Home / Life 12 self-care ideas you can do in under 10 minutes, mama 10. "Playing music I like and dancing around for my own joy."—Sarah By Chairman Mom August 31, 2018 Rectangle We all understand that we should fill up our own cup before we can help others, but that’s not always attainable. While we wish we had an hour each day to devote to our own health and wellness, we can take a couple of minutes to do something that makes us feel more like, well, us. Mamas shared their go-to self-care hacks on Chairman Mom for those days when you don’t have the time, but you need a pick-me-up on the go. Here’s what works for them. 1. “I find that even stepping away for a few minutes really helps. If another adult is in the house, just taking a walk around the block.”—Sarah 2. “I started making smoothies at night or in the morning and load them with fruits and veggies (usually frozen). Perhaps it’s mental, but I usually feel more energetic and productive knowing I’m getting some nutritional value out them and I really enjoy them too! It’s something super small to look forward but hey, sometimes it’s the little things…”—Mengel 3. “I threw on a face mask that my friend brought me from South Korea.”—Liz 4. “I make an epsom salt bath for myself and get in the bath with my toddler during night time. If I don’t want to get all the way into the tub, I’ll still sit on a stool and put my feet in the bath while my toddler splashes around.”—Sarah 5. “5-10 min YouTube Yoga.”—Ancean 6. “I have little accu-balls (pressure balls) that I roll my feet around on.”—Sarah 7. “I find sitting outside even for 5-10 min with coffee and breakfast feels great before I have to spend the day in a cubicle. If I have time I’ll do the same thing in the evening with some wine.”—Nicole 8. “I think listening to music that YOU love is also a kind of self-care.”—Amy 9. “It’s such a small thing, but at the end of a really long day, I like to do my nighttime routine (wash face, apply skincare, brush teeth) by candlelight with soft music playing. The simple act of shutting the door, lighting a few candles, and putting phone on airplane mode + Peaceful Piano playlist makes even something as mundane as brushing your teeth feel positively spa-like.”—NMP 10. “Playing music I like and dancing around for my own joy.”—Sarah 11. “I put my headphones in, my shades on and just completely space out. Feels so relaxing, especially in the middle of the workday.”—Petya 12. “I sometimes play a 4-minute meditation / yoga nidra soundtrack while lying on the floor (this is a theme for me, it seems) during dinner time while my toddler is hungriest and actually eating.”—Sarah You might also like: Prioritizing my mental health wasn’t easy—but I’m a much better mom because I did Self-care isn’t just good for moms—it helps protect your kids, too Want to practice more self-care, mama? Try these products The latest Life Washington Post politics reporter Yasmeen Abutaleb on being seven months pregnant on the campaign trail Style Zooey Deschanel’s tips on how to get holiday party-ready (without putting your finger through your tights while your kids are yelling for dinner) Motherly Stories What is the ‘gratitude trap’? How gratitude can keep us stuck Getting Pregnant What to know about using supplements for fertility—and when to start taking them in preconception