20 Self-Care Hacks That Take 5 Minutes or Less
Updated: Jun 18, 2024
Welcome to the modern era where everyone is busy juggling work, family, and other responsibilities. In the midst of the chaos, we often forget to take care of ourselves. But hold up! Neglecting self-care is basically like ignoring the one thing that could help you reduce stress, maintain physical and mental health, be more productive, and feel happier in general. So why do so many people view self-care as a luxury or an indulgence, instead of a necessity? Well, that's what we're here to explore.
Self-care is not just a trendy buzzword, it's an essential component of a healthy, happy, and well-balanced life. Prioritizing your physical and mental well-being is crucial for reducing stress, maintaining good health, and enhancing your overall quality of life. However, attempting to fit self-care into an already packed schedule can often become overwhelming and counterproductive to its intended purpose. The good news is, incorporating small self-care practices into your daily routine doesn't have to be a daunting task. In this blog, I've got you covered with 20 simple self-care hacks that can be done in 5 minutes or less. And the best part? Some of these hacks can even save you time! So, sit tight, grab a cup of tea, and let's talk about how to make self-care fit into your life.
And if you aren't familiar with self-care and all of the benefits it offers, check out the article, "What is Self-Care, Why It's Important, and How to Get Your Self-Care Routine Started".
Full disclosure: I'll be recommending some of my favorite self-care products in this post. If you want to try them out yourself, go ahead and use the links on this page. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, but don't worry, it won't cost you any extra.
1. Delegate a Task
Delegating tasks doesn't mean you're inefficient, it shows you're proactive at managing your workload and leveraging your resources effectively. It's a quick and efficient method of self-care that can help you save time and reduce stress. So, go right ahead, and don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Try picking one or two things each week that you could use help with and ask a colleague, friend, or family member to complete the task for you. This works great with the tasks you hate that others may enjoy. Be sure to communicate clearly, be specific, and ensure the person you are delegating to has the resources necessary to complete the task, so you can enjoy the time and energy to tend to other things... like more self-care.
2. Prep Ahead
Getting your things ready for the day ahead is a small task that you're going to have to do anyways. The benefit is that being preparing ahead can help you start your mornings stress-free, with a clear mind. Try your preparing your outfit, lunch, or work bag the evening before to set yourself up for success and notice how it improves your mood and energy as you start your day. Preparing in the evening also provides an opportunity to make better choices and allows time for additional self-care activities in the morning, such as setting intentions, journaling, or getting some extra sleep.
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3. Set Your Intentions
Setting intentions each day is an easy and quick way to incorporate self-care into your morning routine. It takes only a few minutes to pause and reflect on what you want to achieve or focus on for the day ahead. By setting intentions, you are actively choosing how you want to approach your day, which can reduce stress and increase productivity. Choose a quiet spot — it can even be done right from your bed before you get up — and make a habit of choosing how you want to approach your day or how you want to feel. One simple practice is to choose one word or phrase that summarizes your intention, such as "calm" or "focus." Repeat your intention to yourself a few times, and then open your eyes and start your day with purpose and clarity.
4. Try Aromatherapy
Adding some smell-goods to your living or work space is an easy and enjoyable way to elevate your ambiance for self care. Aromatherapy can support physical and psychological well-being by reducing stress, anxiety, and depression, improving sleep, boosting mood and energy, and enhancing cognitive function. Popular techniques include essential oils, incense, candles, and bath soaps. Here's a list of some popular scents and the feelings and emotions they're known to evoke:
Lavender: relaxation, calmness, stress relief, and improved sleep
Peppermint: energy, invigoration, focus, and mental clarity
Eucalyptus: clarity, rejuvenation, revitalization, and improved respiratory function
Frankincense: grounding, spiritual connection, relaxation, and calmness
Tea Tree: purification, cleansing, and a sense of well-being
Vanilla: comfort, relaxation and warmth
Chamomile: calmness, relaxation, and improved sleep
Ylang-ylang: sensuality, relaxation, and a sense of peace
Bergamot: happiness, upliftment, and stress relief
5. Prioritize Your Day
Prioritizing your day is a great way to manage your time more effectively and reduce stress. First, list the all the things you need to get done. Then choose a few of the most urgent and easily achievable tasks for the day, being sure to save room for 'you time'. Don't worry, the rest can be put back up for selection on tomorrow's list. While you may be in the habit of trying to get it all done at once, this often sets us up for failure and poor decision-making. By focusing only on the most important tasks that can realistically be completed, you set yourself up for success and increase productivity. This method is all about reducing burnout and overwhelm, while also empowering you to take control of your life and feel good about your accomplishments.
