self-care anywhere

As a working mom of two little kids, ‘me-time’ is currently very minimal, and I am mostly ok with that. I tend to want to get things done and that also relaxes me. So organizing my junk drawer in some part of my mind, counts as me time! But not incorporating self-care on a daily basis can build up. Recently I have been thinking about ways to integrate some self-care into my everyday, in fairly accessible and do-able ways. I am writing about it here to remind myself - and you - to take time for self-care, even if it is only 5 minutes in the morning and 5 minutes in the evening (usually only 5 minutes turns into longer, it is about starting).

• Coffee/tea/sitting in the morning

I have been making more of an effort to get up early, before the kids, to sit and have coffee or tea before the hustle of the weekday morning. The 30 minutes early that I wake up, although sometimes I might want that extra sleep, helps my day and brings a calmness to the beginning of the day that outweighs the minimal amount of sleep lost. Making chai takes 10 minutes or so, but it is an especially nice way to greet the day. You can see my post here on how I make it. Lately I have sometimes been adding turmeric.

• Walk around the block

Exercise has been really challenging to fit in. I have decided to make it a priority to take an average of one yoga class a week. But on a more accessible scale, if I can walk around the block (which happens to include one steep incline), it does wonders. Only 10-15 minutes and I get fresh air, circulation going, some perspective, and more.

• Facial and body care

At night my momentum of the day often comes to an abrupt stand still where I have hardly any motivation to do anything. But if I take 5 minutes to wash my face, the warm water, wonderful smell of herbs and flowers in the cleanser and toner relax me and remind me to thank my body and take care of my body. Also, if I take the whole 2 minutes to put lotion on my hands, feet, arms and legs, or at minimum hands and feet, and lip care/moisturizer, I wake up feeling like my skin had time to regenerate and moisturize while I slept. I love Dr Hauschka products, and have been using them for about 20 years. Read my post here about them.

I think ultimately, it is finding what will nourish the body and soul, that isn’t necessarily productive, but is really just taking care of your self, your mind and body!