30 things you can do when you have five minutes or less
We get 24 hours in a day…and there’ s a lot to do but have you thought about things you can do when you have five minutes or less? All of us are battling that never ending list. Every minute counts. You realize that so much more when little ones are in the picture. This post came to me the other night. I was so incredibly beat. The exhaustion had set in. But I made myself take on a load of laundry. In five minutes, I had thrown a load in, quickly wiped down the laundry room surface areas…wiped the baseboards with a used dryer sheet and folded a small pile of kitchen towels. It really happened. In that five minutes before I was headed to bed, I made that happen. During my get ready for bed ritual (washing face/brushing/a brief breathing exercise)l…the small load of laundry was done and I threw into the dryer and crawled into bed. And it occurred to me…again, because this is certainly not a novel idea or one that hasn’t crossed my mind before. It occurred to me that there are so many things to accomplish in five minutes or less. Things that can help reduce stress, help allow you to take a few minutes to yourself…to love yourself, help organize your life, help reduce clutter, help get that task list more manageable…the list goes on and on.
This is not a comprehensive list but just things that first came to mind. Making a list like this is a good start to figure out what you think about and want to accomplish for yourself in just five minutes. That five minutes before bed, while the kids are still sleeping, before anyone comes home…during a break at work. We all have five minutes. And in the words of my wise, newly 40 year old brother, “make it count,” whatever you choose to do with yours.
-Shraddha
- Drink a glass of water (infuse it with lemons, melons, berries, mint)
- Plan your week out in your planner
- Kegels
- Clean out your purse/wallet/bag
- Delete photos on your phone
- Text or email an old friend to set up a time to really have a good chat
- Start or fold a load of laundry
- Wipe down the kitchen/bathroom – counters, sink, faucet
- Take a quick walk around the block
- Clean out the fridge
- Restock your diaper bag
- Make a to do list for that day only
- Grab a toilet brush and clean just the toilet bowls in all the bathrooms
- Clean out the catch all junk drawer
- Hang up clothes that have ended up on your bedroom floor or in closet
- Clean rings and jewelry worn everyday
- Knock out a few emails
- Make your bed
- Get rid of expired medications in the medicine cabinet
- Clean make up brushes
- Put lotion on the heels of your feet; massage your hands
- Get in a fast meditation or breathing exercise (thanks to my cousin Kamal for introducing me to buddhify!)
- Delete the apps you don’t use on your smartphone
- Schedule your annual ob gyn and annual general check up appointments
- Write down one thing you’re grateful for that day…put those notes in a mason jar or in your journal
- Empty the dishwasher or dish rack and put everything in its place
- Vacuum a room
- Color a page in a coloring book
- Stretch
- Close your eyes…sit….because you have five whole minutes!
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