A client told me during a weekly check-in that he was feeling overwhelmed by all of his responsibilities. I recommended a few “instant self-care” options—things he could try for 15 minutes that’s 100% about him. I expanded the list to include what’s here.
Some of these will rely on your surroundings and what’s close by, as well as if you can lock your office door—and they won’t address the root cause of your stress. However, I’m sure you can use at least a few of these to lighten your load and create room for finding long-term solutions.
1) Turn off your phone and email. Turn off the lights. Lock the door. Take a deep breath. Close your eyes. Rest.
2) Walk around the block… or around the parking lot. Grab your favorite beverage from a coffee shop that’s a little farther away than your usual place.
3) Do something active. Stretch. Do some push-ups. Sit-ups. Jumping jacks.
4) Make yourself a healthy snack. Cut up an apple, munch on frozen grapes, or put together a turkey wrap.
5) Drink a bottle of infused lemon water. You can make it with strawberries, cucumber, or oranges, or anything else that would make your water more interesting. Hydrate.
6) Light a candle, put on some music, close your eyes and focus on the smells and sounds. Lock your door and put up your “Do Not Disturb” messages.
7) Call someone you like. Have a quick chat about how the day is going and catch up. Say at the beginning you had a few spare minutes and wanted to check-in. Don’t let yourself linger on the call too long.
8) Visit a nearby park. Sit on the swings. Take a walk. (May take longer than 15 minutes, depending on where the park’s located.)
9) Read a chapter of a book, or however many pages you can get through in 15 minutes.
10) If you work from home, take a shower and get back to your desk refreshed.
11) Research a place you’ve always wanted to go to.
12) Water your plants, or do other simple office chores. If you don’t have a plant, find one.
13) Take a nap. If you’re feeling drained, drink some coffee and rest your eyes for 15 minutes until the caffeine kicks in.
14) Make yourself some tea, coffee, or hot chocolate.
15) Give yourself something to look forward to later. Set up a dinner with friends, or a loved one.
Question: What do you do for self-care when you’re feeling overwhelmed?