7 Small Changes You Should Try Out This Week

Self-care is the best care.

Tim Lane/ BuzzFeed

1. If you have 3 minutes: Reflect on how you impact other people's lives.

Jen Lewis/BuzzFeed

"Sometimes I think of all the people I came in contact with that day. Any interaction may have an impact on what they do next. I then think about how much it spreads, and it makes me feel important. Whether it is positive or negative (and I work in a field helping, so mostly positive,) I've changed many people's worlds that day." Suggestion from commenter Alicia Noel Morris,

2. If you have 5 minutes: Edit your emails.

BuzzFeed

Stop for a moment, and think about how you communicate. Do you often undercut your intentions by prefacing them with "just"? ("I just thought I'd drop you a note, just to check in").

"I realise I overuse "I think" as a preface in speech and in emails. (I think) women too often feel reluctant to really own our opinions, so we dance around them with this kind of softly-softly language, so I have resolved to edit it out of all my email correspondence." – Elizabeth Pears

3. If you have 10 minutes: Try meditating.

Why not? I really love the Breathe app, as you can win stickers, and I am nothing if not motivated by competition.

"I'd recommend meditating: the HeadSpace app has a free programme where you do 10 mins a day for 10 mins." – Louise Ridley

4. If you have 30 minutes: Make a healthy choice.

Jenny Chang / BuzzFeed

It's really difficult to avoid NEW YEAR NEW YOU vibes in January, and if you have a history of disordered eating – or if you're not trying to lose weight – it can wrongfoot you a little. So here are some resources for wherever you are:

If you're trying to lose weight:

12 Lessons I Learned After Losing 80 Pounds & Keeping It Off

This piece speaks so much sense about finding out what "healthy" looks like to you.

If you're trying to exercise more:

This 30-Day Fitness Challenge Will Make You Feel Like A Badass

This fitness challenge focuses on how you feel, rather than how you'll look. It's also pretty tough, so here are some more low-key options too.

If you're trying to eat a bit better:

21 Easy, Healthy Cooking Tips For Lazy People

These piece has genuinely helpful tips, like:

"“Every few months I chop a load of onions, garlic, ginger, chili, coriander, parsley, mint, etc and put it all in individual freezer bags then I use it as needed for soups, stews, sauces and stir-frys. Freezing preserves all the goodness and if I have all that stuff on hand I’m not tempted to buy ready-made meals or pre-made sauces which can be full of additives and preservatives.”

5. If you have 15 minutes: Say "thank you" instead of "sorry".

vijara.tumblr.com

Anna explains: "Like, instead of saying, “Sorry I’m late,” say, “Thanks for waiting for me.” Or instead of saying, “Sorry I messed up,” say, “Thank you for being patient with me.” Obviously, there will always be things that call for an apology, but if you find yourself saying sorry a lot, this might help shift your thinking to be more positive and it’ll make sure your loved ones are getting your gratitude instead of your negativity."

Tip via Tumblr user vijara

6. If you have 20 minutes: Try out a new hobby.

buzzfeed.com

My favourite thing about these hobby suggestions is how realistic it is. There's a rundown of how difficult they are, how much they'll cost, and how long the writer stuck with them.

7. If you have 30 seconds: Read this tweet.

whit 🏳️‍🌈 @boybehindbricks

if ur ever insecure abt ur tum look how cute this lizard looks with its lil chubby tum. u look just as cute w/ urs

03:48 AM - 05 Oct 2015

This is a weekly series! Got a self-care tip you’d like to suggest? Let me know in the comments or tweet me.