You may have looked at the title and thought, “Ugh, another self-care piece.”, and honestly, we get it. Over the last decade, self-care has become such a common buzzword that you may be tempted to think that it’s lost meaning. But fear not, it’s still as relevant as ever.
Self-care isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity, especially for women juggling multiple responsibilities. Whether you run a business or a household, taking time for yourself is essential or you’ll burn out. If you’re like most women, you don’t have the luxury of taking out hours of your day to spend on self-care.
Here are some Quick 20-minute Self-Care Ideas for the Busy Woman:
1. Dedicated Hobby Time
Most of us only pursue our hobbies “when we find time”. The problem is, more often than not, that means you can never follow through with doing your hobbies on a regular basis. Do you have six TV shows you never ended up finishing, crafting projects gathering dust for weeks, or workout gear that hasn’t been touched since February? If this is you, scheduling your free time is the best way to make sure you dedicate time to the little things you love. It might sound counterintuitive, but having dedicated time for your hobbies can prevent your work from spilling over into your downtime. You can literally put it in your schedule or your calendar if you must. Give your wellness the priority it needs.
Here are a few wellness activities to try:
- Reading (a chapter a day goes a long way!)
- Photography
- Drawing
- Crocheting
- Knitting
- Jogging
- Gardening
- Learning a new language
- Sewing
- Learning a musical instrument
- Playing a relaxing video game
- Calligraphy
2. Journaling
Journaling is one of the simplest ways to take care of your mental and emotional health. It has been shown to reduce anxiety and improve emotional regulation. The two most common types of journaling are expressive journaling and gratitude journaling. Expressive journaling involves simply writing down your inner thoughts and feelings as they come to you. Having them all laid out on paper can help you organize and process them better. Gratitude journaling is exactly what it sounds like – writing down what you’re grateful for on a regular basis, no matter how small. It can help combat a negative mindset to put your life more in perspective.
3. Standing Coffee Dates
Self-care doesn’t always have to involve just yourself. Social well-being is a big part of your general health. The corona pandemic also triggered a pandemic of loneliness, so it’s important to prioritize our social connections now that we can. Research shows that strong social relations help us cope with stress better and prevent it from happening in the first place. So instead of scrabbling around every couple of weeks to set up a lunch date with your friend, make it a regular thing. Find one or two friends and decide on a day – every week or every two weeks – that you’ll just use to grab a drink and catch up.
4. Meditation
Meditation is a great way to deal with the daily pressures of life. It’s proven to improve mental focus, reduce stress and achieve calmness. There are several meditation techniques to try, for instance, mindfulness, active meditation, focused meditation to name a few. If you’re especially short on time, we recommend active meditation which you can do alongside your daily activities. Do your research and try whichever best fits into your schedule.
Related article: How Meditation can Change Your Life, Busy Moms Included – Acurvymom
No Matter How Busy You Get,
Don’t let your busy schedule stop you from having self-care. Let us know what quick self-care fixes work for you.
Guest Blogger
Cynthia Kinyera is a freelance writer specialising in women’s wellness. She uses her easy-flowing prose and digital marketing skills to craft engaging high-converting content. Find out more about her work at cynthiawrites.com.