3 Minutes,That’s All It Takes

It seems more and more people I speak with are pressed for time. The first thing that generally gets cut is any self-care activities. Self-care does not just mean that glass of red after a long day or that stress destroying gym session. Even those pauses between meetings or daily tasks get swept into the bin. So let me give you five things you can do in three minutes to calm down, reconnect with yourself, and pause.

1. Close your eyes

2. Check-in with your body by scanning from head to toe

3. Take a few deep breaths

4. Notice the pause between your in and out breaths

5. Enjoy a few moments of silence

Your eyes are probably begging you to look away from the screen, closing your eyes so you can more easily tune out the world and tune into yourself. As you scan your body from head to toe, notice where there is any pain, tightness or where you might even be clinching. Focus your attention on those areas, even more, beneficial stand up and stretch once you have finished your calming moment. Notice the pause, brief but powerful. If you focus on that pause, you might find other places in your life where you could pause.

You might want to set a timer on your phone, to reduce the anxiety you have about taking a few moments for yourself or turning up late to your meeting. Mid-morning is a great time to do this exercise and again in the afternoon, about an hour after lunch when you feel like taking a nap.

Tip: after lunch get up from your desk and do this standing.

Start small and create a habit that builds your self-care muscle. This article was brought to you by Allyson Kukel founder of Rooted in Calm. Allyson helps her clients develop their self-care muscles with simple strategies, helping them to make conscious decision that support their self-care goals and shifts and life habits, she would love to hear from you if you are looking for some