6 Unique Ways To Practice Self-Care In Less Than A Minute

You can’t pour from an empty cup.

I don’t know why self-love and self-care are still taboo topics, but it annoys me.

While there’s a small percentage of the world’s population who are taking good care of themselves and trying to become their best versions, the majority is doing the contrary.

Most people are living their lives to please others and deliver results without any reflection. They ignore their own needs and wellbeing until it gets too much and they need to take a break.

And yet, self-care doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming.

There are so many small steps to take that can increase your daily wellbeing and make you feel better by investing just a few minutes of your day.

1. Delete An App That’s No Longer Serving You

How many push notifications are you receiving per day? And how many of them are relevant?

Most of us have way too many applications on our phones. For some, that might not be a big deal, but for others, these unnecessary apps might mean unnecessary disruptions every day.

We all know how great a tidy home feels. So why not also tidy up our electronic devices?

Just remove anything on your phone that is not serving you. Apps, old pictures, uninspiring screensavers. It’s quite satisfying to look at a phone that looks tidy and structured.

2. Unfollow People

Let’s stick with your phone: The next thing you can do is taking care of who you follow on social media channels. Just ask yourself the following question:

‘How do I feel after scrolling through a social media newsfeed?’

Do you feel inspired or drained? When I open Instagram, for instance, I get super inspired. That’s because I only follow inspiring people who deliver valuable content.

If I’d follow typical influencers, I’d probably hate myself every time I see their perfectly faked travel shots. No, thanks.

Just like you are the head of your household and responsible for who enters your home, you are also in charge of who enters your social media feeds.

And if spending time there doesn’t make you feel good, what’s the point?

3. Mute a Group Chat

I guess everyone is inside at least a few Whatsapp group chats. And most of the time, they are useless and annoying.

I remember when I was in four or five family group chats a few years ago. And they were constantly messaging. Even my grandparents are part of these groups. And even though I love my family, I just don’t want to receive messages all day long.

For me, the smartest decision I made was to quit these groups. And yes, I understand that that’s not something everybody wants to do. And of course, some of these groups are precious and valuable.

Yet I don’t believe that receiving messages all day long makes any sense at all.

Any push notification you receive distracts you from whatever you are doing. Your focus is your most valuable resource during working hours, thus you should eliminate anything that drains it.

Checking your phone every few minutes doesn’t make you any happier, so make sure to eliminate any necessary distractions.

4. Cross Something Off Your To-do List

Do you really need to complete everything that is on your to-do list right now?

I sometimes feel as if there’s a social pressure to be busy all the time. Most people I know love saying I don’t have time.

The truth, however, is that we all have time. We all have the exact same 24 hours per day. So in that regard, life is pretty fair, I’d say. Yet we often feel as if we’d have to fill up all these hours.

But here’s a little secret:

You don’t have to be busy all the time.

You can relax. You can take some time for yourself. You can spend your time on something that doesn’t make any sense at all

Please do me a favour and have a look at your current to-do list. Then ask yourself the following:

• Do you really need to finish all these things?
• What’s the outcome of them?
• Do these to-dos make you happy or fulfilled?
• Or are you just keeping yourself busy?

For me, the Eisenhower Method works wonders whenever I feel lost in my tasks. It’s simple and effective. You categorize your to-dos according to their urgency and their importance.

And if a task is neither important nor urgent, you know what to do. Delete it.

Reflect on your to-do list, see if there are items that you can cross out and then spend that time doing something that you genuinely love.

“An empty lantern provides no light. Self-care is the fuel that allows your light to shine brightly.” — Unknown

5. Spend Less Time in Negative Environments

How much time do you spend around people who don’t support you?

On average, we spend way too much time at places where we actually don’t want to be. And in most cases, we don’t leave out of politeness. Think of all the meetings, parties, events, and dates that you didn’t leave because you thought it would be rude to do so.

Just imagine how much time you already spent in rooms with people who didn’t increase your energy and share your passions. Too much, right?

By leaving whenever you feel bad or poorly supported, you respect your own wellbeing. You make time for yourself, and you take care of your own energy.

Keeping your energy and vibration high is essential to attract a better, more fulfilled life. So stop surrounding yourself with people who are always complaining, gossiping, or simply spreading negative vibes.

6. Take a Break (and Don’t Feel Bad About It)

Sometimes, self-care simply means doing nothing — taking a nap or just lying on the couch. Even if we often try to, we can’t continuously produce great results without breaks.

If we always try to give our best without resting and caring for ourselves, we reach our limits quite soon. Even a one-minute break can be an act of self-care.

Whenever you feel stressed out, go to a quiet place, lock the door, and just breathe for a minute. Focus your energy on breathing in and out and let go of all the tension of the day.

By doing that several times per day, you’ll increase your focus, energy, and make space for a happier and healthier way of living.

“Self care is not a waste of time. Self care makes your use of time more sustainable.” — Jackie Viramontez

Want to grow? Grab my free Personal Growth Toolkit with 42 effective & actionable tactics, resources & tools to elevate your life.