6. Use Affirmations
Affirmations are powerful tools that can help to reprogram our subconscious mind and reshape our limiting thoughts and beliefs. These positive statements are designed to replace negative self-talk with more empowering and uplifting messages. By repeating affirmations regularly, we can change our negative thought patterns and begin to believe in our own abilities and worth. To start incorporating affirmations into your daily self-care routine, consider choosing a few statements that resonate with you and repeating them to yourself each morning. Or to make it simple, I've created a list of "25 Affirmations for Self-Care" which you can download for free. I recommend choosing one affirmation each week, copying it in your own handwriting, and place it somewhere visible (like a mirror or your phone) to serve as a reminder throughout the day.
7. Do Some Deep Breathing
Taking a few moments to focus on your breath and slow down your thoughts can help you reduce stress and anxiety, leading to a more relaxed state of mind. Deep breathing can also help you increase oxygen levels in your body, which can improve your overall health and energy levels. This simple mindfulness practice can be done from anywhere, and is simple to incorporate into any schedule.
8. Drink More Water
Staying hydrated is a simple act that can have a major impact on your overall health. It helps you maintain healthy skin, boost your energy levels, and improve your cognitive function. Consider carrying a motivational water bottle like the any of the ones below that have time and volume markers such as the ones below to remind you to take sips regularly. You can also try infusing your water with fresh fruits or herbs to add flavor, or to eat more water-rich foods like fruits and vegetables to increase your water intake.
9. Cultivate a Positive Mindset
Shifting your thoughts from negative to positive can reduce stress and have a significant impact on your mental, emotional and physical well-being and can be practiced as you go about your daily tasks. Try focusing on the positive aspects of your life, being more compassionate toward yourself and others, and visualizing positive outcomes. These simple acts will help you to cultivate a positive mindset, and can eventually become second nature, leading to a more fulfilling and happy life. To learn more about how you can cultivate a positive mindset, check out my previous guide where I broke it down into 4 simple steps: "4 Steps to a Positive Mindset: Transforming Your Thoughts for a Happier, Healthier Life".
10. Choose Healthy Eating Habits
Improving your eating habits can have a profound impact on your physical health, and can help you to feel more energized and improve your mood. Consider incorporating more fruits, veggies, and lean proteins into your diet. Meal prepping helps to control portions size and is an easy way of ensuring you have well-balanced, healthy options available throughout the day. It's equally important to remember not to skip meals, overeat, or eat too quickly when your day gets busy. Instead take an extra 5 for a quick snack or to practice eating mindfully.
11. Stop Multitasking
Multitasking prevents us from fully engaging in the present moment and enjoying the activities we are doing. Not only that, research has shown that multi-tasking actually slows us down, and causes us to become less efficient and make more mistakes, increasing the likelihood that we may have to redo processes to correct errors. This can lead to increased stress, frustration, and anxiety. While it may seem counterintuitive, single-tasking can actually save time in the long run. by giving our full attention to one task at a time, we can become more efficiently, productive and creative. Additionally, by prioritizing our tasks and completing them in order, we can avoid the need to constantly switch between tasks, which can be mentally taxing and time-consuming. To practice single-tasking, start by choosing one task and setting aside all distractions, such as notifications or emails. Focus on the task at hand, and resist the urge to switch to other tasks until it is complete. By being more mindful in the way we complete our tasks, we can reduce the mental load and take better care of ourselves.
12. Subscribe to a Daily Quote
Reading inspirational quotes can help you shift your mindset, increase motivation, and promote a sense of optimism and positivity. It's easy to gather a collection of quotes that inspire you and resonate with your values and goals and keep them somewhere visible as a motivational reminder. You can also subscribe to a daily email, follow motivational social media accounts, or get a simple quote book, like this one.
13. Take it Outside
Doing things outdoors helps to reduce stress, and boost your mood. If you're short on time, consider doing tasks outside that you would normally do indoors, such as eating lunch, writing your to do list, or drinking your morning coffee. You can even have meetings in an outdoor setting to enjoy the benefits of fresh air and natural light or walk or run outdoors during breaks, which can help you clear your mind and increase your energy levels. By incorporating the outdoor activities into your daily routine, you can improve your overall well-being and enjoy the many benefits of spending time in nature.
