As many of you know, I am a huge advocate of self-care.
Am I good at it? LOL, no.
Regardless if I am good at it, I do try to practice one act of self-care per day. By practicing, I become more self-aware of my personal wellbeing and listen to what my body is telling me. Starting to add one task per day has helped to maintain a healthy relationship with myself to allow the best version of me to come out.
With work taking most of my time, I struggle on most days to find a task that fits my busy schedule. By the time I log out from work, I am too tired to even want to want a bath or to cook something.
So how can I practice when I am stuck at work?
And then it hit me: find tasks that are short in time. I did some research, did what I enjoyed, and found what works best for me and my work schedule.
So if you are in a time crunch or want to practice while working from home, here is my list of 15 self-care tasks you can do in 15 minutes or less.
Deep Breathing Exercises
If you find yourself stressed, like I sometimes do, doing quick breathing exercises can help. I find myself doing the Equal Breathing exercise, which is excellent for beginners. Time Magazine has a great post on different breathing techniques if you don’t know where to start.
Power Nap or Lay Down
While I enjoy an interrupted 4-hour nap, studies show that taking a power nap in the afternoon provides more rest, but does not disturb your night cycle. If you have more than 15-minutes to spare, it is highly recommended to take a 1-hour power nap. But even just closing your eyes for 5 minutes has the benefit of “reducing stress, and helping you relax a little,” according to VeryWell Mind. With most people being sleep deprived, taking a power nap as self-care can help avoid symptoms of depression or anxiety.
Go for a Walk
There are many perks of taking walks, but two of them include boosting your energy and improving your mood. Walking increases the hormones associated with your energy levels. In fact, according to a study from 2006, walking can help reduce anxiety, depression, and a negative mood. Just remember to stay 6 feet away from everyone and to wear a mask.
Take a Shower
I am not the biggest fan of taking hot showers, but I will take one if I need the heat to relax me. Hot showers are known to help relieve tension and smooth out muscles. Other benefits of taking a hot shower as self-care include raising your oxycontin levels and helping you relax. And if you need a pick me up, quickly change the hot water to cold to help you become more alert.
Meditate
Peace isn’t the only thing I find when I meditate. When I meditate, my stress levels go down, it helps my anxiety, enhances self-awareness, and promotes my emotional health. I currently use various YouTube videos, but my main go-to at the moment is the app, Headspace. While I mostly use it to help me sleep, I find myself listening to some of their other audios when I really need it.
Do Some Stretches
All types of stress play a toll on our bodies. One way to take care of our bodies is to stretch out the body to help remove the physical pain or tightness. Nothing feels better than stretching out your body after sitting on a chair for hours, don’t you agree? Don’t know how to stretch? Check out this link for ways to safely stretch out your body.
Coloring
Who said coloring is just for kids? Coloring is a fun outlet for those who suffer from anxiety or stress. By incorporating coloring into your mindfulness routine, you can keep your mind busy while replacing negative thoughts with positive ones. If you need some new coloring books, check out a post from a while back that showcases five coloring books that might meet your needs.
Self-care doesn’t have to take up most of your day. By using breaks efficiently, you can fit several self-care tasks within a day to help you be your best self.
