It has become too natural to get lost in the chaos of our lives, our wants and needs, or just simply chasing our goals.
I understand that we're living in difficult times with the state of our economy. It is a privilege to even think of taking a break or going on a vacation when it sometimes seems impossible to get our chores done. However, I hope that we also remember that, despite all the chaos, we are also getting worn out by the demands of our everyday lives.
Here are some quick and easy ways that each won't take more than 15 minutes of your time so you can still integrate self-care into a busy life. You may want to keep one or two at the back of your mind, so the next time you do get even the smallest bit of chance, you already have an idea on how to spend it.
1. On-The-Go Meditation
This is a great one to slip into your schedule when you commute to work, on your lunch break, or whenever you get the chance to use headphones or earphones for at least five minutes. A guided meditation is like going into a safe place mentally and take a minute to calm your system. It may only be a few minutes, but sometimes it's exactly what we need for a quick refresh from a heavy task or work day.
2. Skincare Mask
3. A Guilty Treat
Craving that sweet dessert? Take a quick detour on your way to work and treat yourself to a serving. If you've been having bad coffee for days now, go ahead and drop by a coffee shop that you love and indulge in. Check out your Amazon wishlist and pick one that you want to reward yourself with today. This can go south pretty quickly, so make sure you are still very aware of how much disposable income you can spend on your treat. We don't want to end up with more stress now, do we? No matter how small it is, it's the thought that you are giving back to yourself something you believe you deserve.
4. Quick Fuss-Free Workout
Going the full nine yards on a regular workout will take more than 15 minutes, and if that does not fit in your schedule at all, why not try trying a very quick fuss-free routine that will only take 10 minutes of your time? You can do this before you go to sleep or if, by any chance, you wake up 15 minutes earlier than usual. I personally am not a fitness enthusiast myself, so I always appreciate routines like this. Exercise is probably one of the best forms of self-care you can do because it does so much to improve your mood and overall health. This can be as simple as going for a 10 minute walk if you have a safe and walkable area around you. You may also do a quick Youtube search of "10 minute workout without equipment" for tons of routines for this purpose, but here are two of my suggestions. These do not involve jumping that your downstairs neighbour will surely appreciate.
5. Prompted Journal Entry
Journaling can be for anybody, even if you do not enjoy writing at all. You can do an audio or video journal, which can be a lot quicker to do as well. There's also no need to be scared of written journals; no one else will read them, so the grammar or your writing skills are the least of your worries. Sometimes, when we're too caught up with everything in our lives, we forget to listen to our own thoughts and our emotions at the moment. It almost always does good to let those thoughts out in a simple way, such as by journaling. If you don't know what to write about, I highly suggest prompted journaling, where an app asks you a question and you can take it from there. Below are two apps you might want to try out (links are not affiliate):
Prompted Journal - Gratitude
Reflection Journal & Prompts
- App store: https://apps.apple.com/ph/app/reflection-journal-prompts/id1504547616
- Play store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=app.reflection.reflection&hl=en_US
6. Send a thoughtful message to someone you appreciate - even to yourself.
This can be as simple as a "thank you for everything" or something as detailed as a letter. You may send it as a text, an email, or a thank-you card if you have the time. If you feel like it, you can also schedule an email to send to yourself. A simple act of gratitude is almost always a guarantee to shift your day into a more positive light. It does not take much effort, but I'm pretty sure it will bring a smile to whoever receives it.
7. Unplugged
We do spend a lot of our waking hours on any mobile device, whether it's for work or for leisure. How about for the 15 minutes that you have to spare, turn off your wi-fi, put down your gadget, and do something else that does not involve technology? It may surprise you how, at times, it feels weird to be disconnected for maybe even 5 minutes.
Unplugging from the digital world forces us to think of other things to do rather than get lost on the internet. Take a power nap, do other things that are on this list, or maybe even just staring at a wall could give you a much-needed mental break.
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