Who’s tired? Who’s stressed? Any takers?

Who feels like they desperately need to take time to take care of themselves, but each day gets filled up with work, kids, chores, “have-tos,” and the general chaos of life?

Who feels like there’s never enough time in the day, so you keep doing the daily grind and wind up at the end of the week with nothing left to give and have to start the new week and do the same thing over and over again with an empty tank?

It’s a vicious cycle, and it’s easy to get stuck. I think it’s safe to say most of us have been there.

Did you know that it’s still possible to get self-care and get rid of some stress, even with a full schedule? Just a couple minutes can give you the rejuvenation and calm you’re craving. Best part? Most of them won’t cost you a dime.

Self-Care Tips — 25 things you can do to de-stress in under five minutes:

1. Grab your phone, put some headphones on and listen to your favorite song.
2. Give yourself an extra couple of minutes in the shower in the morning after the cleaning is done — bonus points if the water is hot.
3. Say a quick prayer or close your eyes for a minute or two and meditate.
4. It’s cliché, but sit and focus on taking some deep breaths, eyes open or closed. Breathe in deeply through the nose for four counts, hold for three counts, and breathe out through the mouth for seven counts. The key is to make sure you’re doing a brief hold of your breath and breathing out slower than you breathed in.
5. End your shower with a shot of cold water. This helps awaken the senses and improve circulation.
6. Tense your whole body, every muscle, hold for 10 seconds, and then completely relax. A great variation that also engages your brain — tense your whole body and then isolate and release each muscle one by one, either starting with your head and working your way down, or starting with your feet and working your way up.
7. Keep a small photo of something that makes you happy in a wallet or purse — i.e. kids, pets, a favorite vacation spot, etc. — and get it out and look at it for a few seconds.
8. If you’ve been sitting at a desk for a while, get up and walk around for a couple of minutes. Get your blood pumping again.
9. Keep a vial of your favorite scented oil nearby and take a quick sniff to rejuvenate your senses.
10. Make a to-do list of what you need to accomplish in the day. It’s great to check things off as you finish them, and it’s great to not forget something because it’s not written down — that definitely adds to stress!
11. Organize something. Maybe you have a pile of mail on the table or a pile of things to file on your desk. These create mental clutter and if you take things one small task at a time, you’ll end up getting everything done and freeing up visual and mental space.
12. Make a mental list of everything you’re grateful for.
13. Make a mental list of everything you’re good at.
14. Read a chapter in your favorite book. Really short on time? Read just a paragraph or two, or just your favorite section.
15. Step into the sunshine. If you’re like most people, you spend a majority of time indoors. But our bodies are wired to need some good ole Vitamin D. Take a step outside and soak up some rays.
16. For you foodies who love chocolate, grab a bite of some dark chocolate and get some healthy antioxidants and feel-good endorphins pumping through your body.
17. Think of and relive a favorite memory.
18. Mentally envision yourself in your happy place. Maybe it’s another country where you’ve vacationed, or maybe it’s your own backyard. Wherever you go that makes you feel happy, take yourself there in your mind.
19. Do some quick stretching. We sit entirely too much, and it’s not good for our bodies, especially our muscles and joints. Stand up and do some stretches and slow movements.
20. If you’re a musician, go make some music. Sing or play a quick song. Write something new.
21. Brainstorm or plan something. Maybe it’s a birthday party coming up, maybe it’s a presentation coming up at work. Some preplanning means less stress later, and you’ll feel like you’ve accomplished something.
22. If you’re into yoga, do a couple of quick poses and re-center.
23. Make plans with a friend to go out for dinner, drinks, or a movie.
24. Wear your favorite outfit. The one that makes you feel beautiful and confident.
25. Repeat after me: “I am enough. I am capable. I am worthy. I am loved.” If you need to, repeat this a few times to yourself, out loud or in your head. Believe in the truth of these words.

Now, go conquer the world!

Just because you don’t have time or money to go to the spa or get a pedicure or massage doesn’t mean you can’t take care of yourself! Try one or lots of the things from this list, and I think you’ll notice a difference in how you feel.