Self-care doesn’t have to involve your credit card or some time-intensive, luxurious body treatment. I’m a huge fan of incorporating little things throughout the day. Taking time for yourself is important, and we should all be doing a better job at it.

My friend recently made a comment about how great I am at self-care. It’s something I never really thought about before, but the more things she listed off, the more I realized maybe this is something I innately do.

What I Do for Self-Care

1. Exercise. Yoga feels indulgent to me, but a sweaty workout of any kind is often just the thing I need. I leave with a clear head and a calm body. I typically go for a walk (or run when I wasn’t injured) when I’m feeling particularly stressed or like I’ve spent too much time sitting or in my head.

2. Listen. I trust my gut and I listen to my body. When I just can’t work anymore or something doesn’t feel right, I stop.

3. Healthy foods. I may treat myself more than I should with sweet treats, but for the most part I work in nutritious foods that I actually enjoy at every meal.

4. Lots of sleep. If I’m not in bed for nine hours, I’m quite upset. I take sleep very seriously. Even if I don’t sleep for that entire time, just being in bed for at least nine hours improves my next day and my body’s ability to recover immensely. I make sleep a priority because my whole next day, and sometimes the days after too, are dependent on it.

5. Happiness. I do the things that make me happy. A cup of tea when I want it. A mellow start to my morning. A killer podcast session at lunch. Whatever it may be, I incorporate the things that make me happy into my day.

6. Quiet time! As an introvert, I thrive on my quiet time. It’s crucial for me to have time in the day to just sit and be. I try to read daily – the more time I spend with a book the better.

7. Triggers. I know what makes me feel stressed and annoyed and I do my best to avoid them at all costs. I clean up my room each night so when I wake up I feel calm and relaxed instead of overwhelmed with clutter. I get all of the dishes out of the sink and wipe all of the counters. I also try to tackle the nagging to-dos that annoyed me that day so they don’t drag on into the next. I set myself up for a positive experience instead of a negative response.

How to Fit in Self-Care

The same friend also asked me how I find the time for self-care. I make time. My workout is on my calendar. I pick up my room every night so it takes me five minutes instead of a marathon session.

You don’t have to set aside an entire evening to take care of yourself. Small bursts throughout the day go a long way!

Instead of stressing about how to fit in self-care, pick one thing you can do in 5-10 minutes. Do it today, and make a plan of when you will do it tomorrow. Once that item turns into a habit, add another. We all have the same amount of time in the day. We all choose how to spend it.

Self-care looks different for everyone, and it should! Do what makes you happy and feel refreshed. Skip the things you “should do” and embrace the weird things that work for you.