Self-care. Huge buzzword these days. I love kicking off a blog post with some cynicism, so I’m going to go ahead and say it: I hate the term “self-care.” See also: I hate healing journeys. These terms seem both impersonal and condescending to me. Plus, in our internet age, “self-care” has been become interchangeable with buying a beauty product like a face mask and taking a picture for the ‘gram, which… isn’t the same thing. Don’t even get me started on how we tend to favor the “permanence” of social media over loving our ephemeral real lives. That’s a rant for another day. But I concede that there’s a lot of value in having 5-minute self care activities be a part of your day, so let’s talk about it!
Mainstream 5-minute self care activities can be a little frothy. It’s mostly stuff that makes you feel good or look good, but doesn’t serve other parts of your life. Taking care of yourself is more than just a sheet mask or getting some me time (not to say either of those are bad – they’re both great!). Sometimes, caring for yourself is a pain in the ass. Often, it’s doing something that doesn’t feel good, but serves you and your goals. The focus of this post is 5-minute self-care activities that will help you get shit done and set your future self up for success. Best of all, none of them cost money (unless you need mocktail ingredients).
5-Minute Self Care Activities to Get Some Sanity
- Take a break… without screens. Five minutes of walking around your house, around your apartment complex, or around the block can do wonders to clear your head and minimize eye strain from screen work all day. Walking around is also a great way to reduce stress, especially if you suffer from anxiety and/or panic attacks. Bonus: you can use this as “allotted procrastination time” to avoid procrastinating indefinitely.
- Make a hydrating mocktail! I love coconut water, sparkling water, lime juice, and sea salt in a tall glass.
- Spend time with your animal friends. Limit cortisol and boost calming love hormones like oxytocin by petting your dog or cat. Don’t have a pet? Meditate for five minutes on an animal rescue cam!
…And Some Activities to Keep Your Sanity
- Make a to-do list. I’ve spoken about Google Tasks before, but this app is the only reason why I am not foaming at the mouth and howling from rooftops 24 hours a day. Honorable mention for Google Calendar, too.
- Straighten up! Make your bed, put some shoes or dishes away, or wipe down a couple of dusty surfaces. Reducing even a little bit of visual clutter can help you stay focused or keep your mood lifted. Doesn’t have to be perfect, just has to be five minutes. 😉
- Change your clothes to support your routine. I like changing into pajamas as soon as I’m ready to start my “evening,” whether that’s at 5pm or 9pm. It signals to my body that we’re moving into a new part of the day, and I can let work stress go. I’m 100% remote, so I have specific lounge wear that I take out for the beginning of the day, and more comfortable outfits for my leisure time. I also like changing when I get home from social engagements or appointments to help wind down from being out in the city.
In Conclusion…
As someone very excited to leave the internet aesthetic mill behind in my thirties, I want to share ways to care for yourself that aren’t entrenched in what it looks like to outsiders. While caring for yourself can be cute and trendy, and it can require you to spend money, most of the time, it won’t be either of those things.
