The phrase self-care, for many, can sound cumbersome. Diets, workouts, yoga, meditation, journaling, decluttering….
And after purchasing gym shoes and clothes, buying plants to make the room greener, and writing three pages of diary entries, the enthusiasm often fizzles out.
The gym membership expires, the plants dry up, the yoga mat remains rolled up in a corner, and the diary turns into a relic of reformation. There goes self-care!
Well aware of this syndrome, experts point out that self-care doesn’t have to be monumental. It can be subtle and simple.
“Can you spare 10 minutes a day on your own wellness?” asks psychologist Seema Girija Lal.
The reason why most self-care decisions fail to sustain is because of the grand plans people make one fine day, she adds.
“The success mantra is to start slow, and make it part of your routine,” says Seema. “Not something you have to do, but something that comes as naturally as brushing your teeth.”
Sounds positive? Easy-peasy? Let’s call it the 600-second challenge. Here we go:
Just breathe
Simple, but powerful. “Every day, in the morning, take 10 minutes to breathe and sit with yourself. No gadget, no newspaper, no distractions. Just you, alone,” says Dr Arun B Nair, psychiatrist at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College.
“Focus on each inhale and exhale. Let your thoughts flow. Don’t block them. Don’t trail or analyse them. Let them pass through, one by one.”
This simple breathing practice, Dr Arun explains, helps us realign ourselves and not fall prey to intense emotions.
“Sit on a chair and breathe while looking at a tree, painting, or just a plain wall. One can also do it between work, during any quiet moment, or even on a moving bus. It doesn’t require a special place or any investment,” says Dr Arun.
“Many are wary of spiralling thoughts, especially with the information overload in mind. That’s okay. Within a couple of months, we will get comfortable with our thoughts and emotions. Try it and feel the difference.”
A game a day
Self-care also means improving your brain health. Just play. Maybe Sudoku, a puzzle, or a word game. Make it a daily habit.
“It engages the brain and helps boost memory. There are a slew of simple ways to enhance memory — learning something new, doing simple activities using your non-dominant hand, counting backwards,” says Dr Arun.
“While browsing the internet, learn something about AI, read an interesting fact you never knew, or learn new words or a language on an app. Anything that keeps the brain engaged in a healthy way helps.”
Another healthy habit, Dr Arun adds, is a happy flashback on the bed. “While lying down to sleep, think about a pleasant memory from when you were younger than 10. It helps you clear mental clutter and sleep refreshed,” he smiles.
Anywhere, anytime
For those spending most of the day at a desk, even a chair can become a small exercise space.
“Most jobs today involve long hours of sitting, and finding time for extended physical activity may not always be practical,” says Dr Vinu. “So it is important to look at what can be done within limited time and space.”
He recommends simple seated neck exercises such as chin tucks, gently lowering the ear towards each shoulder, looking up and down, slow neck rotations, and shoulder stretches. Practised without force, these movements can help loosen stiffness caused by sitting in the same position for long periods.
Yoga and meditation practitioner Anand Narayan suggests five basic spinal movements that can be done while seated. The first is axial extension, in which one sits upright and lengthens the spine as though being gently pulled upwards from the crown of the head. This is followed by twisting to the left and right, bending sideways on either side, leaning forward, and gently extending backwards.
“These can be done in about 10 minutes. They help ease stiffness in the back, neck and shoulders,” he says.
Anand also suggests sitting with the eyes closed while holding simple hand gestures known as mudras. In Apana Mudra, for example, the tips of the middle and ring fingers touch the thumb, while the index and little fingers remain extended. In traditional yoga practice, it is associated with digestion and elimination.
“One can hold the mudra with both hands, close the eyes and sit quietly for a few minutes,” Anand says.
He also recommends trataka, a concentration practice in which the gaze is fixed steadily on a single point. While it is traditionally practised using a candle flame, people at a desk can focus on a mark on the wall, the tip of the thumb or the nib of a pen. Once the eyes begin to feel heavy or watery, they should be closed gently and allowed to rest.
Face yoga can also be practised while seated. “This is trending now. Just five minutes of facial movements or gentle massage using the hands can help release tension and calm the mind,” says Anand.
Keep walking
Staying in the same position for long periods can leave the body stiff, reduce circulation and make it harder to stay focused. Stepping away for a walk helps loosen tight muscles, gives the eyes a break from screens and offers a quick mental reset.
“Taking small breaks during work or study is important. Even a 10-minute walk can improve flexibility and general health. We may not be able to go to the gym every day, but these short walks can still help a lot,” says physician Dr Vinu Jacob.
The walk need not be brisk or treated as a fitness goal. Moving at a comfortable pace and paying attention to your surroundings can ease fatigue and help you return to work feeling more alert.
According to medical recommendations, a person should exercise for at least two hours a week. And that doesn’t have to mean an intense gym workout. According to Dr Arun, walking with colleagues during breaks during those 10-minute chit-chat breaks will do to start with.
“At your workplace, during tea or lunch breaks, go for a walk with your colleagues. That can be your daily gossip session,” he smiles.
Pin your emotions
Traditionally, human beings are said to have five senses. Psychologist Seema, however, insists that there are eight. “You have three others — vestibular, or balance; proprioception, or body position and pressure; and interoception, or awareness of your emotional state,” she explains. Balance is maintained by the fluid in the inner ear. “So stretch your neck, move around at work,” she says.
Proprioception is the pressure we put on our muscles and joints. “Stretch your joints, lift a little weight, rotate your shoulders, ankles and back. It makes you aware of your body.”
Now, the emotional state. “There is hunger, thirst, pain and so on. You involuntarily take care of those. And then there is naming your emotions at the end of the day. This is a step that can make a huge difference in everyone’s life,” she says.
“Simply ask yourself what the day felt like — happy, sad, irritating…. On the internet, you can easily find a feelings wheel, which can help you name the emotion. You can even do it while sitting on the loo before bed. Jot it down in your notes app. One sentence will do. Understanding yourself is at the core of self-care.”