10 Self Care Tips You Need To Try Today

With the school holidays approaching it’s so easy to deprioritise time for ourselves! Often our own needs are the first to drop off the list while we make sure the needs of our family and home are met.  Self-care can feel time-consuming and selfish, but it doesn’t need to be, and it most definitely is not selfish! After all, we can’t pour from an empty cup, right? 

First of all, make sure that you plan it in! Make a list of non-negotiables, whether that is a weekly yoga class that you’re not prepared to miss, a daily solo walk or a day out that you’ve been wanting to arrange for a while. Write them down and get them planned in, add them to the calendar so that everyone is aware that that’s your time.

Here are my top 10 five-minute self-care tips that you can incorporate into your days with kids in tow! 

1 Move your body 

Try to move in a way that you usually don’t – whether that’s taking the children out for a walk, fitting in a quick 5-minute stretch (there are some great 5-minute videos on YouTube!) or dancing to your favourite song. You can do this for 5 minutes or take it longer if time and patience allow.

2 Look Up 

Stop for a moment and look up. Wherever you are, whether indoors or out, look up and notice what you see. If you’re inside it might be the light fitting or furniture. Notice their details and how still they are. If you’re outside, look up at the trees and clouds, notice how they change and move. We spend so much time looking down or forward at best, looking up can give us a totally different perspective and taking time to notice the detail can help us to reset. 

3 Go phone free 

Ditch the tech for a while and try and spend some time away from the constant news and notifications. Whether that’s a 5-minute break or you leave it in another room for a couple of hours. Make it something that’s significant for you. Before you go back to your phone, take note of what you’ve done and what you’ve noticed during your phone free time that you wouldn’t normally.

4 Wear something you love 

My summer staples are either jeans or denim shorts and a t-shirt. Definitely nothing fancy here. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Pick a day that you fancy changing it up. Wear something you love, something that makes you feel good. Is there something that you usually save for special occasions? Wear it today and notice how you feel.

5 Try something new 

Whether it’s going somewhere you’ve not been but have always wanted to or trying a new craft or activity at home. What will you pick? Change it up a bit, you might find something you love!

6 Listen to a Guided Meditation 

Whether you’re a regular or you’ve always been against it, why not try out a simple 5-minute meditation? You can find some great ones on YouTube, Insight Timer and Headspace. Give it a go, you never know, you might love it!

7 Treat yourself 

It doesn’t have to be huge; it could be a brownie with your coffee or something you’ve been wanting to buy yourself for months. Why not treat yourself to it today?

8 Compliment yourself 

We are so good at complimenting other people but often neglect ourselves. Take a step back and imagine you are a friend of yours looking in from the outside. What would you say to yourself? Think about what you’ve achieved, your qualities and what you do on a daily basis. Now big yourself up!

9 Dance 

Pick your favourite song or playlist, turn it on loud and dance! A great way to switch off, what will you be dancing to today?

10 Take a long bath or shower 

Take a little longer than usual today and notice your surroundings. Take note of the smell of your soap or shampoo, notice how the water feels and what you can hear. Try and relax your body for an extra couple of minutes before you get out.  

So, there you have it, my top 10 tips for 5-minute self-care tips. You don’t need to try them all, pick one or two that you like the sound of and give them a go. If you find one that you like, why not try and create a daily or weekly ritual?  Whether it’s a long soak in the bath on a Sunday evening, a daily 5-minute meditation or face massage when you apply moisturiser, try and make self-care part of the routine so that it comes naturally and doesn’t get forgotten.

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