14. Try Meditation & Mindfulness
According to research, just 5 minutes a day of mindfulness meditation can reduce stress. Mindfulness practices, such as meditation, mindful listening, and body scans, can help to improve your focus, boost your productivity, and have mental and physical health benefits. If you'd like to learn more about simple mindfulness practices that can be done in five minutes or less, or about the many benefits of mindfulness, check out my other blog titled, "Demystifying the Practice of Mindfulness: A Guide for Beginners With 5 Simple Ways To Get Started".
15. Unplug
Disconnecting from technology is a great way reduce stress and improve focus. Some might argue that it gives you back time by promoting relaxation or productivity. Get started by setting boundaries around your device usage, such as limiting screen time before bed or during meals. You can also try turning off notifications or setting aside designated times to check your email or social media accounts. You could use this time engage in activities that don't involve technology, such as reading, going for a walk, or spending time with loved ones. By disconnecting from technology, you can reduce feelings of overwhelm and burnout, improve your sleep quality, and cultivate a greater sense of presence and mindfulness in your daily life.
16. Practice Gratitude
Simply taking a few moments each day to focus on the things you're grateful for can help you reduce stress, improve your mood, and enhance your overall sense of well-being. Express your appreciation to those who help you throughout your day, including colleagues, service staff, and loved ones. When you come across challenge or frustration, shift your focus to the things that are going right and give thanks to those who are trying to help. At the end of your day, take a few moments to reflect on positive experiences or write down the things you are grateful for in a gratitude journal. To learn more about cultivating gratitude, check out the article "The Power of Gratitude: Why it Works and 5 Simple Practices for Greater Happiness and Wellbeing".
17. Get Your Thoughts Out
You may notice that journaling comes up a lot in my blog, and for good reason. Journaling can help us to access our innermost thoughts and studies have shown that it can help reduce the effects of past emotional trauma, having profound positive effects on our mental and physical health. This simple act of self-care can be done in as little as five minutes, so grab a journal, find a comfortable spot and consistent time of day and write out your thoughts and feelings without judgement or criticism of whatever comes out. For more tips on journaling or to read more about the benefits, visit "Unlocking Your Unconscious Mind: A Guide to Journaling".
18. Practice Forgiveness
Forgiveness is a powerful act of self-care that promotes emotional healing. You can start small by letting go of minor transgressions, such as the guy who cut you off in traffic or your co-worker who forgot to reply to your email. Another approach is to practice self-forgiveness. Think of a mistake you made recently and forgive yourself for it. When you're ready, you can begin reflecting on any grudges or resentments you may be holding onto and work towards letting those go as well. By choosing to release these negative feelings, you can reduce stress, improve relationships, and cultivate a greater sense of peace and emotional well-being.
19. Listen to Music
Music has been shown to have a powerful effect on mood and helps to reduce stress and anxiety, while boosting energy, elevating our mood. Some studies show it can and even improve our focus and cognitive performance. The best part, getting more music in your day doesn't take up any extra time since you can listen to music while getting dressed, commuting to work, or doing household chores. I recommend creating playlists for specific tasks or moods, such as a playlist for exercising or a playlist for relaxation, or one for stimulating creativity.
20. Sleep Like a Baby
Quality sleep is crucial for being and feeling your best. According to the American Psychological Association, people who don't get enough sleep are more likely to feel stressed, irritable, fatigued, and have difficulty concentrating. Pretty scary when you consider that 45% of the world's population suffers from sleep problems. 7-8 hours of quality sleep is essential for self-care as it allows the body to repair tissues, regulate hormones, and boost the immune system, while also enhancing cognitive function. One simple trick is to create a relaxing environment in the bedroom by minimizing noise, reducing light exposure, and keeping the room at a comfortable temperature. Certain scents, such as lavender, chamomile, and ylang-ylang, are known to have a calming effect on the body and mind, promoting better sleep (see #4). Getting regular exercise during the day and participating in relaxing activities before bed, such as reading or taking a warm bath can also improve sleep quality, and caffeine, alcohol and blue light technology should be avoided before bedtime as these can disrupt the natural sleep cycle making it difficult to get quality sleep.
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Conclusion
In conclusion, self-care is not a luxury, it's a necessity. Taking just a few minutes out of your day to prioritize your physical and mental well-being can make a world of difference in reducing stress, maintaining good health, and enhancing your overall quality of life. The 20 self-care hacks discussed in this blog are quick, easy, and effective ways to incorporate self-care into your daily routine without overwhelming your already packed schedule. Remember, taking care of yourself is not selfish, it's essential. So go ahead, try out these self-care hacks, and make self-care a priority in your life. You deserve it!
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Mentioned in this post: busy juggling responsibilities, self-care, mindfulness, compasionate toward yourself, positive mindset, mindset, boundaries, journaling
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