At home, in a therapy room or when someone is trying to get through a difficult day, this printable self-care sheet offers small, realistic ideas that do not require much energy. It is especially relevant for adults, young people and mental health support staff looking for a simple bad day checklist, wellbeing prompt, anxiety coping aid or low mood self-care handout.
This self-care for bad days printable mental health PDF is a one-page prompt sheet for moments when basic tasks feel harder than usual. It offers small, realistic ideas such as drinking water, trying a breathing exercise, taking medication as prescribed, eating something simple, stepping away from social media and getting a little fresh air. The focus is on gentle actions that can be chosen one at a time, rather than a long plan to complete.
The sheet is designed for adults, young people and support staff who want an accessible bad day checklist, low mood self-care handout or anxiety coping aid. It can be used at home, in counselling or therapy sessions, by wellbeing teams, in pastoral support, social prescribing conversations or as part of a personal coping folder. Prompts include contacting someone supportive, using a helpline if needed, journalling, drawing, washing, brushing hair, choosing comfortable clothing, reading, watching a familiar programme and stretching gently.
Print the PDF and keep it somewhere easy to find, such as a bedside table, fridge, noticeboard or wellbeing pack, so it is available before a difficult day becomes harder to manage. It can also support simple wellbeing discussions, classroom activities for older learners, revision-period check-ins or one-to-one support, without needing lengthy written answers. This resource was created by MindWell Leeds.
