It’s a familiar mantra in my Well Balanced Women community: I have no time for anything!
The reality is: women in midlife are in a huge time crunch! You’re not just making it up!
We are often juggling work, family, aging parents, and carrying the mental load. Unfortunately, this stress exacerbates the symptoms of perimenopause. It is, therefore, crucial that midlife women have a regular self-care practice.
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Are you one of the many people who doesn’t have a regular self-care practice because you think it’s only for the rich? It’s true that most self care ideas you see in popular media are luxuries. Not everyone has the budget for endless spa days and weekly mani/pedis!
Or maybe you think self-care takes a lot of time, and you barely have time to take a shower every day. You love the idea of a little me time, but you need self care activities that don’t require you to take a half-day off of work or hire a babysitter.
Or maybe you think that having a self care plan involves lining up too many moving pieces, and who has the energy for that?
Who wants self care to be one more thing you’re not doing well?
No one!
Self Care doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming! In fact, it’s most effective when you have small acts of intention, gratitude, and self-love threaded throughout your day. That’s a self care plan that creates a lifestyle where you feel nurtured even during the humdrum of everyday life.
MY TOP EIGHT “NO-EXCUSES” SELF CARE IDEAS
These are radical acts of daily self care that anyone can practice. No budget required. They’ll make you feel better by lowering your stress, giving you some perspective, and turning the focus on the world’s most important person: you.
- Read.
The genre is unimportant. Finishing the book is unimportant. But falling into the book and losing yourself and learning something about someone or something else is important.
Although I have a Kindle that I love to use when travelling, I prefer to read paper books at home. I am not distracted by the internet capabilities of the Kindle, and I enjoy the feeling of a book in my hands. Just holding a book is relaxing.
Need some inspiration? Here are my Must-Read Wellness Books for Women and my 11 Must-Read Menopause Books .
2. Go Outside.
Being outside allows you to notice colors, sounds, and combinations that heighten your awareness of yourself as well. If you can take a new path to a familiar place, you’ll ignite new connections in your brain.
Never discount the ways that simply walking can boost your body and your brain. And if you’re lucky enough to have some good trails near you, the health benefits of hiking are outstanding!
The Harvard Health Letter reports that being outside offers both mental and physical benefits that range from boosting your Vitamin D levels to improving your concentration. That’s pretty serious self care!
3. Move Your Body.
Go for a walk. Stretch. Turn on some music and dance. It doesn’t matter what you do; movement makes it all better.
Your body is designed to move. Scientific studies show that movement in as little as 10-minute increments can boost your brain function and cognitive performance. If you’re suffering from brain fog, adding more movement into your life is a self care idea with big benefits.
Don’t think you have time to exercise? Try my FREE five-day Fit in Fitness challenge. Inserting a little intentional movement in to your day is great for both mental and physical health.
4. Eat Something Nutrient-Packed.
For me, there is nothing like fresh-cut fruit. A few bites, and I’m awake, aware, and revived. The bright colors and juicy flavors never fail to give me a lift.
I like to have a small bit of protein, too, to help keep my blood sugar balanced and my energy high. Ensuring that you are giving your body the nutrients it needs should be part of everyone’s self care plan.
5. Phone A Friend.
If you have ever received a voice mail from a friend that said, “I was just thinking of you. No need to call me back. Just have a great day.” you know that it would be even more awesome to be the person leaving the message. Try it. It takes 30 seconds. And if your friend picks up, a few minutes with a friend during a busy day is a real gift.
6. Breathe Deeply.
Spine tall. Eyes closed. Chest full…and empty…and full…and empty.
Self care ideas don’t have to be complicated! In fact, the more simple they are, the more likely you will work them into your day on a regular basis.
If breathing and meditating are acts of self care the resonate with you, check out the 10-day meditation challenge I did. It has links to 10 free meditation scripts to help guide you on your way to better self care.
7. Keep a Gratitude Journal.
Keeping a gratitude journal has been recommended to me by years, yet I dismissed it as a bit too Oprah. But in 2016, though, upon receiving my inspired daily planner, I decided I’d use it to note at least five things per day I’m grateful for.
Trust me, when you start looking, five turns into ten turns into fifteen really easily.
The emerging science around gratitude and how powerful it is on shaping the brain is exciting. How powerful we are, as individuals, to hold within us the key to more alive and engaged brains.
A gratitude journal is a simple self care idea with potentially powerful benefits. Find a journal you love, and see how it can change your life!
8. Take a Nap.
I know, I know…there you go again shouting “I have no time!” It is always a good time to take a nap. Trust me.
Karen Shopoff Rooff is a certified health coach. The Well Balanced Women blog is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please discuss your health issues with a licensed medical practitioner.
