Self-Care When You Have No Time

I know. You have work, you have family, you have a list that never gets shorter, and now somebody is telling you to make time for self-care. It can feel like one more chore. It doesn’t have to take long, though, and it doesn’t have to be complicated.

Figure Out What It Means for You

Self-care looks different for everyone, so start there. For one person it’s a walk outside. For another it’s yoga, or a few minutes of meditation, or dinner with people they like. Pick whatever actually makes you feel better. If you hate meditating, don’t meditate.

Say No to Something

This is the hard one. It’s easy to get swept along by everything you’ve agreed to and forget about yourself, and sooner or later that catches up with you. Sometimes taking care of yourself just means turning down an extra commitment, handing a job to someone else, or blocking out half an hour and treating it like any other appointment.

Go Small

You don’t need an hour. A few slow, deep breaths count. So does a cup of tea you actually sit down to drink, or a quick stretch between calls. Small things you do most days tend to stick better than big plans that never happen.