How to Practice Self-Care in 60 Seconds

We can all recognize and acknowledge just how busy and hectic life gets. Whether that be with our families, as individuals, in our jobs, or because of extracurricular activities.

When we wear many hats, we can feel overwhelmed, exhausted, and plain uncertain about where to start at times. With all life’s responsibilities, where do we fit in? How in the world do we even find a minute for self-care, just 60 seconds for ourselves?

What would it be like if you had some strategies to find that 60 seconds each day? To calm your mind from the swirling thoughts and many tasks you feel you have to get done.

We can slow down or even stop our thoughts from going into overdrive by hitting pause and becoming present in the moment.

Imagine having 60 seconds to press the reset button, to feel more in control and ground yourself in the present moment. Practice is key, and the more we practice taking a minute a day to check in with ourselves, the easier it becomes.

Ground Yourself with Intention

We can all relate to the immediate gratification we get from social media, being able to flick past a post we are not interested in, scroll as quickly or slowly as we desire, or not have to watch commercials any longer with the likes of Netflix or PVR. We have the power at our fingertips to hit pause, rewind, fast-forward, or to slow things down.

We also have the ability to do this with our thoughts. We can slow down or even stop our thoughts from going into overdrive by hitting pause and becoming present in the moment. We have the power to shift our attention to those swirling thoughts in our minds by practicing 60 seconds of intentional recognition.

Grounding yourself with intention for even 60 seconds will allow you to re-engage in what is going on around you. This self-care allows you to reset, focus, and feel less anxious, overwhelmed, or flustered.

Tell Yourself Good Stories

Most of us can get caught up in telling ourselves stories about what is going on with family, friends, relationships, or work as we rush throughout our day. Our thoughts spin and our stories grow: “I’m sure they’re going to criticized me,” “That look they gave me must mean I did something wrong,” “I was snappy with my partner [or child] before I left home, so I’m sure they are really angry with me,” or “What if I don’t meet the deadline?”

We typically tell ourselves stories that are the most negative, worst-case scenarios, and this impacts how we walk through the rest of our day. By noticing the stories we’re telling ourselves, we can question them, we can challenge them, and we can see the real impact they are having on our day-to-day lives.

By noticing the stories we’re telling ourselves, we can question them, we can challenge them, and we can see the real impact they are having on our day-to-day lives.

Practice Positive Self-Talk

Our self-talk can also have a significant impact on how we show up each day, for ourselves and others. When you pause for a literal minute, what are your inner words to yourself? Are you being critical or kind? Are you being harsh or compassionate? Are you being hurtful or empathetic? Acknowledging when we are using our negative inner voice allows us to alter and change the unkind way we are treating ourselves and focus on a more compassionate, less harsh connection with ourselves. But this self-care can’t happen if we don’t slow down and take notice of our internal dialogue.

Self-Care Means Checking In with Yourself

When was the last time you spent one minute quietly checking in on yourself? Are your shoulders tense? Is your jaw clenched? Are you frowning or smiling? Do you feel a knot in your stomach or does it feel relaxed? When we check in on our physical body, it can also help us understand where emotions and thoughts are sitting. This breaks our regular patterns and allows us to check in for a quick 60 seconds, which can have enormous benefits.

Taking one minute to check in with yourself every day can help you extract feelings of all the good in your life. It can create hope and help you understand what you appreciate and are thankful for. In 60 seconds, you can boost your joy, optimism, and resilience.

Do you think you’re ready to take a minute to reset, change your thought patterns, build relationships, and be more intentional for you?

Good luck – this minute is for you!

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