5 minutes self-care hacks to help you destress

I know how hard it can be to make time for yourself. Everyday hassles and demands require your time and attention whether that is work, family, caring responsibilities or all of the above. In fact I‘ve
known days when even the dog gets fed and walked before I consider my own needs.

Before you know it, all you are fit for is flopping on the sofa at the end of the day, mindlessly  watching TV feeling worn out and possibly resentful.

To look after yourself and bring your stress levels down, you need to start to get intentional even if it  is only for a few minutes a day doing something that nourishes you and makes you feel better.

Even 5 minutes is better than nothing and although it might not seem it, self-nurturing opportunities  happen all of the time. A hot cup of coffee, the smell of a candle, the sun on your face, but  sometimes when we are preoccupied in thoughts it’s easy to miss it all. The trick to practicing self- care is to give yourself 5 minutes every day. However, during those 5 minutes to get the most out of it, you need to be fully present and aware.

5 minutes a day to practice being intentional about doing something you enjoy whilst aware of every  thought, feeling and sensation can help you to connect with yourself.

I have put together 7 hacks, one for each day for a week, to help you quieten your mind.

#1  Close your eyes and let your mind wander

Instead of reaching for more visual stimulation (usually picking up a phone/laptop or finding a task)  by closing your eyes for a few minutes, you block out sensory stimulation, therefore reducing brain  activity.

Letting your mind wander gives you a break from mind boggling and overwhelming tasks. However,  you might notice that when you do that, your mind actually leads you back to the thoughts you find  stressful.

When that happens, there are two simple things you can try out – to label your thought and to  accept it for what it is.

If you label a thought, it might look something like this… “I am having a worried thought” or “When I think about ………., I notice that I feel stressed.”

By doing this you detach yourself from the Velcro stick of an unhelpful thought that is pulling you in  the wrong direction, which in turn, reduces the automatic emotion you would usually assign to it.
Acceptance is being ok with that worried or stressful thought rather than judging it or trying to fight  it. It is just how things are right now.

Try this…

1. Find a comfortable, quiet place to sit.
2. Roll back your shoulders and relax.
3. Set a timer on your phone for 5 minutes.
4. Close your eyes and let your mind wander.

#2  Make time to read

In our digital world, it’s easy to find yourself mindlessly scrolling on your phone rather than taking  time to read. I know I’m guilty of this one from time to time.

Sometimes part of the problem for me is that when I think about reading, I imagine leisurely reading  my kindle on a sunbed at a poolside. Similarly, you might image cosying up on your favourite sofa
with all the time in the world to flick through a magazine or read a good novel. As lovely as this might  sound, the reality is it doesn’t happen very often in our busy lives.

Reading is mentally stimulating and can improve memory and concentration. It’s absolutely possible  to read in short intentional bursts. I often put 5 minutes aside to read a few pages of my book as the  thought of reading the whole thing can feel a bit overwhelming and before I know it, I’ve de-stressed  and feel much calmer.

You could try this too.

1. Choose something you want to read for pleasure (book, article, blog).
2. Have it handy for your next 5-minute break.
3. When you need to calm yourself set a timer for 5 minutes and enjoy losing yourself until the
   chime goes off.

#3  Reframe catastrophised thinking

Writing down and journaling your thoughts and feelings surrounding an event can help to bring the logical side of your brain along for the ride instead of catastrophising and thinking of the worst possible things that can happen. These are referred to as cognitive distortions. When we catastrophise is causes unnecessary stress and anxiety so it is helpful to notice if we are using our thoughts effectively.

Try this…

1. Briefly describe a situation that has been bothering you and has caused you to focus on the
   possibility of the worst-case scenario
2. Now try to bring the rational side of your brain on board using the following prompts: How
   likely is the worst-case scenario?
3. What is the best-case scenario?
4. What is another possible scenario?
5. What seems most likely to happen.

#4   Find a little happiness

One way to increase your sense of happiness is to learn how to appreciate the moments that make you feel good.

When worrying and negative thoughts are taking over your mind, it can feel like the happy moments or little joys just pass you by or you miss them altogether.

As you get better and better at shifting your attention to the present moment, your happy moments will last longer and will feel richer.

Try this:

1. The next time you find yourself feeling happy or catch yourself laughing out loud, notice the
   moment.
2. Pause to savour the experience.
3. Write down in your journal the experience using all your senses, what you could see, hear,
   taste, smell and how you felt.

#5 Visualise how you want your day to be

Often when worry sets in, the movies or thoughts you run around your head regarding future events are negative, worst-case scenarios. Rather than focusing your attention on what you don’t want to happen and the things that can go wrong, if you visualise how you want the event to be, you can increase your self-esteem and confidence.

Try this

1. Spend a few minutes visualizing a detailed picture of what you want your day/week/month
   to be.
2. How do you want to feel?
3. Who do you want to be surrounded by?
4. What do you want to be doing?
5. Speak it or write it in the present tense e.g. I am calm and happy; I am feeling good etc.

#6 4-7-8 breathing

Calming your body during times of stress can help with the racing heart and physical symptoms that stress causes. Breathing techniques can help you slow right down.

The aim of this exercise is to slow down your breathing as much as possible. If you practice this technique regularly, it will be more effortlessly available to you during stressful situations.

Try this:

1. Inhale slowly through your nose as you count to four.
2. Hold your breath as you count to seven.
3. Exhale slowly through your mouth as you count to eight.
4. Repeat for up to five minutes.

#7 Be playful

Did you know being playful can be a good antidote to stress? I wonder when the last time you allowed yourself to be a bit childlike or playful. I spent a few minutes today playing fetch with my dog whilst batting a shuttlecock – he never drops it so it ends with me chasing him around the garden and is all a little bit silly. I could tell by the not so approving looks from my teenagers that I looked a
bit daft, but I didn’t care!

The list is endless of things you can do but here are a few ideas

1. Play with a pet.
2. Try laughter yoga (I know a very good teacher).
3. Jump in a puddle.
4. Sing very loudly.
5. Dance around your kitchen.

The options are endless!

So, you really can find 5 minutes for yourself every day although you have to dedicate some time to yourself, on purpose. It’s too easy to put yourself at the bottom of the ‘to do’ list and not even find a moment but you are worth taking care of you!

I’d love to hear which ones you tried out and if they worked for you, email me at carol@blendcentre.co.uk to let me know how you have got on.

I’m proud of you.