This may seem self-evident for most of us, but I think that we tend to forget at times. Especially when things get really busy or when we start to feel out of control. Our tendency is often to push the gas pedal more, not less, when we think that we are falling behind or feel that the to-do list keeps getting longer. Self-care starts to slide further and further down that list, because how could giving myself ten minutes of self-care be more important than being there for my kids or meeting that deadline on this project that is super important to me and my colleagues?

Self-care is actually the most selfless thing that you can give, not just to yourself, but to those around you. If you plan for and engage in some small daily self-care, then you are in a much better position to have more of yourself available to be productive and alert, to be present with your kids, and maybe better able to just get through your day.

Integrating a mere five to ten minutes of self-care into your daily routine can help you have more of a sense of control and accomplishment – two things that are important contributors to being able to stay motivated and even energized. If you can, shoehorn those self-care minutes into your day as an important investment, not just to your own health, but for the people around you and their wellbeing. The world will not come crashing down if you take five to ten minutes of downtime.

It will be hard at the beginning. But like everything in life, it will get easier with practice. So, give it a try. Maybe, just maybe, you might start to feel a little bit better.