How to Decompress When You're Too Busy for Self-Care

“Self-care” is the wave. Since 2016, we’ve been consumed with relaxation and supercharges. But what do you do when you don’t have the time? I’m such a busy bee, but I try to be intentional about the time I etch out to become one with myself. Some of my tips are below.

1. PUT IT ON YOUR CALENDAR.

It may seem asinine, but in the midst of all of my running around, I put a block on my calendar once a week to just be. I like to call it my “slow down Sunday”. Sometimes I run a bath and light some candles and sometimes I honestly just sit on my couch without my phone. But it’s the one time a week where I’m not worried about anything. It’s pretty awesome.

2. PUT YOUR PHONE AWAY.

Speaking of phones, put. it. down. As a society, we are so addicted to our phones we don’t even notice. Having the willpower to put it down and leave it there is so gratifying. You worked hard to do it, you deserve this time without it! For two seconds, give yourself a chance to not be worried about people who appear to be doing better than you in places you can’t afford to be. Mental blocks of freedom are often the greatest forms of self-care. Phone down for 10 minutes. Breathe, stretch, shake.

3. APPLY A FACE MASK.

Yes, I know a face mask for self-care is cliche but hear me out. Face masks take time. Not only do they leave your skin looking and feeling great, but almost all face masks you cannot touch. Which means at least 5-10 minutes not doing anything strenuous. My fave mask right now is the AHAVA Purifying Mud Mask - it has lots of great ingredients like mineral-rich mud, Vitamin B, and chamomile so it cleans, hydrates and soothes all in one. Best of all, you don’t need to wait for it to dry so you can get ‘er done in no time. I put it on and just sit and read a magazine or a couple pages of a book then get back to what I was doing. Fast but so beneficial.

4. TURN THE LIGHTS OFF.

This may be a personal thing, but I find the darkness so calming. I sit in the house with the lights off when I have lots of work to do, and when I was working in offices I would try to find dark places to sit so I could concentrate. Being in the dark gives time for self-reflection, there’s something so comforting in that to me. If you’re not totally against the idea, I’d try to find somewhere dark where you work or find a room in your house, shut the lights off and just be with yourself, even if it’s just for 5 minutes. It’s always a great reset for me.

Do you have any tips for decompressing when your schedule is slammed? Share in the comments below!

This post is sponsored by AHAVA, but all opinions are my own.