15 Ways to Take 15 Minutes for Yourself {Guest Post}

Author: Whitney Hollingshead

Do you feel like you never have any time for yourself? Is your to do list always growing in length? Are you exhausted all of the time? If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, you are in good company. Day to day life can be both exhausting and stressful! Before the stress leads to major physical, mental, and emotional consequences, it’s time to take some time for yourself.  

Taking care of yourself is not selfish. When your basic needs are met you are much more capable of meeting the needs of others. So make taking time for yourself a priority each day and set aside 15 minutes.

What can you do for yourself in those 15 minutes? Check out these suggestions:

1. Rest. 15 minutes may not be long enough to take a nap, but you can gain a lot from a 15 minute rest. Lay flat on your back on your bed. Keep your arms gently at your sides and do not cross your ankles. Close your eyes and think restful thoughts. If your mind is racing about all of the things you have to do when you get up again, focus strictly on breathing in and out.

2. Listen to five songs. Put your mp3 player on shuffle and listen to the first five songs that play. Allow yourself to really enjoy the music. Don’t do anything else while the music is playing.

3. Write in a journal. Grab your journal and write about anything you want. Recount a funny experience, record what you are grateful for, or compose a simple poem. If you don’t feel like writing, read older entries instead.  

4. Sit in the sun. Take a chair out to the middle of your yard or sit on your front porch. Make sure you are sitting in direct sun and then do nothing. If you must do something, sip lemonade or water.

5. Take a hot shower. Since you most likely take a shower daily already, the key is to quickly wash and then spend the remaining time relaxing in the hot water. Just stop and let the water cascade over you for the remaining time. If the temperature of your shower is lacking, read up on these tips. You won’t get the same relaxing benefits with a cold shower.

6. Read one chapter in a book. Grab a book you’ve been wanting to read and head to the couch. Read one chapter and set the book aside. You don’t need to feel guilty about reading one chapter and you will most likely make time to read another chapter tomorrow too.

7. Talk to a friend on the phone. Call up a good friend just to chat. Catch up on each other’s lives and take time to laugh. Set a timer for 15 minutes before you make the call and when the time is up, tell your friend that you have to go.

8. Dance. Turn on some music and dance around your house. Dancing talent is not required.

9. Make something with your hands. Creating something with your hands can do wonders for your emotional health. Consider arranging fresh flowers, making cards, painting, sewing, wrapping a pretty gift, making origami, scrapbooking, or crafting. Choose something you enjoy and get a little creative.

10. Relax in the tub. This is different than taking a hot shower. Relaxing in the tub is not about getting cleaned up, rather it’s about pure relaxation. Light a scented candle in the bathroom, or use a scented plugin. Add bubbles to the water. Place the softest towel you own nearby to dry off when you are finished.

11. Eat your favorite healthy snack. Choose a snack that you know is good for you, but also tastes really good. Take time to savor the food instead of eating it on the go.

12. Go for a walk. If you can get out alone, walk without having a destination in mind. Don’t worry about your pace, just enjoy the stroll. If you have a baby, put them in a stroller and head out to tour your neighborhood.

13. Do a puzzle. You can choose from jigsaw puzzles, word puzzles, crossword puzzles, word searches, Sudoku puzzles, etc. Pick a type of puzzle that you find both enjoyable and relaxing. Set the timer for 15 minutes and work on the puzzle until the timer goes off. If you are using a digital format for your puzzle, be careful to not get distracted by other things like social media or the news.  

14. Organize something. If you like having your movies in alphabetical order or enjoy color coding your closet, taking the time to get things back in shape will make you feel better. The key is to choose something that you want to organize. For example, take a few minutes to organize the photos on your computer or make your favorite seasonal shoes more easily accessible.

15. Get dolled up. Spend a little extra time on yourself. Put on a little extra makeup. Exfoliate some skin. Paint your nails. Add accessories to your outfit. Pick a process that makes you feel good. The key is to choose one or two extra things that you can accomplish in 15 minutes or less.

Think of yourself as having a battery just like your smartphone or tablet. When the battery runs down you have to plug the battery into a charger and wait until the battery is recharged. You need to treat yourself the same way. When your battery is running low, you won’t have the power to get things done. Find the suggestions above that really help you to recharge, or a use a few of your own. Remember that recharging your battery on a daily basis is crucial to extending your battery life.

Disclaimer: This Guest Post was written by someone other than the author of DeDivahDeals. The author of this post, has submitted their article to DeDivahDeals for the purpose of being published on this blog as a Guest Writer.