Executive and Leadership Coach, Lecturer, Founder of unabridged – engaging your power and potential for greater personal and social impact.
getty
If we think about self-care as doing what is necessary to take care of ourselves in the various roles we play, we can start to see that it is not a luxury or self-indulgent, as many people erroneously believe. On the contrary, it makes excellent common and business sense to protect our personal and professional assets!
If we also think more broadly about how it can be practiced — from the more time-consuming practices, such as leisurely nature walks, massages or longer yoga sessions to including micro-acts that can be done in little time — we can see that self-care can be added even to already overflowing agendas.
Here are 25 practices that can all be done in very little time for you to consider, do, adapt and build on.
1. Every hour, grab a glass of your favorite cucumber or strawberry water. Water nourishes your mind and body.
2. Walk around the block. Movement is powerful for your mind and body.
3. Prioritize and practice sleep. This is a key ingredient for your well-being.
4. Set aside 10 minutes in the day to plan your meals and snacks. Preparation helps you avoid unhealthy choices later on.
5. Listen to 10 minutes of your favorite podcast; repeat throughout the day for a mental break that is fun and provides intellectual stimulation.
6. Prepare and say a daily mantra (e.g., “Good enough is great” or “Today is my day to rock as a friend/boss/citizen…”). This sets a positive intention.
7. Identify one of your own superpowers (something you’re great at) and remind yourself at breakfast, lunch, dinner and bedtime. You are focusing on and reinforcing the positive.
8. Send a message of appreciation to someone (e.g., “I am thinking of you” or “You did a great job on that report”). Spreading kindness nourishes you and the recipient — and is contagious.
9. Practice gratitude. Identify three things you are grateful for today and bring them to mind or write them down. This is a great way to build resilience.
10. Set aside 10 minutes for some free-flow writing, either to vent or express your creativity. This can serve as a way to boundary your worry-time or increase your anticipation of creative expression.
11. Listen to/watch a five-minute kindness meditation. This is a great way to quiet the mind and cultivate “kindfulness.”
12. Set the timer for five minutes and color. It’s fun and a great way to clear your mind.
13. Read your CV/LinkedIn profile to remind you of all that you have accomplished.
14. Set a timer to alert you every 45 minutes to stand up and do 60 seconds of movement (e.g., a walk around your apartment, jumping jacks or push-ups).
15. Practice admiration. Look out a window and identify three things you admire or had not noticed before.
16. Share your favorite joke or a funny video with a friend or loved one. Humor increases our well-being.
17. Change your space. Move to another chair or take your work to the café. This literally changes your perspective.
18. Celebrate what you won’t do. Make sure you don’t do it. This helps manage your time and energy.
19. Set a timer to remind you to read for five minutes (in the bathroom if you have to!).
20. Call someone you enjoy speaking with. We are social creatures, and this builds connection.
21. Choose to let an irritation/irritator go. You do not have to react to everything that upsets you. Intentionally pick your battles.
22. If you feel that you need/want help, ask for it! We are not meant to do it all. Just ask.
23. Choose one expectation you have of yourself/another — and let go of it for the day.
24. Set a time duration when you will not look at work emails or your phone. This helps you create boundaries.
25. Create a new ritual to help you with a challenge (e.g., as you start a difficult project, prepare your favorite tea; or program your alarm each hour, so you get up and stretch/do a sun salutation/cuddle your pet).
Here you have 25 quick and simple micro self-care practices to get you started. They’re all designed to give you moments of pleasure, nourishment and relaxation and/or that release from whatever stresses you may be facing. What else can you add to this list?
Self-care begins with you and is a powerful practice for your health and development. It comes in many shapes and forms. It can be big and small, practiced in hours and minutes, giving you long-lasting effects that impact on your whole life — both personal and professional. As Sam Levenson said, “As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands: one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.” This is a great reminder of the importance of taking care of ourselves in the moments that we have as we tend to others. How will you practice self-care today?
Forbes Coaches Council is an invitation-only community for leading business and career coaches. Do I qualify?
