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How To Create a Low-Effort Self-Care Routine
11 Plays1 month ago
In this episode of the Growing with Sol podcast, I talk the often overwhelming concept of self-care by breaking it down into something actually achievable. If you've ever felt intimidated by those 20-step morning routines or elaborate self-care rituals you see online, this episode is your permission to simplify.
I explore why traditional self-care routines can feel impossible when you're dealing with depression, burnout, executive dysfunction, or you're simply exhausted. Rather than adding more to your plate, I show you how to build a self-care practice that requires minimal physical and mental energy while still nourishing your wellbeing.
Learn how to identify what's already working in your routine (yes, brushing your teeth counts as self-care!), how to add just ONE thing that will make a difference, and why consistency with small actions trumps sporadic elaborate routines. I dive into the specific challenges of executive dysfunction and offer practical strategies for overcoming barriers to self-care.
This episode is about honoring where you are right now and creating a routine that fits your life – not the other way around. Sometimes the most radical form of self-care is lowering the bar to make it actually happen.
Join the conversation! What's one small self-care habit you've managed to maintain? Share in the comments or DM me on Instagram or TikTok @YourCoachMari.
See you in the next episode! ✨
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Transcript
Introduction to Growing With Soul Podcast
00:00:00
Speaker
Hello, beautiful souls, and welcome back to another installment of the Growing With Soul podcast. My name is Marisol Moran, and I'm a certified life coach specializing in self-esteem and confidence.
00:00:12
Speaker
The Growing With Soul podcast focuses on continual growth and healing, especially in the small steps you take every single day. If you are looking to heal, to grow, and to connect with your true self, this podcast is for you.
00:00:25
Speaker
I am currently accepting new clients, so if you are looking for some support to reach your goals or to build confidence, click the link in my show notes in order to schedule your very own discovery call.
Exploring Low-Effort Self-Care Routines
00:00:38
Speaker
In today's episode, to round out my theme for May when it comes to what we can do in our everyday to boost and support our mental health and well-being, I'm going to be focusing on low-effort self-care routines.
00:00:56
Speaker
And the thing about self-care routines that really sticks out to me, especially for those of us who may be experiencing depression, for those of us who may even be neurodivergent, and we struggle with this very popular concept of self-care that involves depression.
00:01:17
Speaker
all the things, like you're just throwing everything in the bucket, like everything, like you were talking about journaling and meditation and affirmations and are the stretching and the mobility and the like breath work. And then we're talking about, you know, the 10 step Korean skincare routine. And then we're doing the like dry brushing and then like everything, everything, like the oil and the moisturizer and the this and the that, all of this stuff in your morning and your evening.
00:01:47
Speaker
It's so much. It is so much. And I think that for many of us, that type of self-care routine is not accessible.
Realistic and Accessible Self-Care
00:01:58
Speaker
It is not realistic at this point in our lives to do the like 20-step self-care routine in the morning and or at night our overall health and well-being. Like, girl, if that is you and you are able to do all those things, that is a beautiful, wonderful thing.
00:02:14
Speaker
But for many of us, it's not possible. So in this episode, if you struggle with self-care, we are going to actively create a routine that is low effort and realistic and possible for you to stick to.
00:02:32
Speaker
So let's go ahead and define the terms. What do I mean by low effort? I'm talking about activities that take minimal energy, whether that is minimal physical energy and or minimal mental energy.
00:02:45
Speaker
So for a lot of us who might be experiencing, say, depression, like I've mentioned in previous podcasts, maybe the last thing you want to do is take care of ourselves, okay? Maybe life sucks so much that to hell with it all, let me literally rot in this bed.
00:03:01
Speaker
Well, I get it. Been there. But that is not conducive to our overall mental health. It is important for us to take to take care of ourselves. So what can we do consistently to help boost that?
Benefits of Low-Effort Activities
00:03:18
Speaker
So what is the benefit to simplifying your self-care routine? If you are able to simplify your self-care routine, you are more likely to stick to it. So you are ultimately more likely to do something that is not taxing.
00:03:34
Speaker
If anything, you're more likely to do something if it is more enjoyable. So a low effort routine essentially allows you ultimately to build that habit.
00:03:46
Speaker
A habit will essentially make this aspect of self-care practically second nature. So if you have something that is low effort, you're more likely to do it. You're more likely to stick to it.
00:03:59
Speaker
It's more likely to become a habit. Once it becomes a habit, it's essentially second nature. That will then allow you to start building onto your self-care routine if you want to add in more things to that routine.
00:04:13
Speaker
So if it's already second nature for you to wake up in the morning, go brush your teeth, and then take a shower and then get ready for your day, beautiful.
00:04:26
Speaker
Maybe what you want to do as a part of that is add maybe five minutes of a meditation. And to help yourself do that, you just set out maybe the night before a little meditation area where you can sit down maybe on a comfy blanket or a comfy pillow and you already have your meditation music or guided meditation saved.
00:04:53
Speaker
So you're set. You don't have to think about it. It's already set for you. Great. You can add in those five minutes pretty quickly.
