10 Ways to Self-Care in 20 Minutes

I’ll be honest, self-care is not something that I have ever seen a need for or found a desire to participate in. I have been blessed with some pretty chill kids and am lucky to have a relatively relaxed day-to-day routine. Annnnd then our family welcomed our third little one and things have taken a turn toward chaos. I’m a bit more irritable, sleeping less, and have started seeking out ways to relax. 

This past weekend I had the opportunity to spend a bit of time on myself and found it to be refreshing and revitalizing. Since then and in between feeding, cleaning, cooking, and entertaining little people, I have found ‘spoiling’ myself for a handful of minutes has shown to reset a ‘bad’ day or refresh me for the next. Below are my favorite self-cares that take no more than 20 minutes, but feel like I gave myself a whole lot more time.

1. Home Mani/Pedi – a quick trim, file, and a few coats of polish. If I am really feeling wild and crazy, I’ll treat myself to a fun new shade.
2. Organize – This is my favorite! There is always a small something that needs organizing. The pantry, kitchen junk drawer, under the bathroom sink, the sock drawer…you get the idea. This works well for me because it is complexly distracting and leaves me feeling accomplished.
3. Television – Yep, it’s great. No better way to let your mind wander than to watch some reality TV, a cooking show or a few strangers who typically don’t agree with each other buy a house (House Hunters is my go-to mindless, distraction show.)
4. Pinterest – I love searching for a fun new diy project, creating a board for a future celebration or finding a few new dinner ideas. 
5. Showering – This seems obvious, but often I find myself hopping in and out of the shower, without truly taking a moment to stop and enjoy it. I enjoy cranking up the warm water, blasting some tunes, and letting myself escape for a few minutes. 
6. Journaling/Coloring – I am not big into these, but I have given them a try and find them to be quite relaxing. I do find this to be more enjoyable when using fun, colorful markers or gel pens-my inner child still gets quite giddy at the thought of new markers.
7. Reading – I love, love, love reading, but have a difficult time being able to sit down and enjoy a book. I find that by putting effort into researching a novel and setting aside time specifically for reading, I enjoy it so much more.
8. Working Out – This goes without saying. There are tons of (free!) options available on Pinterest and YouTube. Do a quick search to find the type of workout you enjoy and break a sweat. The workout will boost your mood and metabolism! Even 10 minutes will make a difference!
9. Drinking – I know how this sounds, and well, it helps. So, grab your favorite beverage, or try something new, find a cozy seat, and enjoy the company of yourself. You can mix this time up by reading, working on a crossword puzzle, or catching up on social media. 
10. Conversation – I find that making time for myself includes making time for the relationships meaningful to me. Schedule a chat with your best buddy and catch up. Gossip, swap recipes, chat about kids, fashion, whatever strikes you. 

I am new to the self-care phenomenon but have found that it has already made a difference in my mood, sleep, and relationships.

So, what are you waiting for? Borrow one of my self-cares or find one of your own and give yourself a few moments to reset, revitalize, and renew.