One of the main reasons for lack of self-care is that we feel we don’t have the time and it will distract us from other important things, take us away from priorities.
For that reason, I love cultivating ways to self-care that can be completely integrated on those busy days. Let’s face it, it’s on those busy days that we need the most TLC! There are many effective things we can do for ourselves without having to take a big chunk out of our day. Read on to find out more
Square Breathing
I discovered this one recently and really love it: inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, repeat. You can do that for 20 seconds or 5 minutes. It completely resets things and calms down the brain, helping it to get out of rumination and anxious cycles. You can also pick a different duration for your square breathing, like 5 or 6 seconds. I love how completely adaptable and practical it is, and it works very quickly.
Movement
If you work on your computer all day, you can actually install a browser extension that reminds you to get up and move, and you can choose the frequency of the reminders. This is good for those who tend to get lost in their work and loose track of time.
I spend much time in my chair crocheting, so my body usually reminds me every twenty minutes that it is time to stretch. Sometimes I do that without leaving my chair, and just stretch my arms and shoulders. Everything clicks back into place! Then I do a few wrist movements and turn my head to each side.
Sometimes I will get up and stretch my back and legs too. Complete re-set in 1 minute max! If you are feeling more energetic you can take a minute or two to dance, do some yoga, go quickly up and down stairs, run around the garden, jump, rebound… whatever brings you joy and makes your cells smile!
Face Washing
This might sound odd, but it is one of my favourite ways to reset and recenter: a warm and moist face cloth to gently wash my face is an ordinary miracle that makes everything clearer in seconds.
Power Nap
I often talk about the refreshing power of naps, and I always say the same thing: just a few minutes are enough. The deep rest and reset that power naps provide for the brain and body are astouding and can really change the direction of the day.
You might find that you need one essential thing to be able to power nap: for me it is warmth. I just can’t fall asleep if I am cold, and sometimes I have to put on gloves and a hat just to be sure I will be able to nap! Power naps allow my brain and body to shut down for essential reset, and I am always amazed that just 5 minutes are enough.
While the kettle boils…
I always find it amusing and revealing to see what can be done while the kettle boils of the dinner cooks. In just a few minutes we can choose to do something mindful to reset and recenter: maybe read a few paragraphs of a meaningful article or book. Or you could use those kettle-boiling moments to stretch and move around and recenter within your body. I often add a little layer of painting to a work in progress while the kettle boils.
Create
Sometimes I might feel crancky and out of sorts without obvious reasons, but usually it is because I haven’t taken the time to sit down quietly to create something. Just 5 minutes spent on a painting can really shift the day for me and always help me to reset and recenter.
Maybe you don’t like painting, but creativity can be expressed in any activity: making a salad, choosing an outfit, writing a letter. Any way that allows us to express ourselves with freedom and enjoyment is a great way to reset and recenter.
Connect with Nature
Connecting to nature is a superior way to recenter because it reminds us that we are completely part of nature. By connecting to the nature we are always part of, we deepen that knowledge and support. Sometimes it is not possible to go out, but we can connect to nature from our homes too. I know so many ways of connecting to nature without going out that I wrote a blog post about it. I will link it for you at the end of this post.
Record a message for a friend
A friend and I communicate exclusivey through audio messages. Again and again we find that recording messages to each other and listening to each other’s responses is a really great way to reset and recenter. It helps us to phrase what is going on and to make sense of our experience, to offer each other a different perspective, and a safe, friendly and loving space to process things. It supports us to clarify and grow, and to reach out in a mutually helpful, mindful and present way.
Tidy a Small Corner
Pick a corner that has been nagging you for a while and give yourself 5 minutes to put it to rights: a shelf, the kitchen counter, a plant pot, a drawer, computer files, your inbox, a corner of the garden. It’s amazing what five minutes of committed focus can do. Getting these little corners in order, whether they are physical or digital, always brings a sense of progress, calm, clarity and achievement that is important to help us reset and recenter.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of all the ways we can reset and recenter, but it’s a great start. I’d love to know what helps you to reset and recenter: let us know in the comments!
Until next time, I wish you many beautiful and soothing moments.
Take good care.