--- title: "12 Acts of Self Care You Can do in 5 Minutes or Less ..." description: "Breathe; Write; Meditate; Elevate Legs; Freshen up; More ..." url: "https://health.allwomenstalk.com/acts-of-self-care-you-can-do-in-5-minutes-or-less/" category: "health" last_updated: "2026-05-27" --- # 12 Acts of Self Care You Can do in 5 Minutes or Less ... 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 ![shoulder, girl, fun, smile, long hair,](https://img.allw.mn/content/yx/zh/zdid4s3n5bacc4512f240919706153_480x270.gif) 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. ## 2. Write ![text, book, font, hand, writing,](https://img.allw.mn/content/sr/f5/yxm5uup55bacc497a38a2473945863_500x214.gif) 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 ![sky, morning, girl, sun, sunlight,](https://img.allw.mn/content/o8/zf/jechdc9f5bacc4ee92644342196505_540x203.gif) 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 ![cartoon, yellow, text, art, line,](https://img.allw.mn/content/s1/fb/vf5jp09a5bacc6ba1b7bd401326648_720x405.gif) 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 ![pink, fashion, magenta, girl, long hair,](https://img.allw.mn/content/at/me/idm157ix5bacc7059198d053171061_480x264.gif) 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 ![girl, fur,](https://img.allw.mn/content/nn/li/emu2qyot5bacc76fde45d859686806_480x270.gif) 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 ![face, skin, hairstyle, chin, cheek,](https://img.allw.mn/content/jd/en/anjtlqrd5bacc80ed7750774767212_480x270.gif) Don’t underestimate the curative powers of music. Put on your favourite playlist and lose yourself in the rhythm. ## 8. Dance ![pink, beauty, girl, fun, black hair,](https://img.allw.mn/content/rx/y5/zqmpioc95bacc84ab8821532950705_640x360.gif) And while the music is playing, make sure that you move your body in time! Dancing is a super fun release. ## 9. Hug ![photograph, black and white, monochrome photography, photography, snapshot,](https://img.allw.mn/content/b5/v5/xddrvyf35bacc88c3c99a357985110_415x176.gif) 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 ![girl, forehead, black hair, long hair, product,](https://img.allw.mn/content/vq/ej/urffmc0c5bacc8cdb6b00256893094_500x258.gif) 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 ![hair, blond, human hair color, eyebrow, head,](https://img.allw.mn/content/ys/xu/tbohbgvj5bacc92907c2f543640298_500x281.gif) 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 ![cat, small to medium sized cats, cat like mammal, whiskers, fur,](https://img.allw.mn/content/xq/fw/xht9ah6c5bacc9e4b025e858106647_500x281.gif) 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! ## Related Posts - [5 Awesome Ways to Kick Anxiety Now ...](https://health.allwomenstalk.com/awesome-ways-to-kick-anxiety-now/) - [goodbye mondays](https://inspiration.allwomenstalk.com/ways-to-say-goodbye-to-the-monday-morning-blues/) - [3 Awesome Ways to Heal Your Energy ...](https://inspiration.allwomenstalk.com/awesome-ways-to-heal-your-energy/) - [Stress Triggers in Your Home ...](https://health.allwomenstalk.com/stress-triggers-in-your-home/) - [5 Ways to Control Your Anger ...](https://inspiration.allwomenstalk.com/ways-to-control-your-anger/) - [12 Exceptional Tips for Staying Calm at Exam Time ...](https://lifestyle.allwomenstalk.com/exceptional-tips-for-staying-calm-at-exam-time/) - [My Sanity Practice ...](https://health.allwomenstalk.com/my-sanity-practice/) - [Tips to Manage Workplace Stress ...](https://health.allwomenstalk.com/tips-to-manage-workplace-stress/) - [10 High Impact Self Care Ideas to Give Yourself a ...](https://health.allwomenstalk.com/high-impact-self-care-ideas-to-give-yourself-a-break/) - [Relaxation Techniques for Busy Women ...](https://health.allwomenstalk.com/relaxation-techniques-for-busy-women/) - [5 Things That Can Help You Relax Today...](https://allwomenstalk.com/5-things-that-can-help-you-relax-today/) - [3 Tips to Make Time for Myself ...](https://allwomenstalk.com/how-to-make-time-for-yourself/) ## Site Information - [Main page](https://allwomenstalk.com) - [Contact us](https://allwomenstalk.com/contact.html) - [HTML article](https://health.allwomenstalk.com/acts-of-self-care-you-can-do-in-5-minutes-or-less/)