Self-Care Ideas That Don’t Take Much Time

I don’t think I’ve met a woman, especially a mother, who doesn’t frequently say, “I just don’t have the time”. The time to relax, read a book, take a hot bath, throw on a face mask, get a mani/pedi, and on and on. We all lead very busy lives and have responsibilities like work or taking care of our family and home. We tend to create a mental priority list without even knowing it and guess who is at the bottom of that list…YOU! And do you know what that leads to? Resentment, burnout, and just not enjoying life.As a maker of organic bath and body products designed to make you feel good about yourself I find that, even though I have these amazing self-care products at my fingertips, I let everyday craziness take precedence over my self-care routines. I’m finding now that it is the small things that have the greatest impact and these things don’t need to take long! Creating a go-to list to reference helps when you find yourself with a few spare minutes. Instead of filling it with mundane things, use the time to take care of yourself.Find just 10 minutes per day to refer to your list of simple acts of self-care. One way I intend to find that extra time is to stop the pointless scrolling of social media platforms. Now don’t get me wrong, sometimes this scrolling allows my brain to reset and it’s also the platform I get my blog and products seen but it’s important to consciously make the decision to put the phone down or turn off the computer and be more present with yourself! So find that 10 minutes and make that to-do list. Here are a few self-care ideas that don’t take much time:

1. Get Outside – Go outdoors and soak up some Vitamin D! I find that going outside in the fresh air is like hitting a reset button. Take a walk or just enjoy a cup of coffee on your patio. Whatever you do, do NOT bring electronics outside to distract you from what you’re trying to accomplish!
2. Pamper Your Skin – I have a daily and nightly routine and when I find myself rushing the first thing to go is moisturizing my skin. By midday my skin is itchy, flaky, and overall looks like alligator skin. I think to myself…what takes me 5 extra minutes would have saved me from the itchies now. So take the time to use a good lotion for those dry patches (knees, elbows, hands) or a massage oil to make you feel extra special.
3. Be Creative – My mother and mother-in-law have both found a creative outlet in coloring. Just 10 minutes of coloring can clear your mind and allow you to be creative. I love photography so I will pick up my camera and take photos of the corners of my life or take it outside (pulling double duty with this one).
4. Use Scents to Change Your Mood – I am a firm believer in the power of essential oils. As a Young Living distributor I use essential oils frequently in diffusers, linen sprays, bath and body products, and on my diffusing bracelet. You can turn on your diffuser and just sit calmly for 10 minutes or simply open a bottle of essential oil and breathe in all its benefits. My favorite to diffuse is a Thieves, Purification, and Lemon blend for its cleansing properties. I use a combination of Cedarwood and Lavender on my diffusing bracelet to feel relaxed and calm. If I ever feel anxious, nervous or agitated I grab my YL Stress Away and roll it onto my wrists. I exclusively use Young Living Essential Oils for my home, if you’re interested in learning more or ordering a kit find out more here.
5. Grab a Cup of Joe – Sometimes you just have to indulge and grab yourself a good cup of coffee. You can either stay for the ambiance or get one to go, either way I find it to be a real treat. Not a coffee fan? How about indulging in a fresh bouquet of flowers? Basically anything that will bring you pleasure, doesn’t cost a lot of money, and still keeps you on the healthy living track can apply here.
6. Listen to Your Favorite Music – Let’s be honest here, we all have that go-to song that you love to belt out and as soon as you hear it your mood instantly changes for the best. What’s your favorite song? Mine? Bell Biv Devoe’s Poison…Don’t judge!
7. Journaling – Allow yourself time to do a complete brain dump. Allow all of the things going on inside your head to flow through the pen and onto paper. This helps to clear your head and allow you to think better. This is best done when you have a lot of things going on.

So many of us have lost what is truly important in our lives. We live to work instead of work to live. We prioritize our responsibilities to others instead of ourselves. I encourage you all to try and connect to the small things that make the biggest impact in your life. Do small things every day which bring you the most joy in life. Create your own list of self-care practices and do these on a daily basis. Start focusing on what makes you happy and feel most fulfilled. What would you put on your list?