Winter Self-Care in Ten Minutes or Less

It's that time of year when we find ourselves in need of a new self-care routine.  In this post, I’m going to share my favorite items and techniques that take 10 minutes or less.  Most of them can even be done at your desk!

First, I’m going to share the relatively cheap or free self-care items and techniques that I love.

Wash your hands!

We all know how important hand-washing is to our overall hygiene and health. However, we are all also under strict time crunches with our schedule. Please do not skip washing your hands. It’s not worth it the risk of getting the flu!

Hydrate your skin after washing your hands

We all know how important it is to hydrate our bodies, but we often neglect hydrating our skin. Every time you wash your hands, you should be applying lotion during this incredibly dry season. Cracks and dry skin on your hands let bacteria and viruses in. My favorite lotion is by Doterra but any lotion will work.

Hydrate your body with more than just water

Bone broth powder

I buy packets of these bone broth packets at Walmart. Bone broth has amazing anti-inflammatory and healing qualities. It also adds extra protein to your diet without adding a ton of extra calories. I just pour one of the powder packets in a mug and add boiling water and within minutes, I have a wonderfully nourishing cup of broth to sip on.

Magnesium tea

I have an entire post on how to make Magnesium Tea. In that post, I talk about the amazing qualities that magnesium have for healing your body and calming your mind.

Now I’m going to share some of my self-care items that will require a small investment but pay off big time in the mental health department.

Wireless earbuds

My favorite wireless earbuds last a long time before needing to be recharged.  On rough days I like to put on either an uplifting music playlist or a positive video on YouTube. On long days, I love listening to energizing music. Wireless earbuds allow me to move around the classroom and complete tasks without being tied to my phone.  The same thing applies at home. Doing dishes is a lot more fun when I’m jamming to my favorite songs. 

Get some sunlight… Or get the next best thing

My room is on the ground floor of our building. That means I do not get any natural sunlight in my classroom. Especially in the winter, I get the blues when I can’t get enough fresh air and natural light. So, that’s when I reach for the next best thing: A Portable Light Therapy Energy Lamp.  Just spending 10 or 15 minutes in front of it while sitting at my desk grading papers makes a huge difference in my mood.  

Combat dry air

Studies have shown that dry air carries viruses more readily. At home, I have humidifiers running constantly but in the classroom it is a little more difficult. So the answer is a portable humidifier with a USB cable.  I can plug it into my laptop and move it around the classroom on my portable podium.   The optimum humidity is between 40 to 60%. If you are curious what the humidity of your classroom is, you can use this hygrometer that I use at home.

Try some aromatherapy

I use a portable diffuser that also has a USB cord that I plug into my laptop and travel around my classroom with. I turn it off when students are in the room. Several studies have indicated that the benefits of diffusing essential oil last 2 to 3 hours so it doesn’t need to be on all of the time.

Here is my favorite January-inspired diffuser blend if you need some extra inspiration.

Nurture your body

I saved one of my favorite new things for last. I bought myself this portable body massager for Christmas. It is amazing because it has a car charger converter so I can use it when I am waiting to pick my son up at school in the car line. Then I can use the AC adapter at school for a quick neck and shoulder massage while I’m sitting in my desk chair.  It has a heat option that feels amazing on those cold winter days. 

What are your favorite self-care routine‘s and items? I am always searching for new things to nourish my soul.