36 Simple Self Care Ideas To Do in 10 minutes or Less
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Are you short on time? Is your schedule always packed full? You need some simple self care ideas that you can do in 10 minutes or less.
We all know self care is important, but with a busy schedule it can feel impossible to incorporate self care into our week let alone on a daily basis.
One of the most common barriers to self care is being busy or not having time to dedicate to ourselves.
But self care doesn’t need to require hours of your time.
All of the self care ideas in this post can easily fit into a break from work or in between chores.
There are plenty of simple self care ideas that you can accomplish in just 10 minutes or less.
And further, the times when we are most overwhelmed and busy is likely the times when we need self care the most.
And just because these 10-minute self care ideas don’t take long to do, doesn’t mean they can’t have a huge impact.
This post is going to give you 36 simple self care ideas that take 10 minutes or less.
1. Meditate
Meditation is a great tool to reduce stress and anxiety, and you only need 10 minutes to do it.
If you’re new to meditation, click here to read about mindful meditation for beginners.
2. Face mask
A face mask can make you feel refreshed a relaxed in less than ten minutes!
Choose a face mask that addresses one of your skin goals. If you have dry skin, choose something hydrating. If you’re skin has been looking dull, try something brightening.
I love this face mask because it is gentle and soothing to dry skin and makes your skin feel oh so smooth.
3. Say no
Take ten minutes and cancel something on your busy schedule. It will be hard to say no to something at first, but it will be so relieving after you do it.
4. Unfollow toxic people
Take ten minutes to go through your social media accounts and unfollow any who’s content makes you feel bad about yourself or less confident.
Social media can be really toxic and making this small change will have a huge impact on your mood and stress moving forward once you no longer have to see that negative material!
5. Moisturize
Show your skin some love and moisturize.
This moisturizer is my favorite. You’re skin will feel hydrated and it isn’t too greasy like some lotion.
6. Lip scrub
If you suffer from dry or chapped lips, a lip scrub could be a great product for you.
A lip scrub removes the dead skin from your lips and allows them to better absorb moisturizing lip balm.
7. Stretch
Stretching is important for muscle health and reducing joint pain.
Doing some stretches for 10 minutes a day will do wonders for your body!
Click here for 7 stretches for lower back pain.
8. Core workout
Exercise benefits both your physical and mental health. While most workouts require more of a time investment, you can do a quick core workout from home in just ten minutes.
Click here for a ten minute at home core workout.
9. Sit outside
Get some Vitamin D and spend 10 minutes outside. The fresh air and nature will feel great!
10. Make a healthy smoothie bowl
Fuel your body with some healthy and nutritious food.
11. Get organized
A little organization can make long strides in reducing your stress because you will have a plan of attack.
Use these free Self Care Seeker daily planner and weekly self care schedule printables to organize your to-do list, build self care into your schedule, and reduce stress.
Fill out the form below to get your free printables!
12. Make a cup of tea
Make yourself a warm cup of tea and get cozy under a blanket.
13. Journal
Journaling is a great way to organize your thoughts, reflect on your experiences, and reduce stress.
Take 10 minutes to write out a journal entry either based on a prompt or just set a timer for ten minutes and write down your stream of consciousness thoughts.
To start a journal that fits your personality, click here.
14. Listen to some music
Music speaks to your soul and can do wonders for boosting your mood.
Listen to something calming that will help you relax, or listen to your favorite pump-up bangers for a confidence boost.
15. 10-minute yoga
Yoga is a great way to strengthen and stretch muscles as well as relax.
Search “10-minute yoga” on YouTube for tons of different guided yoga videos that will only take 10-minutes of your day.
16. Apply your skin care regime
Commit to your skin care routine and apply you favorite products.
For a night time skin care routine, read more here.
17. List five things you are grateful for
When life gets busy we can forget about the things in life that make us happy.
Take a few minutes to list out the things you are grateful for right now. It might be your health, your family, your friends, the weather…nothing is too big or too small!
By focusing on the positive, your outlook will feel more positive as a result.
18. Hydrate
Hydration is so important but sometimes when you are on the go all day you might realize you made it to 3 pm and barely took a sip of water.
Grab a glass of water or some La Croix and just take a few minutes to hydrate.
19. Massage your neck
If you are on the go all day or sitting at a desk for long periods of time, you may experience neck pain.
This neck massager will give you a great ten-minute massage that will leave you feeling so relaxed.
20. Turn off your phone for 10 minutes
Give yourself a break from the buzzing and notifications for ten minutes.
Put your phone on silent, turn it off, or leave it in another room.
21. Plan your weekend
Give yourself something to look forward to by planning some fun things to do this weekend!
22. Read a chapter of a book
When you get busy, it may be easy to neglect that really good book you started.
Give yourself a break from the constant to-do list and read a chapter of a book.
23. Send a friend a text
Reaching out to a friend will make you feel good and brighten their day, too!
24. Stargaze
Stargazing can feel so relaxing. Give yourself a quiet moment in nature to enjoy the beautiful night sky.
Day-time alternative? Do some cloud-gazing!
25. Lay down and close your eyes
If you have a hectic schedule sometimes what you need most is just a second to sit still and close your eyes.
Find a quiet place to give yourself a well-deserved moment.
26. Get up and walk around
If you sit all day long, your body can feel stiff.
Do yourself a favor by getting up and walking around for a few minutes. It can also help to get away from whatever you are working on to clear your head.
27. Download Sanity and Self
Sanity and Self is a self care app for women that has tons of audio sessions that address topics such as anxiety, stress, depression, confidence, and so much more.
You can also talk 1:1 with a counselor in the app, or use the community feature to talk to other app users!
28. Go to bed 10 minutes earlier
Make sleep a priority and give yourself a little extra time in bed.
29. Cuddle a pet
Animals can help reduce stress so give your pet some love.
30. Check something off of your to-do list
Sometimes one of the best things you can do is get something on your to-do list accomplished.
Pick an easy win off your list and get it done so you can bask in the feeling of accomplishment.
31. Recite a positive affirmation
Positive affirmations can help improve your mental outlook. Take a few minutes to recite a phrase that resonates with yourself.
Click here for positive affirmations you can use to increase self love.
32. Light a candle
Indulge in a calming scent by lighting some candles and taking a few minutes to relax.
33. Put on clothes that make you feel confident
Sometimes a little wardrobe switch up can change your mood instantly for the better.
Put on something that you feel comfortable and confident in. You’ll be ready to tackle the day in no time!
34. Complete a chore
Doing something that doesn’t require a lot of mental effort like dishes or laundry can be a good way to do something productive without frying your brain.
35. Take a shower
A nice, hot shower can be so relaxing.
Put on your favorite tunes or a podcast while you showering for added relaxation.
35. Put on makeup that makes you feel good
Putting on some makeup can make you feel more put together and confident.
Swipe on some lipstick or coat your lashes in mascara and get going!
36. Draw something
Get in touch with your creative side and take ten minutes to doodle.
Even if you’re terrible at drawing like me, it can be really relaxing to spend some quiet time with pen and paper.
Those are the 36 easy self care ideas for when you don’t have a lot of time, but still want to do something positive for yourself.
Comment below with your favorite simple self care idea that doesn’t take a large time investment!
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