5 minute self care ideas to help alleviate stress and help you recharge. Taking care of a child with autism can be emotionally and physically demanding, whether you are a parent, in home support caregiver, teacher or therapist. It is important to make sure that you are taking care of yourself, filling your own cup, or as the saying goes, putting on your oxygen mask first. Make sure you download your free Self Care Ideas Checklist to get the most out of this post!
What is self care & why are 5 minute self care ideas necessary?
Self care is the practice of taking time for yourself to preserve your mental and/or physical health.
I love the concept of quick and actionable 5 minute self care ideas because many of us don’t have a lot of time to dedicate to self care so we need quick and easy ideas!
Download your FREE Printable Self Care Ideas Checklist!
Who are an autistic child’s caregivers?
- Parents
- Family members
- Babysitter
- Teachers
- Therapists
Why is self care so important?
The primary reason that self care is so important is to avoid caregiver burnout.
5 minute self care ideas (33 awesome ideas)
1. Stretch as self care
Stand up and stretch or pull out your yoga mat and do some quick stretching and a couple of yoga poses. You will feel better immediately.
If you are looking for 5 minute self care ideas you can easily do with your child, choose one of these yoga videos for kids to enjoy together.
2. Read
Pick up a book and read for 5 minutes. Choose from my list of women’s self help books or choose a book from your “to read” pile.
3. Massage
Give yourself a quick neck massage or massage your hands. If your partner is close by, take turns giving each other a quick massage.
Download your FREE Printable Self Care Ideas Checklist!
4. Listen to music
5 minutes is the perfect amount of time to listen to one or two of your favorite songs.
5. Journal
Journaling is one of my favorite ways to practice self care. Use one of my journal prompts for moms or pick up a tool like the 5 Minute Journal.
6. Take a quick walk
Get in some extra steps around the house or in your garden if you have one. Walking, even if only for 5 minutes, will be a quick reset for you.
7. Have a glass of water and care for yourself
Sit down and drink a glass of water mindfully and you will feel better.
8. Write a gratitude list in 5 minutes
Gratitude shifts your energy. No matter what challenges you are dealing with on a day to day basis, you still have a lot to be grateful for. Use a pen and piece of paper, or the notes app on your phone, and write down 10 things that you are grateful for in your life.
Download your FREE Printable Self Care Ideas Checklist!
9. A quick face mask
Take off your makeup, slather on a soothing face mask and close you eyes for a couple of minutes while it works its magic before you wash it off.
10. Apply lotion to your hands
Use your favorite lotion and massage it into your hands with intention.You will feel relaxed immediately.
11. Watch a funny YouTube video
Laughter shifts your energy and releases stress, making it the perfect 5 minute self care idea.
12. Declutter for 5 minutes
Being surrounded by physical clutter makes your brain feel disorganized and overwhelmed.
13. Dance
Put on a favorite song and dance around the room. No one is watching, so just have fun!
14. Pet your animal
Research has shown that stroking an animal decreases your heart beat and makes you feel relaxed. If you have a dog or cat, spend 5 minutes petting him or her.
Download your FREE Printable Self Care Ideas Checklist!
15. Take a quick shower
I always feel better after a quick shower and I’m sure you will too!
16. Wash your face
Similar to showering, washing your face will help you feel refreshed and rejuvenated.
17. Breathe deeply
Sit or stand and take 10 deep, intentional breaths to shift your energy.
18. Have a nourishing snack
When we are stressed and overwhelmed, we can forget to eat and often don’t have time to make good food choices. Sitting down and having a nutritious snack will nourish your body and help you to feel more relaxed.
19. Write a compliments list
Write a list of compliments… to yourself! What is amazing about you? Start with 10 things and then keep going… Try to write for 5 whole minutes!
Sometimes as a caregiver for a child with autism, you can feel invisible. You are always tending to your child or students’ needs but you deserve to be recognized for who you are and what you do as well.
Download your FREE Printable Self Care Ideas Checklist!
