Are you a busy body looking for some 5 minute self care ideas? Let me you give you a ton of quick self care ideas perfect for anyone!
Implementing self care is vital for your mental health and wellness. Self care does not need to be time-consuming. You can do quick and easy activities for your well-being in under 5 minutes. You might be already doing these activities or know where exactly you can squeeze in these 5 minute self care ideas.
As a college student, I had to hone my quick self-care ideas and learn how to make my self-care faster.
So this blog post is 75 5 minute self care ideas that you can do on a busy schedule!
75 Simple 5 Minute Self Care Ideas
1. Write down 5 things that you are grateful for.
One of my first journaling prompts for self love was a gratitude list that I did first thing in the morning. I’d give myself a few minutes to think of all of the things I was grateful for and filled the page up.
2. Take deep breaths.
You can do this easy self activity without any props or material. Just sit and focus on your breathing. Count down each breath to 3 or 5 and hold it in.
3. Brush your hair.
Self care is also literally about caring about yourself. Just brush your hair and taking care of it is enough. Dedicate 5 minutes of self care to your hair!
4. Sit outside.
Nature heals. Sitting outside and noticing the trees, animals, and clouds in the sky is super helpful.
5. Organize your room.
Caring for yourself also means having a clean area. This is probably my favorite 5 minute self care idea because it is what I do the most. Just spending 5 minutes in between my work sessions (e.g. Podomoro Timer) helps me keep my room or work space clean. Set a timer for 5 minutes to organize your room or any room in your house.
6. Eat a fruit.
Fruits don’t just taste good, but also give you tons of great nutrients. Give yourself 5 minutes to taste and savor your favorite fruit.
7. Drink water.
Your body absolutely needs water to survive. Spend a few minutes by just drinking a simple glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated, especially with a water bottle with time markings from Amazon that is seen all over Pinterest and TikTok.
8. Do a 5 minute workout.
One of my top 5 minute self care activities is completing a 5 minute workout. It may seem impossible to do a 5 minute workout, but one of my favorite fitness YouTubers has a whole playlist/series dedicated to 5 minute workouts. Check out Bailey Brown’s workouts for her 5 minute workouts.
9. Call a loved one.
Clear your mind with a phone or Facetime call with a loved one. Just talking to someone can do so much for your mind. I personally love calling my friends to just talk, especially now that I work mainly from home and am an extrovert.
10. Stretch.
Stretching your body for a few minutes will help your muscles and body overall. Doing a few quick yoga poses can get rid of back pain and sore muscles!
11. Pray.
If you are religious or not really, praying can be a self care activity that clears your mind or realign you. Take a few minutes to talk or God as part of your self care.
12. Meditate.
Similar to praying, meditating can help clear your mind. There are so many 5 minute guided meditations on YouTube to get you started.
13. Wash your face.
Again, self care also means taking care of yourself. Just washing your face and rubbing your face cleanser for one minute can count as self care.
14. Wash your clothes.
If you have trouble keeping up your laundry, spend 5 minutes to just gather clothes or to separate the whites from the dark clothes.
15. Sit alone.
Spend some time alone and just sit. Find a quiet spot and just be with yourself.
16. Journal your thoughts.
Journaling is one of the first things people think of when it comes to self care. Spill your thoughts out onto a page. It can definitely help with clearing thoughts stuck in your mind.
17. Do your makeup.
If you love makeup, then spend 5 minutes putting on makeup. This used to be one of my favorite self care activities during college and what made me realize that I really did like makeup and address my self limiting beliefs about makeup.
18. Do a face mask.
One of the easiest and quickest self care activities you can do is doing a face mask. My personal favorite and recommendation are face masks by Tony Moly, which has a variety of masks that can fit your needs. The thing about doing a face mask is that you can’t do much with it on, especially the peel ones. Sit for 5 or even more minutes and relax.
19. Put on a comfy hoodie.
Hoodies are my favorite piece of clothing because not only do you feel comfortable but you’ll also be warm. Aerie has some of the comfiest hoodies that I’ve ever had. I recommend just putting on a hoodie as a quick self-care tip.
20. Lie down.
Lying down for 5 minutes can help a lot. To prevent yourself from falling asleep, I recommend getting a yoga mat and laying on the floor. It’s also a great way to massage your back.
21. Write letters.
Need to get your feeling out? Go old school and write a letter. It can be about whatever you want and to whomever you want it to be. Be like Lara Jean from All The Boys I’ve Loved Before and write a love letter to an unrequited crush. Or write love letters to yourself. Or just write a letter to a pen pal. You don’t have to send it, but if you want to send a real letter to someone then do so.
22. Open windows.
Don’t want to get up and go outside? Then open your windows. Allow the fresh air into your room or house.
23. Take a quick walk.
If you’ve been inside too long, take a break and go outside for a quick walk. It can be just around your yard or block. I’ve calm my nerves before job interviews by just taking a walk and clearing my mind.
