Self-Care for Moms Who Don’t Have Time for Self-Care

You've heard self-care advice like "you can't pour from an empty cup" and rolled your eyes because, sometimes, you've had to. After all, the kids still need dinner, the laundry pile keeps growing, and the dishes won’t wash themselves. You don’t exactly have time to light some candles, pop on a facemask, and soak in the tub when you feel tired. 

So you carry on, even when you’re running on empty. But eventually, that kind of exhaustion takes a toll. You might start getting irritable quicker than you’d like. Maybe things start to fall through the cracks. You might even find yourself getting sick more often. So what, exactly, are you supposed to do? You can’t keep running on empty but you also have real responsibilities and constraints.

The good news is that self-care, doing something intentional to look after your own well-being, doesn't have to take hours. In fact, research has shown that even a few minutes can be enough to make an impact. This means that any small pocket of free time you have during the day becomes an invitation to do something kind for yourself, even if you only get five minutes before someone's yelling "Mom!"

A Few Minutes of Self-Care Can Make a Big Difference

While fitting in a short act of self-care when you have a few spare moments might not seem like it’s worth it, scientific studies show it can make a real difference. For example, suppose you put on one of your favorite songs and dance to it in the kitchen while you’re making dinner. The music causes your brain to release dopamine, the “feel-good” chemical, which helps to boost your mood and lower your stress levels. And small bursts of exercise, like dancing, can help increase your energy.

Many other bite-sized self-care activities also come with big benefits. Spending a few minutes after the kids are finally in bed to write down something that made you smile has been shown to increase positive emotions and reduce stress. Even something as simple as taking some deep breaths while you’re stealing a moment to yourself in the bathroom can help improve your mood and reduce anxiety.

21 Self-Care Resets You Can Do in 15 Minutes or Less

You can think of micro-activities like dancing to your favorite song while you're cooking as self-care resets. They’re small but intentional things you can do to help refuel yourself throughout the day. Below I’ve compiled a list of 21 self-care resets, organized by how much time they take. Whenever you have a few moments to spare, pick one and give it a try!

1-Minute Self-Care Resets

Step outside or open the window and feel the air on your face.

Apply some lip balm and notice how your lips feel soft and smooth after you’ve put it on.

Send a quick message to a friend, e.g. an emoji, a funny meme or just a simple “thinking of you.”

Breathe deeply, noticing how your chest rises and falls with each breath.

Take a bite of something tasty and savor it.

Moisturize your hands gently, paying attention to how the cream feels on your skin.

Stand up and gently stretch your body in a way that feels good to you.

5-Minute Self-Care Resets

Put on one of your favorite songs and dance to it.

Write down something that made you laugh today.

Read some poems or song lyrics that feel meaningful to you.

Look at photos that bring back happy memories.

Unleash your creativity and do a little doodle.

Watch something that makes you smile, like cute animal videos.

Take photos that are meaningful to you. You could take a few snaps of your kids, your pets, a favorite object, or maybe even wildlife in the yard.

15-Minute Self-Care Resets

Read a book chapter or a magazine article you’ve been wanting to read.

Make a playlist of your favorite songs.

Try some adult coloring.

Spend some time on a puzzle to help spark your brain, like a crossword or Sudoku.

Make a photo album or collage out of some of your favorite photos.

Spend some time in nature or, if you can’t get outside, watch some nature videos.

Make yourself your favorite drink and just sit and enjoy it without doing anything else!

Give Self-Care Resets a Try!

Next time you’re feeling depleted but don’t have time to rest on the sofa binge-watching your comfort show, try a self-care reset! They fit into your life and can leave you feeling happier, more energized and ready to take on the rest of the day! I'd love to hear about your favorite self-care reset in the comments!

References

Alexe, Dan Iulian, et al. “Exercise Snacks as a Strategy to Interrupt Sedentary Behavior: A Systematic Review of Health Outcomes and Feasibility.” Healthcare, vol. 13, no. 24, 9 Dec. 2025, p. 3216, https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13243216. 

Cleveland Clinic. “Dopamine.” Cleveland Clinic, 23 Mar. 2022, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22581-dopamine.

Cunha, Lúzie Fofonka, et al. “Positive Psychology and Gratitude Interventions: A Randomized Clinical Trial.” Frontiers in Psychology, vol. 10, no. 584, 21 Mar. 2019, https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00584.

Fekete, Erin M., and Nathan T. Deichert. “A Brief Gratitude Writing Intervention Decreased Stress and Negative Affect during the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Journal of Happiness Studies, vol. 23, no. 6, 24 Feb. 2022, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-022-00505-6.

Ferreri, Laura, et al. “Dopamine Modulates the Reward Experiences Elicited by Music.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 116, no. 9, 22 Jan. 2019, pp. 3793–3798, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1811878116.

Hanson, Jolene. “Emotional Exhaustion during Times of Unrest.” Mayo Clinic Health System, 30 July 2020, https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/emotional-exhaustion-during-times-of-unrest.

Howarth, Ana, et al. “Effects of Brief Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Health-Related Outcomes: A Systematic Review.” Mindfulness, vol. 10, no. 10, 31 May 2019, pp. 1957–1968, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-019-01163-1.

Health, Cultivating. “5 Things That Can Weaken Your Immune System.” Cultivating-Health, 9 Nov. 2022, https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/cultivating-health/5-things-that-can-weaken-your-immune-system/2022/11.

Mayo Clinic. “Stress Symptoms: Effects on Your Body and Behavior.” Mayo Clinic, 10 Aug. 2023, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-symptoms/art-20050987.