Barriers to Self-Care
00:05:02
Speaker
So let's look at some common barriers when it comes to maintaining a self-care routine. Like what is getting in the way of you sticking to your self-care routine?
00:05:13
Speaker
Lack of time. This can also be a maybe symptom of or indicative of us giving all of our time to other people. So putting other people first.
00:05:25
Speaker
And what is that? Low self-worth. Because you're putting other people before yourself, before your own needs, before your own before your own nurturing, your own nourishing, social self-worth and people-pleasing.
00:05:39
Speaker
So if this rings a bell, if this feels like, maybe that's me, girl, pay attention. Because if you are constantly giving to other people to the point where not giving to yourself, to the point where you're so tired, and to the point where you don't have any time for yourself, that's really going to impact your self-care.
00:05:59
Speaker
With that being said, exhaustion, On top of that, mental health challenges can get in the way of self-care, which I've used as the main example, mainly because it is top of mind for me.
00:06:09
Speaker
um So depression, other mental health challenges. One thing that I do want to dig into you because it is something that I have been working working on with a client, and that is executive dysfunction.
00:06:23
Speaker
So what is executive dysfunction? It is a behavioral symptom that disrupts a person's ability to manage their own thoughts, emotions, and actions.
00:06:34
Speaker
So there are three main aspects to executive functions. So three main executive functions essentially are working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibition control.
00:06:45
Speaker
These are going to be your three core things. Working memory involves whatever you're doing right now. If you're reading, taking notes, or having a conversation. So like if you're having a conversation, your working memory is like remembering what you're talking about with a person.
00:07:02
Speaker
Cognitive flexibility, also known as fluid or flexible thinking, refers to how well your brain can shift and move from one topic to another. Essentially, the more flexible you're thinking, the better you can adapt to whatever is happening around you.
00:07:18
Speaker
It helps you react to unexpected changes in your situation. it helps you move, shift, adapt. Inhibition control.
00:07:29
Speaker
is your ability to steer or manage your thoughts, emotions, and actions. This is a huge part of executive function. And we'd be, essentially we as people, would be unable to control our impulses and thoughts without this.
00:07:47
Speaker
If any of this resonates with you, pay attention. Because so many of us might be experiencing executive dysfunction and not even realize it.
00:07:59
Speaker
So what are some examples of executive dysfunction? Being very distractible or having trouble focusing on just one thing. Focusing too much on just one thing.
00:08:13
Speaker
daydreaming or quote unquote spacing out when you should be paying attention, trouble planning or carrying out a task because you can't visualize the finished product or goal, difficulty motivating yourself to start a task that seems too difficult or uninteresting. That one's huge.
00:08:31
Speaker
And I say that one's huge only because, again, I'm currently working with a client who experiences all of this. OK, experiences all of this. And that is one that this client and I have talked about.
00:08:44
Speaker
And this client and I have created different strategies that maybe they can implement. Because again, when somebody is experiencing all of this, maybe the solution isn't just a one thing.
00:08:57
Speaker
Maybe the solution is a toolbox of things and it's finding the right tool for that given moment. Keep that in mind.
00:09:08
Speaker
Additionally, if you are curious and want to learn more about executive dysfunction, i am going to be linking all of the references that I looked at and when i was looking all this up in my show notes.
Who Benefits from Low-Effort Routines?
00:09:21
Speaker
So who needs a low effort self-care routine? If you are listening to this, the simple answer is you, you need this. The long answer though is anyone who is struggling to remain consistent with self-care, which can include those of us who may have depression or ADHD, for example,
00:09:42
Speaker
or those of us who may be dealing with burnout as well. So when we are burnt out, and the last thing we want to do is anything. Like sometimes I feel so burnt out where I'm just like frozen.
00:09:58
Speaker
I'm like, you know what? I'm going to go to bed. Like i'm I'm done. I'm going to go to bed. And you know what? didn't take off my makeup. That's right. I'm admitting it. I'm admitting it. There have been times in my life where I have gone to bed without taking off my makeup.
00:10:12
Speaker
Some of it no being messy and in college. Other times of it because i just was too tired to deal with life. And I fell asleep.
00:10:25
Speaker
That's just facts. I'm not proud, but it is true.
Incorporating Self-Care into Daily Life
00:10:28
Speaker
um Anyway, when it comes to hello effort self-care, what are some things we can do? What are some ideas that can get us Creative, what can we do to solve this problem? Because why am I focused on self-care?
00:10:46
Speaker
If you are sitting here curious why I'm even spending all this time talking about self-care, we need to have a deeper conversation. But essentially, like taking care of yourself is important. And that might sound a bit trite. That might sound a bit like no-brainer.
00:11:02
Speaker
But when we are coming from a place of potentially low self-worth, coming from a place of low self-esteem, We're not putting a lot of importance on ourselves.
00:11:14
Speaker
And when we are coming from a place where maybe we're dealing with executive dysfunction and there's just like so many things getting in the way of taking care of ourselves and sticking to a routine,
00:11:26
Speaker
sometimes we can just be like, you know what, to hell with it. I'm just not going to do any of it. And we need to remind ourselves, I am worth figuring this out.
