Self-Care Is A Necessity And Here’s How To Practice It Easily

12+1 Tips you can apply in 10 minutes or less

Self-care is not selfish.

It’s a way of respecting yourself and others.

You might know the following saying:

You can’t pour from an empty cup.

That’s absolutely true.

If you feel awful, dreadful, and exhausted, you’ll undoubtedly fail in bringing happiness into someone else’s life.

Plus, you’ll continue feeling miserable yourself.

Caring about yourself is not a luxury. It’s a necessity.

It’s not only crucial to feel and perform well, but it also increases the quality of your relationships.

An overstressed person will hardly manage to be a great wife, husband, mother, conversation partner,.. you name it.

If you feel balanced, however, you can also increase the happiness and wellbeing of those surrounding you.

1. Go for a walk

Pretty cliché, I know.

But going for a walk, especially in nature, works wonders.

Sometimes, all we need to feel better is a bit of fresh air and movement.

Whenever I feel overworked and confused, one of the first things I do is stepping outside and going for a short walk.

When the weather is fine, that’s usually my first choice.

Even if it’s just a few minutes, you will come back with a clear mind and fresh energy.

Some old fashioned things like fresh air and sunshine are hard to beat. — Laura Ingalls Wilder

Going for a walk is quick, easy, and for free, but priceless.

Even just a few minutes, can help to increase your mood and wellbeing.

I often find myself ignoring my needs in order to work and accomplish more. Yet, whenever I realize that I feel down and lacking in energy, I push myself to get outside and walk for a few minutes.

What’s also great is walking meditation.

Instead of listening to music that suppresses your emotions, you can listen to a guided meditation while walking.

Especially if you are out in nature, this can be a great tool to improve your mood.

2. Meditate

Let’s continue with meditation.

I think there’s not much I need to say about this one.

If you’ve read Tribe of Mentors or Tools of Titans by Tim Ferriss, you might already know that meditation is one of the few things that the majority of successful people have in common.

Meditation is like a gym in which you develop the powerful mental muscles of calm and insight.– Ajahn Brahm

Being present and experiencing every moment to the fullest is the surest way to satisfaction and happiness.

Most people end up feeling miserable as a result of their thoughts, not because of reality.

They either spend the majority of their time thinking about the future or pondering about the past.

Yet, you can neither change the past nor can you take full control of the future.

The only power that you have is to change the now.

It’s precisely this moment that you can change and improve.

Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have. Make the Now the primary focus of your life.

— Eckhart Tolle

I often see people struggling to build a meditation habit.

Yet, if you follow a few simple rules, it’s not that hard.

First of all, you have to start small.

Very small.

If meditation is new to you, start with a few minutes.

A two-minute meditation fits into any schedule and is easy to accomplish.

If even two minutes feel too long at the beginning, start by doing breathing exercises first.

Just take a few deep breaths and sit in silence for 60 seconds.

Forget perfectionism, focus on daily improvement.

Instead of quitting, get rid of all the obstacles.

What also works great is to do your daily meditation right after an existing routine.

For example, after brushing your teeth.

You can take any existing habit of your daily life and do your daily meditation exercise right after it.

This method is called habit stacking and can be used to build any new habit, no matter if it’s meditating, sports, or anything else.

3. Create a vision board (and use it)

No, you don’t have to create a vision board every time you feel uninspired.

I am talking about a vision board that you create once, which crazily excites and motivates you.

For many people, visualization is an extremely powerful tool.

That’s because most of us are visual learners.

And what I found out for myself is that a vision board is the easiest and most effective way of sticking to my goals and taking care of myself.

In fact, I have several vision boards.

One door in my flat is a vision board. It is full of motivational quotes and beautiful pictures of my dream-life.

I also have one on my phone that I use for my morning routine.

And additionally, I have some Pinterest boards for different areas of my life, like travel ideas, wedding inspiration, and money mindset.

