You get so busy taking care of your kids, the house, the chores, your work, that you forget to take a moment just for you.
Self-care is not just a nice concept for other people, but it can become a vital source of energy, peace, and calm during your hectic day.
Think you don’t have time to devote to yourself? If you have 5 minutes to spare, then you have got the time.
The following self-care activities can be completed in 5 minutes or less. And doing them can result in feeling a little better about yourself and more in control of your day and your life.
Have a date with your schedule book.
Things that we know we should get to—but aren’t—can hang like a cloud over our day. Get that stuff out of your head and into your calendar app or schedule book.
For example, how long have you been battling with guilt over not going to the dentist? That feeling of guilt over not doing something you know would be good for you can turn into stress. Besides, it’s time you took care of your bleeding gums (or other dental issues), right?
Many busy moms out there are not happy with their current smile and would like it to be whiter and straighter. While going in for a dental treatment every week might not be a realistic option, there are opportunities that require quite a bit less time investment. All on four dental implants for instance will allow you to get the smile that you need without all the trips to the dentist. According to Lane Family Dental, “Bleeding gums are so common that many people think that’s normal. This is actually a sign that your gums are inflamed from too much plaque bacteria. Your gums could be signaling that they have gingivitis, or it could be a sign of a much more serious form of periodontal disease.”
Getting stuff onto paper and into your to-do list will take less than 5 minutes of your day and equal a full day of calm and focus.
And if you hate “to-do lists,” try the reverse. Create a “not to-do list” of things you commit to not doing in order to have a no-stress day.
Apply a Korean sheet mask.
Another thing that takes less than 5 minutes? A Korean sheet mask. The next time you are at Target, grab a few.
Sheet masks provide you with the spa experience at home. These beauty products are bursting with nutrients that leave your skin revitalized and glowing.
A quick lie-down with a sheet mask will give you some precious moments for yourself. Plus, depending on the type you purchase, you can target fine lines and wrinkles, or work on fading the appearance of blemishes.
Indulge in a cup of high tea.
Earl Grey, English Breakfast Tea, Darjeeling… whatever your favorite type. Take 5 minutes to brew yourself a cup and then sip it.
Healthline.com lists 10 health benefits of black tea. Among them are antioxidant benefits, a boost to one’s heart health, and possible lowering of cholesterol.
It may also improve your gut health. Interestingly, studies have recently shown that human emotions are affected by the health of our gut. For instance, did you know that more serotonin (the feel-good chemical) is produced in your gut than in your brain?
So there’s science to back up why that cup of tea does such a good job at calming you down.
But aside from that, having a little ritual in the middle of your day will keep you going when there’s still a lot of daylight left before you can hit the sack.
Do a 5-minute yoga stretch session.
A yoga practice does not need to be long to be effective. All it requires is that you practice daily. Think you don’t have the time? A YouTube search for a 5-minute yoga session turns up 9,330,000 results. A YouTube search for 1-minute yoga spits out even more results at 9,960,000.
From gentle morning stretches to evening stretches before bed. You can do them before the kids get up or after the kids go down.
Read that article already.
That article you have been meaning to read… The one that you bookmarked days ago that nags at you from the recesses of your mind. Perhaps it is about how to start and stick with a fitness routine? Or maybe it is about how to launch your own business?
Read the article. Walk away with 1 action point. And then delete the bookmark.
Self-care is not only about doing things that pamper yourself. Sometimes it is about doing the hard work of getting yourself to do and read things that you know will be good for you in the long run.
Invest in yourself. 5 minutes at a time. 5 minutes per day. Even small investments accrue over time.