24. Brew some tea.
Quick and simple self care: brew some tea. I have this exact tea kettle and use it each day in the morning for my morning tea. Once you find a tea that you love, it’ll become part of your daily self care to drink some.
25. Cry your heart out.
You can cry. It’s fine. We all need to cry sometimes. Sometimes we don’t even know why we are crying or need to cry, but we do. If you’ve been holding back your tears, then let them out.
26. Sing a song.
Singing is one of my most underrated self care activities. I used to love singing as a teen and it help me more than I realized. I recommend singing along to one of your favorite songs.
27. Dance.
Dance along to your favorite music video or just dance to your favorite song. I love dancing along to my favorite K-pop songs and learn their choreography. Until this past summer, I never knew how fun it is and how it relieves stress.
28. Wiggle your toes.
We don’t pay much attention to our toes. Wiggle them and just focus on your toes.
29. Massage your feet.
In some yoga practices on Yoga with Adriene, she instructs us to massage our feet. At first, I was like, “Um..okay?” But it alleviates any pain you might have in your feet.
30. Massage your scalp.
Hair self care tip: massage your scalp. If you have any oils, you can also use them. Massaging your scalp helps clear product build up and could make your hair grow faster.
31. Read positive quotes.
Open up Pinterest and find a positive quotes board and read some quotes. This self care can really boost your mood and replace using spending time on social media.
32. Stretch your wrists.
For 5 minutes take the time to stretch your wrists. This is super important if you spend hours at the computer. I learned the hard way by taking care of my wrists over the summer and not giving a small break and caused a lot of wrist pain.
33. Read a book.
If you need a jump start to start your reading challenge, then just start reading for 5 minutes. One thing I learned from Atomic Habits is starting out small can lead to great results after a year. That consistency is key!
34. Eat a piece of chocolate.
A piece of chocolate won’t hurt. Savor the flavor of a Dove chocolate. They also have nice quotes in the wrappers.
35. Go online shopping.
Want to buy something that you have been waiting for? Buy it, but don’t max out your credit card. For example, after writing this post about quick self care, I’m going to finally reward myself with a pair of Sherpa Slippers from Aerie that looks comfy af.
Reward yourself for completing certain tasks by buying yourself a gift, especially if your love language is receiving gifts.
Related: The Must Haves From Aerie You Should Buy ASAP
36. Do a self love list.
When I first started my self love journey, I used to sit around for around 5 minutes and write down what I liked about myself. It changes my mindset about my body and personality.
37. Smile.
Somedays you might need to smile and laugh at something as self care. It’s also a great way to perfect your camera ready smile or be silly.
38. Clean your desk.
Keep your work space neat as part of your self care.
39. Light a candle.
Find the best smelling candle you like and light it. For some people, lighting a candle sets the mood for their self care day.
40. Turn on a oil diffuser.
Aromatherapy is one of the newer quick self care ideas that I implemented into my self care. I used to buy essential oils and put them in my diffuser or humidifier. Some of the oils I used were for stress or just to make my room smell better. You should take a few deep breathes and focus on the scent.
41. Order yourself your favorite meal.
Open the DoorDash app and order your favorite meal from your favorite restaurant. The wait time might be longer than 5 minutes but it’s a quick self care idea.
42. Create a vision board on Pinterest.
A quick and simple self care activity you can do is to create a vision board on Pinterest. Think about your goals and what you want to achieve one day and find photos to add on the board. Pinterest also has a “More Ideas” feature that will help you find similar photos for your board.
43. Do a video vlog.
Last year, I started recording videos and vlogging through my day, especially during lockdown. It really helped my mental health. These videos were only for me and I never posted them anywhere.
I definitely recommend just talking about your day or what’s on your mind like a vlogger. You don’t have to listen to it or can delete right after. Think of it like a journal but video form.
44. Water your plants.
Care for your plants, too. Remember to spend a few minutes watering your plants, if you have any!
45. Pet your cat or dog.
Spend some time with your pets. They’ll love you no matter what and give you all the love you deserve.
46. Watch a motivational video.
YouTube is full of motivational content and you’re bound to find a 5 minute motivational video. One of my favorite is Gary Vee’s “A 5 Minute Plea To Do” video.
47. Do a few cat-cows.
One of my favorite yoga poses for my back is cat-cow. It gets all the cracks and weird pains out of my back usually.
Related: The Beginner Yoga Equipment Need Before Your First Yoga Class
48. Detangle your hair.
There are days when I don’t feel like getting out of bed, so my curly/coily hair getting tangled up. A self care activity I do often is detangling my hair and I have a lot of hair. But what I do is take my take with it and be gentle with my hair.
49. Color a coloring book.
Adult coloring books are so popular right now. Instead of scrolling on your phone, spend some time with a nice coloring book and the 64 crayon box that you wanted as a kid.
50. Play an instrument.
Playing an instrument for 5 minutes is not only a great way to start practicing but also a great idea for quick self care. I play my Cordoba Guitar in between breaks for 5 minutes when I write.
