Five 1-Minute Self-Care Tips

Many of us know that self-care is important to our well-being, both mental and physical. But sometimes, life is too busy to carve out 45-minutes for a workout or 30 minutes for a favorite hobby. As a result, it’s easy to feel paralyzed and not do any self care.

That’s a mistake, says Amy Jen Su, co-founder and managing partner at Paravis Partners, an executive coaching and leadership development firm. “I think of self-care as an accordion,” Jen Su says. “You have to have the accordion-stretched-out kind of self-care, and the squeezed-down-to-the-minute version, too.”

Some days, you might only have time for a quick version of self-care—and that’s okay. For those time-crunched moments, Jen Su offers five one-minute tips that will help you take care of you.

1. Make an intentional connection.

When we’re pressed for time, we often rush through the day, never being fully present. Taking one minute to make a connection with someone you care about or with yourself can calm that frenzied feeling.

Choose a few times throughout the day when you can fully focus your mind, heart, and body for one minute on what you are doing at that moment. “Maybe it’s an intentional minute of getting dressed,” Jen Su says. “Or could I take one minute to be more intentional to say goodbye to my loved ones? Are you looking your child in the eyes when you talk with them?”

2. Write a thank-you note.

Whether via text, email, or a card, this focused task can relieve stress in two ways, Jen Su says. One, if writing someone a thank-you has been on your to-do list for days, it most likely was causing a low level of anxiety. Two, the act of giving thanks is good for your overall well-being. Research shows that a gratitude practice helps reduce levels of cortisol, a stress-inducing hormone, and increases positive emotions, such as happiness.

3. Think of a win.

Sometimes you go into the weekend, and you can’t even remember what happened on Wednesday. Your mind tends to naturally focus on the tasks that remain to be done rather than on the momentous achievements you already accomplished. To boost motivation and pride, consciously scan your week and remember two or three times you had a victory. Give yourself a high-five—even if it’s just a mental one.

4. Do a forward bend. 

Yoga is a great way to revive and destress, and you don’t have to do an hour-long workout to reap its benefits. Forward bends, in particular, help release tension in the neck and shoulders and have a calming impact on your central nervous system.

Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart. Now slowly bend forward and let your upper torso hang, with your fingertips (or palms of your hands, depending on your flexibility) touching the floor. Keep your knees slightly bent. Breathe deeply in and out for a full minute. Then slowly return to the starting position.

“We’re coming down, we’re releasing, hanging,” says Jen Su. “I personally love to repeat the mantra ‘Put it down’ while doing this move.”

5. Take a screen break. 

Make an intentional choice to move away from your computer—and your phone—for a full minute. You can use this mini break for anything: Stand by a window and gaze at the happenings outside; talk with a nearby coworker; grab a glass of water. Or consider using this time for a mini breathing break. Jen Su suggests alternate nostril breathing, which has the added bonus of soothing your nervous system.

To do this, exhale, and then close your right nostril using your right thumb. Inhale through your left nostril, and then close it using your index finger. Let go of your right nostril, and exhale. Inhale through the right nostril, and then close it. Let go of the left nostril, and exhale. Continue alternate breathing for one minute.

“Whatever you choose, get your eyes off a screen,” says Jen Su. It gives your brain a chance to recharge, while helping reduce screen-related headaches and eye strain.