I know, I know. Self care is talked about a lot these days, and that’s a GOOD thing! For too long we have been neglecting ourselves in favor of other people or other tasks. I am a firm believer that little by little, you can move a mountain. It’s not about rearranging your entire day to accommodate self care, it’s about fitting it into your current schedule and then build from there. Today I’m sharing 25 quick self care ideas under 1 minute.
Now, please don’t be too quick to shrug off self care. If you are experiencing anxiety, depression, panic attacks, or any other mental heath issues, it can be scary to try something new, even if it’s helpful. Let me tell you, it’s important to pepper in self care throughout your day beforeyou reach a critical state. You won’t believe how much self care matters to your mental well being; taking time for yourself emphasizes to yourself that you are important and worthy of care. Quick self care ideas are wonderful because you get the accomplishment of doing something for yourself without the time constraint.
Show yourself love and start small. Adopting a new routine won’t stick unless you gradually ease your way in. I am the perfect example of someone who gets excited, makes a list of all the things I will do to better myself, then get overwhelmed and feel like a failure. Ugh. So, my new approach is to start small and realistically, gain confidence, then add more.
I started with 10-15 mins of yoga then increased it after a week, then started doing the elliptical for 15 mins, then increased that. I felt awesome. Similarly, my original goal was to meditate for an hour a day (what was I thinking?). That’s like not exercising for a year and then suddenly deciding to run a 5k…sprinting. Nope. Nope. Nope. I meditate now at least 10 mins a day and I have kept that up for nearly 200 days in a row. Hopefully these quick self care ideas under 1 minute will help you get your foot in the door, get a boost of endorphins from accomplishing something, and encourage you to do more to care for yourself.
Self care comes in many forms, but often times, social media wants to tell you its only the luxury items like a bubble bath, an hour long facial or massage, an expensive yoga class, or buying stuff for yourself. This is not the case! Self care doesn’t have to cost a thing. It can be as little as 1 minute. So, let me share with you my 25 quick self care ideas that will take less than 1 minute to complete!
1. Recite affirmations
This sounds pretty crunchy, right? Think about it. Your mind is so vast; how much of it is filled with negative thoughts? It’s ok if the answer is a lot. But the good news is that your mind is very receptive to programming! You can just as easily train your mind to be positive, hopeful, and confident. Try it, it will change your life. Become your own best friend. Here are some examples to start with: 101 positive affirmations. You don’t have to adopt all of them, obviously, just choose the ones that speak to you.
2. Wash your face
One of the signs of depression is lack of interest in doing things, even simple things. Sure, it’s tempting to come home and not feel like taking your makeup off, but resist this urge. Your skin is worth cleansing. I like getting cleansers that smell luxurious and relaxing. You can turn even a simple task like washing your face into a loving moment for yourself. Thich Nhat Hahn starts his day by splashing cold water on his face and I have adopted that task. Cold water tightens skin, shrinks pores, and wakes you up.
3. Brush your teeth
Same thing as washing your face. When you feel clean, you feel better about yourself. It’s all about keeping up with hygiene.
4. Deep breathing
Most of us do not get enough oxygen, did you know that? We should strive for belly breathing. Belly breathing is when you breathe through your belly not your lungs. It sounds crazy, but it’s important. Breathing by expanding your lungs only allows you to have shallow breaths. Belly breathing fills you up with air much better. Here is how to belly breathe.
5. Write down 5 things you’re grateful for
You know I’ve been using the meditation app Headspace for over a year now. Headspace is all about creating new routines for your mind and training the mind. You can train it to be grateful and positive.
6. Set your intention for the day
Setting an intention, especially if you have a tough situation ahead, helps you remain focused and grounded. Deepak Chopra teaches you how in this article.
7. Read a bible verse
I start and end my day reading a bible verse. If you’re looking for somewhere to start, I love the book of Romans and the book of Isaiah. I have a bible app that has a verse of the day and I read that. I also have Joel Osteen’s app which gives a bible verse and a short paragraph of encouragement. Much like setting intentions, reading a bible verse helps me remember that ultimately, I am not in control, God is. I give my anxieties and problems to God in the morning and then again at night. It helps me with peace of mind.
8. Drink warm lemon water
You probably already know the wonderful benefits of drinking lemon water in the morning, but if you don’t, here they are.
9. Do 1 yoga pose
One of my favorite motivational people on Instagram is Hilaria Baldwin. She is Alec Baldwin’s wife and also author of The Living Clearly Method. She is an advocate of peppering in small workouts throughout the day. It doesn’t sound like it will work, like at all, BUT, I have been doing what she instructs and it’s been game changing. Slow and steady truly wins the race.
10. Reserve that library e-book you’ve been wanting to read
Ohhhh friend. I am rocking my library e-books. I’m zipping through books by Max Lucado, Thich Nhat Hahn, Brene Brown, Pema Chodron, Deepak Chopra, etc. It’s been life changing. I love books about bettering oneself…because then I better myself!
11. Sign up for Zen Habits
Not familiar with Zen Habits? It’s a free email subscription that gives you a short email every so often that encouraging, uplifting, and provides you with ideas to live a well centered life. You can sign up here and I really recommend it. I’ve been getting these emails for years and they are always so helpful.