20. Send a friendly text
Connection with others is an important form of self care. Send a text to a loved one and you will feel better just from reach out to someone you care about.
21. Enjoy aromatherapy
This could be lighting a favorite scented candle, adding a few drops of essential oils to your environment or using an essential oils diffuser in your space. Use a calming scent such as lavender for best results.
22. Water your plants
Research shows that having plants in your home can give you a feel of calm and joy. Taking a few minutes to water your plants will help you feel grounded and relax.
23. Hug your spouse
If your spouse is close by, quickly raise your seratonin and oxytocin levels by giving him or her a long hug.
24. Count backwards from 10 slowly
Counting backwards is similar to doing a few minutes of meditiation, as you need to focus just a little bit more to count backwards.
Download your FREE Printable Self Care Ideas Checklist!
25. Visualize
The essence of visualization is focusing on an image of something that is calming or soothing for you, or something that you would like to attract into your life. Focus on an image that calms you and brings you joy.
Some ideas? Imagine a moment from a joyful vacation, pretend you are surrounded by flowers breathing in their beautiful scent or think of your favorite place.
26. Remember a happy memory
Similarly, spending a few minutes thinking about a memory that brings you joy will immediately change your focus to positivity and happiness. You can’t be focused on something joyful and feel anxiety in the same moment, so choose joy.
27. Look at a magazine for 5 minutes of self care
Spend 5 minutes flipping through one of your favorite magazines. You could spend a few minutes thinking looking for recipes you’d like to try, places you’d love to visit or fashion trends you’d like to incorporate into your wardrobe this season. Focus on yourself and what would bring you joy for a few minutes.
28. Light your favorite candle
Lighting a candle creates a certain, calming ambiance in your home. If you light a scented candle, you will also benefit from the beautiful scent you add to your space. If you want to turn the moment into more of a meditation, spend a few minutes releasing thoughts and just looking into the flickering flame.
29. Open the windows and breathe in some fresh air
Nothing shifts the energy of a room as quickly as opening the window and letting in some fresh air. Try it! You can also sit by the window and bathe in the sunlight or in the moonlight to recharge and refresh.
Download your FREE Printable Self Care Ideas Checklist!
30. Pick flowers from your garden
If you have a garden, combine getting fresh air and sunlight with the action of cutting some fresh flowers that you can bring inside to brighten up your space.
31. Flip through your favorite cookbook
Take a few minutes to choose some recipes you’d like to try. You could even slip a post-it into the book and list the recipes you’re planning to make soon.
32. Make a list
I love making lists! You can make lists based on a variety of themes.
- Write down 10 things you are grateful for
- 10 recipes you’d like to try
- 10 places you want to visit
- 10 activities that make you feel happy
- 10 movies you want to watch
- 10 TV shows you’d love to see
- 10 things you’d love to paint
33. Meditate (one of my favorite 5 minute self care ideas!)
Sit with your eyes closed, release your thoughts and focus on your breath for 5 minutes to immediately feel at peace and open yourself up to your intuition.
Download your FREE Printable Self Care Ideas Checklist!
More Autism Resources
- The Successful Interaction with a Child with Autism Course – learn to better understand your autistic child or students with this complete course.
- Autism Activities Workbook Bundle – build communication skills, fine motor skills, sensory play skills and daily living skills, while helping your child or students to successfully manage any difficult behaviors, with these fun, educational, printable activities.
- Sensory Communication Workbook – Build communication skills with simple sensory activities.
- How to Make a Communication Binder Guide & Workbook – Learn how to create a Communication Binder for your child or student with autism using real photos. Follow my expert guide to learn how to use it to increase communication skills.
- Zoo Animals Play Dough Mats Bundle – use these printable play dough mat to work on the names of the animals, build language skills, and increase fine motor strength and precision in a fun, sensory way!
5 Minute Self Care Ideas
Save this list of 5 minute self care ideas so that you can come back to it again and again when you need to shift your energy, pause and reset – any time day or night. Download your FREE Printable Self Care Ideas Checklist!
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