Self-care is one of those 'millennial' buzz phrases that's used and abused.

It’s been turned into several hundred thousand hashtags on Instagram under photos of avocado on sourdough bread, but what if we were to take it seriously?

We could all take better care of ourselves such as by drinking less, finding a better work/life balance or doing more exercise - we needn't be ashamed of wanting to take some time to look at our lives.

Older generations grew up in a time where there were a lot more pressing issues to worry about, but that doesn’t mean self-care is completely self-indulgent.

Here are some ways of taking care of yourself, without breaking the bank this year…

Instead of joining the gym, save the money and go for a run outside. If you find it difficult to get motivated then ask a friend to run with you, it won’t feel like such a chore.

If you have made new year’s resolutions and goals, make a plan to go with them. This will make them more achievable. Physically writing it down will cement it in your mind.

Instead of lying in bed all day on a Sunday, designate it as an adventure day. You don’t have to climb a peak or run a marathon. Grab a coffee, grab a paper and get on the bus to one of your favourite places. Slow down and you’ll notice what you miss when you’re in a rush.

Getting drunk won’t solve any problems, you will just ruin the next day.

Social media detox. It is said that people between 18 and 25 check their phones at least 80 times a day and if we are being honest we probably check it twice as much as this. Choose the app you use the most and be strong and give yourself a limit. Check it once in the morning and once in the evening. You will quickly realise how big a hold it has over you. Also, it is unlikely you will lose all your friends and they will all hate you after a day of not looking at your group chats - the mute function can be wonderfully liberating.

Diets are usually a huge waste of time and we all know this. You don’t have to eat nuts and grains 24 hours a day to be healthy and you don’t have to neglect pizza. I am not telling you anything you don’t already know, but you don’t need to cut everything out. On a side note, ask yourself why you want/need to lose weight - if it’s not about being healthy then it’s probably not going to be solved with a ‘diet’.

No one really cares if you Instagram you avocado and poached eggs on toast. If you don’t care about their breakfast then they definitely don't care about yours.

Create a vision board. It’s very relaxing to tear magazines to shreds and create a page of aesthetically pleasing colours and photos. This will then continue to be a source of inspiration as you get through January.

A glass of wine and a piece of chocolate aren’t going to make you an unlovable oaf, green smoothies though are more likely to make you insufferable to others.

Without any irony, be nice to yourself. If you feel like you’re being mean to your mind, body and soul, then get off social media, it will rot your self-esteem.