Home » Mental Well Being » Self Care Activities to do if you’re short on time

Self Care Activities to do if you’re short on time

Short on time? I’m sharing 5, 10, 15 and 30 minute self care activities you can do on Self Care Sunday (or any day of the week!).

Sunday has been (traditionally) a day where we stop work and rest making it the perfect day for self care – for those activities that make us feel happy, relaxed, nourished and ready to take on the world again on Monday. 

Self care Sunday takes away those feelings of guilt and selfishness that always crop up when we take time to focus on ourselves!  For those of us who need it, Self care Sunday is a validation.

For some, Sunday might be a difficult day to give time to yourself and if that’s you, that’s ok.

Pamper yourself any day of the week that fits in with your lifestyle.

The important thing is to get a routine going where you put yourself first.

Don’t underestimate the power of having quality time to yourself. 

Self-care activities don’t have to include getting an expensive facial or massage, or joining a gym.

There are so many ways to have quality time to yourself, to have a short break from your daily life.

I hope my ideas inspire you!

Jera’s Jamboree receives payments for affiliate advertising. This is at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. As a Cratejoy affiliate I earn if you click on a link and shop from my link. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.

red background, pink circle with quote 'love yourself first' for self care Sunday

Self care Sunday ideas

5 minute self care activities

  • Before anyone gets up enjoy your cup of coffee.  Take time to use your senses.  Smell the coffee, stay in the moment feeling the heat of the cup in your hand and how your body feels being supported by the chair you’re sitting on.  Even better if you can enjoy it sat in your garden.  Pay attention to the sounds you can hear and what you can smell.  Is there a breeze touching your skin?  How does that feel?
  • Do a 5 minute breathing meditation and set your intention for the day.
  • Use the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) to tap yourself calm. Follow this 4 minute video tutorial.

Related self-care posts

Free resources in brackets (  )

10 minute self care activities

  • Do a 10 minute guided meditation  – cultivate focus, compassion, and a more relaxed mind and body.
  • If you’re able to, do a 10 minute full body stretch.
  • If you have limited mobility, Rees Fitness have online exercises (via Facebook live). Look out for ‘the online session archive.’ These exercises are suitable for people in or out of a wheelchair. 
  • Think about what you want to achieve in the coming week and set your intention.
  • Sit in silence and let your thoughts wander – don’t judge them, just observe them.
  • Lie down or sit where you can watch the clouds moving.

15 minute self care activities

  • Stream your favourite music and dance.
  • Scroll through recipe magazines and plan to cook something different next week.
  • Call family or a friend just to touch base, say hi and tell them that you love them.
  • Take a power nap.
  • Write out anything that’s bothering you then either burn or throw the paper away or delete from your device.
  • Write encouraging self love affirmations or inspirational quotes and pin them up where you will see them often.

My favourite inspirational quote:

Simply breathe, and know that everything is possible, and everything, even this day, is unknown until you live it.

~ Mark Nepo

  • During the evening, look up at the sky.  What do you see?
  • To get you ready for bed, follow the gentle movements in this 15 minute Yin Yoga for sleep.

Swipe your free self-care Sunday checklist

30 – 45 minutes self care activities

  • Sit down and write a self care Sunday plan. Show yourself you’re worth it.
  • Instead of pouring cereals into a bowl or making toast, make easy breakfast muffins and take time to savour every mouthful on Self Care Sunday.
  • Take a walk, cycle or run during the day (depending on the time of year go early evening and watch the setting sun).
  • Find out when the next meteor shower will light up the night skies and where the best place is to view the meteors. Make a note in your calendar and when you see a shooting star, don’t forget to make a wish!
  • Read a chapter of your book.
  • Lift your spirits listening to inspirational podcasts.
  • Light a candle, run a bath with your favourite essential oils and soak away the tension while your favourite music is streaming.
  • Plan ahead and source a self care kit that you can dip into.
  • Make Self care Sunday the evening for a skin care routine (face mask, cleansers, body scrub etc).
  • Write a list of things you are grateful for and pin it where you will see it often.
  • Spend time in your happy place – the place that has the best memories for you.
  • Plant cress seeds in a heart shaped pattern to symbolise your commitment to yourself . Cress seeds are very easy to grow (you can grow them on damp kitchen tissue in small fruit punnets on the window sill).
  • Decorate a ‘self love’ tree – find a branch that you can anchor in a pot or choose a suitable potted plant. Decorate it with items that have meaning for you.
  • Plan and create an outdoor fairy garden – a sensory activity that once ready, could be used as a focus for your mindfulness and meditation.
  • Find art that touches your soul by browsing the Louvre’s online collection. With more than 480,000 works in the Musée du Louvre and Musée National Eugène-Delacroix you’re guaranteed there will be something that will make your heart sing.
  • Research and plan for your next holiday. Where do your dreams take you? Where will you be taking time out and recharging?

Feeling overwhelmed with all the choices?

If you feel overwhelmed by all the options available and find yourself stuck without taking action, one fabulous resource to use is The Sacred Self Care Oracle.

This 55 card deck can help you connect with your intuition and will help you create rituals to nourish you on the deepest levels.

You can ask the sacred self care oracle questions such as:

  • What do I need to feel centered and balanced today?
  • How can I connect with my body’s intuition?
  • If I only have a short time for me this week, how should I spend it?

The oracle cards are amazing and you can also consult the in-depth guidebook for mantras, journal prompts, and additional guidance.

So much value in this resource.

sacred self care oracle sneak peek of oracle cards

If you find you’re experiencing barriers to self care, we have some tips to help you overcome them.

Try out some some self care activities and if they don’t work for you that’s ok. We’re all different.  You will find something that has a positive impact. And if that stops working, try something else.

Be curious and open to experiencing new things and experiment. You’ll be surprised at how much you grow in self-confidence and self-esteem.

Make yourself a promise to start a new self care routine … with things you want to do rather than things you think you should be doing. 

woman hugging herself surrounded by hearts for self care Sunday

Showing up for yourself means dedicating some time for YOU and what nourishes YOU. You’ll be feeling buoyant and refreshed, ready to rock the week ahead.

Happy self-care Sunday.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Leave a comment