What I find so compelling about vision boards is that they empower you to become your best version.

Where there is no vision, there is no hope. — George Washington Carver

If you have high goals and want to live a great life, you need to become a different person.

You need to take care of yourself and somehow improve.

If I feel low in energy, opening my vision board and visualizing myself living the life of my dreams help me to increase my wellbeing and motivation quickly.

This routine doesn’t cost much money or time neither.

Creating a vision board is extremely fun, and you can do it quite quickly.

For example, by using tools like Canva or, as I mentioned, by browsing through Pinterest.

Once you created your board, you can always refer back to it once you experience a decline in your mood and happiness.

4. Start journaling

Journaling is my absolute secret weapon for self-care.

I wish I’d discovered it much earlier.

I’ve been knowing about bullet journals for quite some while, but I started to practice regular journaling only six months ago.

And I am totally obsessed.

Whenever I feel upset or experience a lack of energy, I put out my journal and start scribbling.

I light up a lovely candle, put on my journaling playlist, and take some time for myself.

By writing down my thoughts and fears, I can easily let them go.

If you put your concerns on paper, you have them in front of you, and it’s easier to say goodbye.

Otherwise, they are buzzing around your mind, not allowing you to think clearly.

A personal journal is an ideal environment in which to become. It is a perfect place for you to think, feel, discover, expand, remember, and dream. — Brad Wilcox

A journaling routine doesn’t have to take hours, either.

Sometimes, I just write ten lines, which might take me no more than two minutes, and it’s enough.

But other times, I could keep going for hours.

We often tend to ignore our self-care practices when we are stressed, but that’s when we need them most.

Last year, I had many situations where I was buried in to-do’s, not knowing where to start.

I felt as if I had to work harder and quicker.

However, at some point, what I did was ignoring the work and starting to journal.

I didn’t feel as if I had the time to journal, and sometimes I even felt bad about not working.

Yet, there was not a single journaling session that I regretted so far.

Every time, I came back to my workspace with a clean and fresh had, being able to solve the problems that were straining me.

5. Listen to a podcast

Podcasts are the easiest and most efficient way to gain inspiration on the go.

If your schedules are tight and you can’t make time for all the other self-care routines, at least listen to podcasts that inspire you.

This doesn’t require any extra time at all.

You can do it while commuting, doing sports, cooking, cleaning, or whatever else you might be doing that doesn’t require much thinking.

I hardly listen to music anymore; instead, I try to consume podcast episodes of people who inspire me.

By doing so, I always stay inspired and motivated to give my best.

For me, self-care also means keeping your vibration high.

Thus, podcasts are a great source of motivational content that is easy to consume.

Nowadays, almost anyone motivational coach, trainer, and author has his own podcast show.

Just browse through a few shows until you find your favorites, and you won’t want to waste your spare time anymore.

6. Practice gratitude

Practicing gratitude is probably the most powerful way to shift your energy and raise your vibration.

If you feel grateful, you can’t be angry, disappointed, or frustrated.

Gratefulness means that you are present in the moment and that you focus on all your blessings instead of being concerned about the future.

Gratitude is a powerful catalyst for happiness. It’s the spark that lights a fire of joy in your soul. — Amy Collette

I often practice gratitude while journaling.

Nearly every day, I write a page thanking the universe for all my blessings: My health, living in a wonderful country, my family, my boyfriend, or the roof over my head.

This sets the tone for my day and helps me to stay focused on the positive.

However, you can also practice gratitude in other ways.

You might scroll through old pictures and recall beautiful memories that you’ve experienced.

Or you can call someone and tell them that you are grateful for knowing them.

Practicing gratitude can be done in less than five minutes, yet, have an incredible impact on your wellbeing.

7. Eat nourishing food

This one is more of a general approach, but highly relevant.

Your body is your temple.

And you just have one of it.

I really don’t understand why people don’t take care of their bodies.

