One-Minute Micro Self-Care Rituals
Are you tired of hearing the words “self-care”?
At this point, it might be amongst the most overused words in the zeitgeist, and when that happens, we know what comes next. The word loses all meaning.
But don’t be fooled. No matter how overused the word “self-care” may be, it is absolutely necessary to maintain your mental, physical, and emotional health.
So read on to learn a different way to think about self-care—guaranteed to help you stick to your practice—and 10 one-minute or less self-care rituals so your wellness routine is always within reach.
A New Way to Think About Self Care
So, recently, I got a slap in the face reminder of the true reason we self-care.
I’d just started substitute teaching.
The first week, I was good.
I’d wake up early, have five or 10-minute meditation or prayer time, and then enjoy a full, healthy breakfast. I’d pack a healthy lunch and head off to school, where I would review my goals and, in between welcoming high school students into the class and setting them up with the work and expectations for the day, I’d work from my to-do list towards bringing my manifestation list to life.
After work, I’d head to Pure Barre for 45 minutes to an hour of movement, then have a little TV time before, satisfied and happy, I turned in early to bed.
But, as the weeks wore on, mediation fell by the wayside as I lay longer and longer in bed, the “snooze” button getting a workout as the minutes jumped by, eight at a time. Breakfast came later and later and became less and less healthy. At school, I stopped reviewing my goals, and soon, extra time was spent surfing the web.
I dodged working out for snuggling into my robe and potatoing out in front of the TV until I slipped into bed.
Of course, about two months into this new couldn’t-self-care-less routine, I hit a brick wall.
My mood took a nosedive, taking my pursuits of my goals along with it, until one day, as I lay in bed an hour later than I usually arose, feeling drained, unmotivated, and overwhelmed, it hit me.
My well was bone dry.
Having a self-care practice is like having a spring that is continuously filling your health and wellness well. When you stop it, it's easy to find yourself in need of water and being forced with the fact that the well has run dry.
I knew then, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that self-care is essential. It’s not a luxury or a last-minute fix. It’s preventative, and it’s maintenance.
Having a self-care practice is like having a spring that is continuously filling your health and wellness well. When you stop it, it's easy to find yourself in need of water and being forced with the fact that the well has run dry.
For me, the way that feels is frustration, exhaustion, and an overall lack of energy or excitement for life. And how it manifests in my environment is a hot, anything-but-pretty mess. Bed not made, clothes not folded, empty dirty dishes all around, and there are 100 tabs open on my computer, with tasks piling up, and up, and up because I’m overwhelmed with where to start.
So I end up needing to take a whole day, or weekend, or even into the week off, while I take the steps to fill my well back up.
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Filling My Well
I turn back to my meditation practice, get back into my movement, start to clean and organize, become intentional about how I hydrate and fuel myself, and turn back to working on my dreams and goals.
But this job taught me–when you're busy as hell, it's hard to get there. Prior to substituting, it’s been a long time since I had a 9-5 (well, 8-4) bridge job. For years, I’ve primarily worked from home which makes those self-care practices easy to fit into my day This job took up my time and energy in ways I've never had to work with before.
But these days, in this transitional energy, I am learning, it's the self-care that's keeping you sane and emotionally and energetically safe.
With that, I wanted to share micro one-minute self-care practices you can use to drip well-being into your well all throughout your day.
One-Minute Self-Care Practices
1. A Deep Loving Breath. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and think of someone you love smiling at you. Breathe in. Relax your shoulders. Breathe out. Open your eyes.
2. Drink a Full Glass of Water. Try to finish it within one water. Then, be proud of yourself. Look at how much you’ve hydrated and taken care of yourself already today.
3. Stretch 6 body parts 10 seconds each.
4. Stretch 1 body part for 60 seconds.
* …Or, any variation in between–3 body parts for 20 seconds each, 2 body parts for 30 seconds each. You get it:)
5. Intentional Self-Celebration. Think of one thing you did that you’re proud of recently.
6. Dance Party! Put on a great song and dance it out for one full minute.
7. The Body Scan. Taking deep, full breaths, count backward from ten while relaxing your body from head to toe. Relax your forehead, jaw, shoulders and neck, stomach and core, pelvis, thighs, calves, ankles, and feet. If you need to, repeat.
8. Relax and Release. Take a deep breath and silently say the relax and release affirmation: “I release any energies and emotions that are not mine.”
9. Soak it All In. Go outside and let the sun hit your face for one full minute. Relax in its warmth and might. Isn’t it amazing that the sun lights the world?!
10. The Look of Love. Look in the mirror, into your eyes, and say to yourself, “I’m proud of you, and I love you so much.” And give yourself a genuine smile.
With these short, simple exercises, you’ll always have self-care at your fingertips, dripping wellness into your well.
You can even gamify and stack them–like challenging yourself to do one one-minute practice every hour.
Let these mini-rituals be enough on the days when they’re all you can muster and a precursor of more to come on the days when you have the space.
And remember, no matter your circumstance, you are worthy of care. Your future self will thank you from your overflowing well.