When people talk about self-care, some of the stuff that you hear about the most is big scale actions like huge lifestyle changes, travel, lots of time off of work ... generally, things that take a little bit of fore-planning and can’t be done at the drop of a hat. The whole point of self care though, in my opinion, is doing things that can help to start making you feel better in a really short space of time, not waiting until you have enough money or enough time to ‘do it big’. Here are twelve acts of self-care you can do in five minutes or less.
1 Breathe
It’s something that you are doing all the time, but not something that you are concentrating on! Take a minute to shut your eyes and really focus on your breathing, taking nice deeps breaths to reduce your heart rate and relax your muscles.
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2 Write
A good way to relieve stress and get it out of your body is to write it down. Keeping a journal can really help to unravel your emotions.
3 Meditate
Meditation isn’t only for hippies. The best thing to do right now is download one of the many apps that will guide through a daily routine.
4 Elevate Legs
If you have the time to lay down somewhere, do so with your legs elevated up along the side of a wall. It’s a yoga pose that can instantly relieve stress and tension within your body.
5 Freshen up
Do a few little things to freshen yourself up quickly, like brush your teeth, wash your face, wash your hair, apply some perfume, anything that can give you a boost.
6 Get outside
Spend a few minutes in the great outdoors, whether it’s taking a quick walk around your nearest park or sitting in the garden to have your cup of coffee rather than in front of the TV.
7 Music
Don’t underestimate the curative powers of music. Put on your favourite playlist and lose yourself in the rhythm.
8 Dance
And while the music is playing, make sure that you move your body in time! Dancing is a super fun release.
9 Hug
Hug someone that you love, and hold on to them for a little longer than you normally would. That human connection can be really restorative and special.
10 Make Plans
Give yourself something to look forward to by making plans, either with friends for the weekend, or for something bigger like a party or a vacation in the future.
11 Fantasize
Indulge in your daydreams and allow them to take over for a little bit every day. It can be fun to live a fantasy life on your lunch break!
12 Play with Pets
If you have a pet around the house, make more of an effort to play with them. The calming effects of stroking a dog or a cat, or even a rabbit, have been well documented!
