lights except soft-light lamps about 30-45 mins before I plan to be asleep. I also have this bedside light-alarm-clock that mimics a sunset and makes fabulous nature sounds! I turn it on a soft orange and listen to crickets chirp as I sit in bed before I'm completely done for the night. Because Utah has such a dry climate, I run a humidifier on low every night to help me breathe easier, and sleep easier,” says Brooke. “If I take care of my sleep routine, I can do everything else in life!”

We could all learn from Brooke’s hydration routine, whether we live in the dry mountains or not. “I try to drink about 12-16 cups of water a day. I have a gallon water bottle that I fill up every morning and I use it to pour into a smaller water bottle. That way, I hit my mark every day. I notice I feel way better on the days I drink more water, and I tend to eat healthier on those days too. Water does a lot of amazing things for my digestion, my skin, and it helps me avoid getting sick as well. I hydrate from the outside-in, too. Lotion and lip balm are my religion.”

Which one will you try? Slide into our DMs and let us know what you do for self-care!