I know, some exceptions have it hard to keep their health due to diseases and other circumstances.

But let’s be honest: The majority of people could take care of their bodies and their nutrition.

Yet, unfortunately, many people are used to eating unhealthy fast food in order to eat quickly, instead of enjoying their meals.

Food should be something that serves you.

It should give you energy and all the nutrients that your body needs to stay healthy.

In the long term, you’ll undoubtedly thank yourself for taking great care of your body.

Consuming nourishing food doesn’t have to be complicated at all.

Even replacing one meal per day with a healthier option or adding a portion of fresh fruit is an act of self-care.

To keep the body in good health is a duty… otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.

— Buddha

8. Work out

As mentioned above, one of the things that many people take for granted is their health.

My own family, unfortunately, is an example of that.

For years, my parents didn’t take well care of their physical wellbeing.

They hardly did sports in the past ten to fifteen years and didn’t live on a balanced diet.

Lots of sugar, salt, and white flour are on the daily menu.

They are still healthy, and I am beyond grateful for them, but I often wish that they’d have taken better care of themselves.

I hardly know any truly satisfied and successful people who aren’t appreciating their health.

If you look at the top entrepreneurs and high achievers of the world, most of them are in great shape.

Your mind can’t function properly if your body is in pain.

We all know situations when we were sick or some part of our bodies hurt.

It’s almost impossible to be highly focused and productive in those moments.

We have a right to decide how we want our bodies to look and feel, but unfortunately we do not exercise these rights. Instead, we tend to drift along, victims of our own ignorance of the fact that we can have what we want, if we are willing to take that first step toward developing the self-discipline to govern our thoughts. — Holly Mosier

I am far away from being an athletic person.

On the contrary.

From the age of 12 to 19 years, I had five surgeries on my hips and wasn’t allowed to do any sports for many years.

However, after finishing the physiotherapy, I signed up for the gym and still exercise several times per week.

Most of the time, I don’t go beyond my limits.

Sometimes it’s even a light workout.

But at least I do something.

While self-care is often associated with mental health and psychology, feeling well in your body is at least as necessary.

Moving your body doesn’t need to take hours either, even a few minutes are better than nothing.

If you don’t find time for exercising in a gym and don’t want to sign up for any courses, go on YouTube.

You’ll find thousands of home-workout videos that don’t even require any equipment.

There is hardly an excuse not to move your body.

Honestly spoken, I am a bit skeptical about anyone who tells me that he’s into personal growth and self-care but doesn’t take care of his body.

Being your very best version is not possible if you don’t feel well physically.

Yes, self-care is a lot about mental health, but not only.

Your body is part of your life as well, and no matter how sharp your mind is, if your body gives up, you won’t come any further.

For me, the absolute minimum is to walk at least 10,000 steps per day and do a quick stretching exercise. And I am sure that anybody can fit this into his schedule if he wants to.

9. Take a break from social media

I love social media.

It’s a big part of my job as I do most of my marketing through it.

On Instagram, I have a community of more than 5,000 people and post stories every day.

On TikTok, I lately try to post a video per day.

You get the point.

I am quite attached to staying in touch with my community and also to being up to date on others’ lives.

Yet, sometimes I need a break.

From time to time, I realize that my social media usage is rather harming me instead of giving me energy and joy.

When this happens, I cut my usage down.

And every time I take a break from social media, I come back happier and refreshed.

While I love all the opportunities that social media offers these days, I believe that we have to be more careful in order to save our mental health.

If you don’t limit yourself, you can end up scrolling through news-feeds for hours instead of caring for yourself.

That’s social media’s job: to make you scroll for hours.

However, thankfully, limiting your usage is quite easy.

Most applications (for example, Instagram and TikTok) have their own timers that you can set up. These will remind you once you exceed a specific amount of minutes (or hours) spent on the platform each day.

For me, that’s 40 minutes on Instagram.

That might sound like a lot, but as mentioned, Instagram is a big part of my business.