12. Text a friend you hope they have a great day
Did you know that self care also includes caring for others? Often times when we are anxious, we are all in our own head. The way to get out of that cycle is to turn your attention to helping someone else. Words matter so so much; take some time to encourage a friend, family member, lover, anyone.
13. Say a prayer
Whatever you believe in (God, Source, Universe, etc), say a prayer. For me, it’s God. For you, it could be something else. The point is by saying a prayer, you are relinquishing control. You are acknowledging that you are not in charge and you are giving yourself peace to let go of that power position.
14. Do a quick clean up
If you have heard of Marie Kondo, you know that organizing and minimizing clutter in your physical space automatically makes room in your mental space. When I’m feeling down, I let those dishes pile up, I put clothes on the floor, and before I know it, I’m feeling even worse. Doing a quick clean up is something I have mastered. I’ll do little bursts of organization or wiping of surfaces. It makes a world of difference in my confidence and gives me a boost.
15. Dance
It sounds silly, but dancing is a big mood booster. Boosting your mood and giving yourself the gift of serotonin is amazing self care. I do this when I’m walking around the apartment-I dance instead of walk. Another thing I do is make a playlist for doing the dishes. This includes Reggaeton (Spanish music), Cardi B, or oldies. The point is to dance while doing a task that might be unpleasant. It makes it so much better!
16. Give yourself a scalp massage
This is so simple. You can do it while you’re stuck at a red light, in traffic, watching TV, waiting for your food in the microwave. Don’t underestimate the power of touch. You can massage yourself or get a friend or loved one to help. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind helping you relax for one minute, and they get a bonus too: oxytocin.
17. Plan what you will make for dinner
You are worth a good meal. You are worth the nutrients the food will give you. You are worth sitting down to eat mindfully and really nourish your body. By slowing down and thinking about what you will eat is a mood booster in itself. I don’t’ even mean planning what you will cook, but it could be as simple as planning on making scrambled eggs and spinach for dinner or a roast chicken from the grocery, hitting up the salad bar or Whole Foods hot bar. Just by planning a meal will reiterate to yourself that you are worthy.
18. Write a positive thought on a post it and stick it to your bathroom mirror
Stick all the positive vibes you’re sending to yourself everywhere you can. Adopting quick self care ideas will help your overall health so much. We are playing the long game here; slow and steady…and consistently.
19. Water your plants
Plants are really great for well being. They give us oxygen and provide us with nature indoors. Caring for your plant in any way will give you a mood boost; some people even talk to their plants! I like to touch my plants frequently; it helps to ground me.
20. Do a 1 minute meditation
This could be as simple as sitting cross legged and breathing, or listening to a quick 1 minute guided meditation. The 2 apps I use constantly are Headspace and Insight Timer; both have short and long meditations as well and guided and unguided. Go to town!
21. Pick flowers from your garden
Being in nature is really good self care. I cannot help but be in awe at all that God has created. My new favorite activity is sitting on my terrace after work and watching the clouds and planes flying from New Jersey. I sit among my herb and flower garden and pick a flower to put in a mason jar when I come back inside. It’s magic and makes me feel so special. The world was created just for me.
22. Breathe in an essential oil
I loooove essential oils. Right now I am on a lavender and geranium kick when I need to relax. I also have blends for immunity, congestion, and stress relief. I recommend lavender essential oil if I had to choose just one that helps with stress relief. Bonus points for using an essential oil diffuser. This is one of the quick self care ideas that gives you benefits after only a few seconds. So smell smell smell!
23. Light a candle
I love candles. After work everyday, I light a candle as I eat my dinner. My fiance works late so we are ships passing in the night, so I date myself instead! I light a candle, eat a healthy dinner, maybe do some yoga, and put on my nightly skincare. I always stock up on candles from Michael’s each season when they are on sale. I recently got 10 fall candles for only $20. As far as quick self care ideas go, this one only takes about 5 seconds!
24. Apply a face mask
Sometimes when I am feeling a little down, I’ll put on a face mask after I shower. This simple act of self care and self indulgence makes me feel really special. I love the face masks from Lush because they smell heavenly.
25. Eat a healthy snack
There is a correlation between nutrition and good mental and physical health. Part of your nervous system and immune system is in your gut. Did you know that? So, if you’ve been feeling stressed or anxious, the best way to combat that is to eat healthfully. Nutrients help your central nervous system do its thing, which includes processing stress. Out of all the quick self care ideas, this one is the most tasty.
There we go! My 25 quick self care ideas you can do in under 1 minute. Take the time for yourself; you are worth at least 1 minute of care. This will snowball into showing yourself more care because when you feel better, you do better. Taking care of yourself has some pretty amazing effects on your mind, body, and spirit. Try it for a week; just do 1 of these quick self care ideas for 1 minute a day and see how you feel and if something in your gut is telling you to do more. That’s your body telling you it likes what you are doing and wants more love!
-Kristen
More wellness:
- 13 Ways to Use Less Plastic
- How to Start Meditating with Ease
- Why Morning Meditation is so Beneficial
- Benefits of a Gluten Free Period
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