7 Simple Ways To Find Micro-Moments Of Self-Care When You're Low On Time

Self-care doesn't need to be elaborate—or expensive. In fact, we like to think the most valuable forms of self-care are the simple and inexpensive ones that are at your disposal whenever you need them. Here are seven of our favorite ways to take a calming moment to yourself, any time, any day:

Tea rituals like this one are only heightened when you drink a brew that has well-being benefits, too. We love Yogi's teas for their high-quality herbal ingredients that pack a healthful punch.

Aside from smelling great, some essential oils have relaxing and stress-soothing properties. Others have a more energizing impact if you're looking for a pick-me-up. Whether you place a few drops in your diffuser or apply your favorite oil blend topically, essential oils give us an opportunity to enjoy the simple luxury of a lovely scent, on top of the other benefits they can provide. So, stop and smell the rose essential oil (or lavender, or frankincense), and enjoy the mindful moment of self-care.

Acupressure is a practice that has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to help with everything from stress and anxiousness to chronic pain and immune health. Rather than using needles like its TCM counterpart acupuncture, acupressure uses pressure from fingertips to facilitate healing in the body and balance chi, or life-force energy. Get started by pressing the Yintang point, underneath your third eye, where the bridge of your nose meets your forehead. Stroke it gently with your index and middle finger to promote calm during stressful moments.

To elicit relaxation and a sense of calm, try taking a sound bath using nature sounds (or singing bowls, chimes, or any other audio you like). You can easily find recordings of sound baths online, and then, it's simply a matter of giving the sounds your full attention. Enjoy the sounds for two minutes, 10 minutes, half an hour—however long you need to feel like you cared for yourself and are more relaxed than you were before.

Whether you need to calm down or wake up, breathwork is one of the most powerful ways we know to influence the state of your body at any moment. There are dozens of techniques to try, which all elicit different effects—may we recommend alternate nostril breathing, or Nadī Shodhana? It balances the masculine and feminine energy within your body and helps you achieve a state of calm relaxation.

Tapping has risen in popularity over the years, likely because it's just so easy to do. Similar to acupressure, the Emotional Freedom Technique, or tapping, involves repeatedly tapping certain points on the body while saying specific phrases. By verbally addressing a problem while tapping pressure points, the idea is to physically and mentally release stagnant energy. One study found that tapping can help ease anxiety1 while increasing happiness, and since all you need is yourself, it can be done anywhere. Check out this primer for a stress-busting tapping sequence.

Self-care comes in all shapes and sizes, prices, and time spans. A spa day or a full-blown weekend trip to the wilderness may be the self-care you need one day—but there will also be days you have 10 minutes tops to show yourself some love. When those moments come, these options are always available to you.