It doesn’t take as much time as people think to engage in self-care practices.

Self-care doesn’t need to be tedious to be effective. In fact, it can be done in short periods of time. When you have more time available, you can engage in longer and more involved self-care practices. The point is that you shouldn’t forgo taking good care of yourself because you don’t think you have the time to. In as little as five minutes, you can vastly improve your situation and mindset for the better.

What to Do When You Have Five Minutes to Spare

Five minutes doesn’t seem like long but it may be all that you have the luxury of dedicating to self-care. You can easily meditate, close your eyes, and practice deep breathing during this time. You can use it to jot down your to-do list or listen to a favorite song.

Self-Care in 10 Minutes or Fewer

You’ll have extra time to practice self-care if you wake up 10 minutes earlier each day. You can use this time to brew a cup of hot tea, catch up on what your family and friends are doing on social media, and even spend a few minutes on your porch or balcony welcoming the day. In ten minutes, you can watch the sunrise or even pen a handwritten thank you note to someone who brightens your day.

Taking 15 Extra Minutes to Treat Yourself Well

In 15 minutes, you can take a quick walk around the block, do some sun salutations, put in a to-go order at your favorite café, and even do a facial mask or hair treatment. You can write in your journal, read a chapter in a book you’ve been looking forward to or pull out your planner and start to find additional free time to engage in self-care throughout the week. Fifteen minutes is very luxurious especially when you’re always on-the-go.

Do These Things When You’ve Got 30 Minutes or More to Yourself

When time permits, you can take a long bath, have a massage, get a manicure or pedicure, or have lunch with a friend. You can visit the library or bookstore, see a movie, and even visit a museum. Taking your dog to the dog park and meeting up with friends for drinks is best when you have at least an hour to devote to the activity.

How Will You Spend Your Free Time Each Day?

Any time that you dedicate to self-care is time well-spent. Take a look at your schedule for the day and discover where you have a gap between appointments and obligations. Which self-care activities can you fit into your day? Chances are, you’ll find a great deal of free time that you didn’t know existed. Lucky for you, there’s a list of suggestions above to inspire you.