However, if I realize that I’ve spent 40 minutes on the app and didn’t produce any valuable content, I log myself out for that day.

In general, I try to log out of social media apps almost all the time.

By doing so, next time I open the app, I am more conscious.

I need to click “log in” instead of immediately seeing new posts.

This helps me to be more mindful of my usage.

Taking regular breaks from social media and using the time for yourself is something I’d advise you to do regularly.

For example, you could start by defining one specific day (or day time) of the week at which you entirely refrain from social media and use your time for self-care practices.

10. Read

Reading is one of my daily habits.

It keeps me inspired and motivated throughout my days as I only consume self-help and non-fiction books.

I think that one of the most accessible and beautiful self-care rituals to practice daily is to make time for reading.

Sitting down in silence, enjoying yourself, and reading a great book — can it be any better than that?

Many people try to explain to me how they don’t have time to read.

The truth is that we all have the same amount of hours.

Whether you find time for something or not is a matter of priorities.

If self-care is a priority for you (which I strongly hope), you will be able to free time for yourself.

No matter if you fill that time up with meditating, visualizing, journaling or reading.

Even if you read 10 minutes per day, at the end of a year, you’ll have several books finished.

A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies . . . The man who never reads lives only one. — George R.R. Martin

I regularly share my key learnings from the best books I read here on Medium. So, if you want to stay up to date or get some inspiration, you are welcome to have a look at my profile every now and then.

11. Buy something that makes you feel good

This one sounds a bit girly, I know.

But it isn’t.

Sometimes, self-care means rewarding yourself.

And if that means buying something for yourself, go for it!

I don’t spend much money in general.

I am quite economical as I don’t need much to be happy.

However, I love indulging myself by acquiring something that I’ve been looking forward to from time to time.

Sometimes that’s a new shirt, sometimes a lipstick, and sometimes it’s a fancy type of cookies I’ve wanted to try out.

It doesn’t have to be big or expensive.

It’s rather about the experience.

When I do this kind of self-care shopping, I come home and consciously unpack my new acquisitions.

I mean, I work a lot, and I am sure you do so as well.

So why shouldn’t we reward ourselves with beautiful things from time to time?

12. Declutter and tidy up

Your home can have such an incredible influence on your mental wellbeing.

I know that not everybody gets affected by a messy flat, yet, I believe that keeping your rooms clean and tidied up is an essential act of self-love.

Why would you live in a mess?

If you do it regularly (meaning daily), tidying won’t take more than a few minutes, and you will feel much more comfortable.

I am living together with my boyfriend, and his understanding of a tidy room is different from mine. Yet, I don’t care whether he helps out or not. I do it for me.

Of course, I could argue about a fair distribution of who cleans when and what, but it’s not worth it.

By getting it done, I show respect for myself.

And honestly speaking, tidying up and vacuuming our flat doesn’t cost me more than 15 minutes per day. That’s totally worth it if I feel comfortable afterward.

I can relax and concentrate much better if everything is at its place.

Also, regularly decluttering your home is so revealing.

Every few months, I check on my closet and sort out the pieces that I don’t wear anymore.

The less stuff you own, the clearer your head will be.

Plus, by putting stuff away, you make space for new things to come into your life. (This also counts for people, jobs, and many more things in our lives, but that would go beyond the scope of this article now.)

Bonus tip: Dance

Is there anyone who can dance and feel bad at the same time?

I don’t think so.

I never learned how to dance, and I am super unmusical, but I love dancing.

I really enjoy singing loudly and moving my body.

When I’m in a bad mood, my boyfriend often turns on some music, grabs me and forces me to dance.

And it works.

At least in most cases.

I can’t feel bad or sad while dancing.

I am simply enjoying the moment.

And of course, my struggles don’t disappear because I danced, but they lose importance.

You can’t solve problems by being too close-minded anyway, so just relax and move your body.

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