6 one-minute or less self-care habits to try

It’s a busy week for you. Nothing is going as you wrote down in your planner. What are the first habits to fall by the wayside after a week?

For me, journaling is often the first to go.

Life gets busy!

Sometimes, I simply don't have the time or energy to do a full 20 minute self-care routine.

Other times, it’s not about enough time or energy. Life, good or bad, can happy and throw you off your routine. Maybe you received a last minute invite to a fun event when you planned to review your finances. Perhaps a friend calls to catch up with you when you wanted to journal.

Regardless, life happens but that doesn’t mean self-care has to go away. There are “quick” self-care habits to help sustain you until you’re able to practice a habit or routine in full that you missed earlier in the day or week (or month haha).

Here are six one-minute or less self-care habits to try when life gets busy:

PLAY games.

In this blog post, we talked about how mental self-care can also mean habits and routines that keep you learning.

One of my mental self-care goals this year is to read 40 books and learn a new language. Sometimes, I just don’t have time for DuoLingo! One of my favorite “quick” self-care habits is to play a round of Wordle, Quordle, or Contexto to get my mind off of work stress but also keep my mind going.

Check Finances.

Financial self-care goes beyond just saving money and investing. This form of self-care also includes checking your bank account DAILY. I cannot stress enough how important it is to check your bank account! I’m enrolled in online banking (some people are not, trust me). It takes less than 30 seconds to pull out your phone, open your bank’s app, and review your balance and transactions. You can’t save/invest money when you’re losing it to unnecessary subscriptions and fraudulent transactions.

Send texts.

Social self-care is a great one-minute habit. Phone calls and FaceTimes are great, but don’t underestimate the power of a quick message to cultivate your relationships. When you have a minute to spare, reach out to a friend or family member! Sending a text message is quicker than a phone call. If you’re like me, you can also send a quick voice memo for an extra personalized touch.

QUICK MEDITATION.

Of course meditation is on the list! One minute of meditation can shift your entire mindset and change your outlook on the day. In fact, meditation, whether it be guided or just deep breathing on my own, is probably my most use method of “quick” self-care. When you have a minute to spare, try getting to a quiet place to spend the next meeting with deep breathing.

Encourage yourself.

Sometimes, a little encouragement goes along way. Recite your favorite affirmation, quote, religious text, etc. that empowers you when life feels tough. Take one minute to step away from the chaos or to simply quiet your mind. Close your eyes if you can and just focus on this moment. Recite that sentence or phrase three times slowly.

practice gratitude.

Whether you’re stressed or feeling great, it’s always a great time to practice gratitude. Try naming one or two things that you’re grateful for when you have a minute to spare. This is my favorite option to use when the day is really rough and I’m on the cusp of having a mini-anxiety episode.

It’s your turn! What’s your favorite “quick” self-care habit?