51. Unfollow accounts that make you feel less.
Part of my social media detox and self love journey was unfollowing a ton of accounts that made me feel like absolute sh*t or ugly af. Set a timer for 5 minutes and unfollow any account of anyone whose posts make you feel behind, ugly or worth less. It’s nothing personal; just self care.
Related: The Best 30 Day Social Media Detox Guide
52. Watch cute animal videos.
You can’t go wrong with a cute cat video or watching a few puppies ran around.
53. Do a Wonder Woman pose.
I’ve heard that posing like Wonder Woman (standing up tall, hands on your hips, and chest out) for a few minutes can boost your confidence. There’s even a Ted Talk about it.
54. Hug someone or (yourself).
Hugging is one quick self care you can do, especially if your love language is physical touch. Ask someone for a hug or hug your pet.
55. Take a 5 minute shower.
If you ever need to reset your day or mind, take a quick 5 minute shower. Imagine that your washing the day so far away in the shower with each scrub.
56. Watch clips of your favorite childhood show.
When I was stressed out during my last few semesters in college, I used to turn on my favorite childhood shows and watch them. But if I needed a quick self care activity, I’d go on YouTube and watch a short clip of Blue Clue’s (Blue’s bow bows are comforting ok?)
Watching an old childhood show is comforting and part of my self care routine that I 100% recommend to anyone.
57. Text a friend.
Just talking to a friend for a few minutes is an easy self care activity that you can do.
58. Repeat affirmations.
Pick a few self love affirmations and repeat them to yourself as a free self care idea.
59. Do a plank.
Strengthen your core and arms by doing a plank. Your body will thank you later.
60. Make a mug cake.
If you have ingredients to make a mug cake, then spend a few minutes making one and eating it. There are also mug cake recipes to try.
61. Moisturize your skin.
Don’t let your legs and knees get ashy! Spend some time to moisturize your skin and take care of it. Take 5 minutes to rub it into your skin and close your eyes and breath the scent in. I personally recommend Love Beauty and Planet’s lotion because of its scent and moisture.
62. Create a self love playlist.
Does music happen to be your love language like me? Or do you love making playlist like me? Make a self love playlist like mine to play when you aren’t the most confident or happiest. Include some of your favorite songs and confident boosting songs on this playlist!
63. Donate to a local charity.
Help someone out by donating to a charity. Thankfully, the internet allows up to donate money quickly. This quick self care is great for those whose love language is acts of service.
64. Plan a self care day.
For me, Sunday is my self care day. I recommend having one day where you do absolutely nothing and relax.
65. Do your skin care routine.
Again, self care is also about taking care of yourself. Wash your face and do the necessary steps you do in your daily skin care routine.
For example, my daily skin care include using a cleanser, toner, sometimes using an exfoliating serum, moisturizing my skin, and using a sunscreen.
66. Watch the clouds.
A free self care idea you can try outside is to sit and watch the clouds. This activity makes things slow down and allow you to admire nature.
67. Schedule the rest of your day.
If you happen to have a busy day, spend 5 minutes to write out a schedule for the rest of your day. Even make a quick to do list to remind yourself what to do.
68. Plan your workout schedule.
Spend a few minutes planning out your week’s workout schedule. You will be thankful that you spent time to take care of your body.
69. Hug a stuffed animal.
If you collect stuff animals or have a pillow, hug it. Just because you might not be a kid doesn’t mean you can’t have one stuff animal around for comfort.
70. Study for only 5 minutes.
Don’t feel like studying for a huge exam? Spend 5 minutes of looking over your notes and textbook to kickstart your studying session.
71. Buy yourself flowers.
You don’t need to wait for anyone to buy you flowers. Go to your local florist or grocery store and buy yourself a bunch of flowers.
72. Fold clothes.
When I use the Pomodoro Timer, I try to do a quick chore in my 5 minute break. Folding clothes was one of them and it turned out to be so therapeutic. It also helped out when I was super busy studying and didn’t have much time to sit down and fold tons of clothes from wash day.
73. Delete some apps.
Honestly, you do not need all those apps on your phone. Clear out some space on your phone and delete any apps you don’t use.
74. Plan your outfit for the next day.
Get aside your outfit for tomorrow by picking out what clothes you need the night before.
75. Turn off your phone.
Sometimes, the self care you need is to get off your phone. I recommend apps like Forest, where you can grow cute trees when you stay off your phone. Also, try to turn off notifications from social media or hide your phone from yourself. Turn your phone off and take some time for yourself.
Final FAQs:
How Do You Make Self-Care Faster?
Honestly, you have to find easy self care ideas that work with you. Self care is all about what you want to do. Find out what is your love language or your favorite self-care activities and do them as often at you can
What are some daily self-care activities?
Daily self care activities you can do can be as simple as washing your face or brushing your hair. Then depending on the type of self care activities, it will eventually turns into habits that you get used to.
This blog post was all gave you 75 5 minute self care ideas.
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