I dream of having time to spare to twiddle my thumbs and at least file my nails to perfection. But the reality is that between my 3 adorable children and work that I love, time is scarce. So the need to care for myself is essential if I want to truly show up in my life and make a meaningful mark in my small corner of the world. As it goes, I’m always looking for easy—and to be honest, cheap—hacks to maximize the opportunity to put my best foot forward in my life. Here are my top 4 simple and cost-effective self care shifts that will help you maximize your potential.
Kali’s Top 4 Self-Care Hacks When Time Is Short
1) REST
Commit to a sleep schedule and ritual for at least a week. Your smart phone probably has a built in sleep app. If not, not to fret. Simply put, a sleep schedule is a regular time to go to bed and wake up the next day. The ritual part of this comes into play by having a set sequence of events you do before you retire.
Try this: My personal sleep ritual starts with turning off electronic devices and lowering house lights an hour prior to bed. Next, I do a short yoga practice to shake off the day, like my Flow to Sleep class. Then I shower and slip on my comfy robe, make a pot of lemon ginger tea, journal, then finally retire.
You’ll be pleasantly amazed by how this one little ritual can make such a huge difference in the quality of your waking hours. Don’t be surprised if you gain greater clarity of thought, less aches and pain and a calmer, more anchored and steady demeanor. This is perhaps one of my biggest discoveries from last year. You can thank me later.
2) MEDITATE
Here’s a funny story that floats around the mindfulness community. The master says to the student: “..and everyday you must meditate for 30 minutes.” “30 minutes?!” the student laments. “But teacher, with all of my chores, studies, and other responsibilities, I’m afraid I don’t have time to meditate for 30 minutes.” After brief, yet careful consideration, the master replies, “I see. You have no time for meditation. You therefore are to meditate for an hour.”
Aiy! What’s the take-away of this anecdote? Make time for mediation and mediation makes time for you. I can testify to this. Meditation helps alleviate the daily disarray that steals time and creates inner turmoil. The clarity and focus you gain from just a 5-10 minute meditation dissolves a ton of mental clutter and fosters poise and purpose in order to have greater reign over our day. Skeptical?
Try this: Give one of our meditation classes a try for 5 days straight and post in the comments below how it goes!
3) ANNOINT
Ever catch a waft of a scent that transports you to a certain place or time? Me too! In fact, there’s a favorite body care product boutique that I just love, love, love! The aromas instantly transport me to my inner personal paradise. As it turns out, the magic is in the essential oils that are loaded in the products that have a subtle yet profound impact on stabilizing the nervous system and the psycho-spiritual layers so that your mind is refreshed.
Try this: Fill a 2 ounce amber dropper bottle with avocado oil or any favorite cold-pressed oil you have on hand then add 30 drops of your favorite essential oils. I personally use 15 drops of rose absolute, 10 drops of tangerine, and 5 drops of cinnamon and shake before use. I put this on whenever I want to feel light and lifted. It’s heaven.
4) PLAY
My hopscotch game is mad crazy. And I can hula-hoop with the best of them. And my outside jump-shot, you ask? It’s fire! Just 5 minutes of play can shake off stress, spark creativity and imagination, boost productivity and stabilize your mood so you are more relaxed and poised to slay your day.
Try this: Have a solo dance party a few times a week. I locked and loaded several 5-minute dance videos on my smartphone that I jam to about once a day, and if I’m feeling particularly frisky I’ll even freestyle. I’m going to be dangerous once I get that drop down disco ball installed in my living room.
Which of these tips resonates most with you? I’d love to hear them the comments below.
Practice On,
Kali Alexander
Instagram: @thisishowiflow
Website: www.thisishowiflow.com