00:11:39
Speaker
I am worth taking care of myself on a consistent basis.
00:11:47
Speaker
And sit with that. Because that is why I'm spending so much time talking about this. Because you deserve to be taken care of, including by yourself.
00:12:02
Speaker
One thing that I do want to highlight when it comes to self-care routines is also reframing what we're already doing. Because like I mentioned earlier in the podcast with a like 20 different things that people are doing in the morning because they wake up at 5 a.m. and start doing all the things in their morning routine. It's like, this is how I take care of myself. And I do all the things by like 6 a.m. That's a lot.
00:12:26
Speaker
But
00:12:29
Speaker
I would guarantee... That you are already doing things to take care of yourself and you're not really even considering it as a self-care routine. And one of the things i like to do with everyone, but especially the people I work with and do you listening to this, is to give yourself credit for all the things you're already doing.
00:12:49
Speaker
For all the things maybe you're already dealing with. And in this case, let's not forget that your standard hygiene routine is a self-care routine.
00:13:00
Speaker
So that thing that I mentioned earlier, if you're already waking up in the morning, getting out of bed, brushing your teeth, taking a shower, and then getting ready for your day, that's self-care.
00:13:14
Speaker
Brush your teeth, take a shower, standard self-care. Let's not forget that. And if you maybe you want to add to it, baby steps, baby steps, brush your teeth,
Nourishing Activities in Self-Care
00:13:25
Speaker
floss, shower, get ready for work. See what I did there?
00:13:27
Speaker
I added the flossing. Flossing is important. OK, if you're cavity prone like me, you need to floss. So little baby steps that we can do to add to our routines like that.
00:13:38
Speaker
But let's not forget that what you're already doing on a consistent basis like that is self-care.
00:13:47
Speaker
Now, if you're thinking, why do I need to do anything different? Then what's the point of getting creative and trying to find something else to stick to it? One, some of us are having trouble sticking to that. So we're thinking about ways to make that more accessible.
00:14:01
Speaker
But also, when people are talking about the like 20 different things they're doing in their morning and evening routine so like boost their overall health and well-being,
00:14:13
Speaker
All of the things they're doing, for the most part, I would say, from what I've seen, all of those things do have a benefit. There's a benefit to journaling. There's a benefit to breathwork. There's a benefit to stretching and mobility.
00:14:26
Speaker
There's a benefit to meditation. like All of those things have a benefit.
00:14:34
Speaker
I'm not saying you have to do all those things. But perhaps for some of us who are on various journeys, maybe a healing journey, we feel like we need something else. Like the standard routine that we're doing for self-care, the like maybe basic brush your teeth, put lotion on, take a shower.
00:14:54
Speaker
Like we need something more. We need something a little bit more nourishing for our souls. Right.
00:15:01
Speaker
What is it then that we can do in that moment? Because I am not going to sit here and tell you to start doing all those things. That's not going to help. You're not going to stick to it. But if you can sit with yourself for a little bit and assess what is it that I need?
00:15:19
Speaker
Is it physical? Is it mental? Is it emotional? emotional? Once you can figure out what that is, then you can pinpoint the one thing, and I mean one thing, that you can add to your already existing routine.
00:15:34
Speaker
So is that one thing
00:15:39
Speaker
maybe physical? Now again, I'll use my example of being cavity prone. Your dentist told you you need to start flossing. So you just add that one thing and focus on making that second nature.
00:15:54
Speaker
If it's more mental or emotional and you are more, like you lean more towards writing, maybe adding in journaling. Maybe as part your routine, you add in 10 minutes of journaling.
00:16:11
Speaker
And if that feels like too much, five minutes of journaling. You can write a lot five minutes. And if you're typey, you can type even faster. But let's make it realistic here. If 10 minutes is too much, five minutes is perfect.
00:16:23
Speaker
Again, with meditation, if that's more accessible to you, it doesn't have to be even five minutes. You can do three minutes of meditation. You're going to struggle to pay attention or to focus in those three minutes anyway.
00:16:34
Speaker
I can attest to that. Staying focused in meditation for even three minutes is a challenge, but it is a fruitful challenge. So... Once you figure out what it is you need, you can find one thing that can nourish you in that aspect to add to your routine.
00:16:53
Speaker
We can take this and also apply it to our evening routine.
Enhancing Evening Routines
00:16:57
Speaker
Like I mentioned in last week's episode, when it comes to sleep hygiene, essentially, what is our bedtime routine?
00:17:05
Speaker
if you don't have one, what can you do to start building one? And reference last week's episode for that practical advice. Additionally, if you need something a little bit more, your body, your mind, your soul is telling you that you need something a little bit more.
00:17:25
Speaker
What are the baby steps you can take to add that think into your nighttime routine to help you wind down, to help you calm your nervous system, to prepare you for bed and to prepare you for ah healthy day the next day?
00:17:43
Speaker
You can look at, again, what activities can help you going down, like stretching, perhaps. Maybe meditation at night is better suited for you. Again, maybe journaling at night is better suited for you and what you need.
00:17:56
Speaker
Maybe it's reading, again, and night, if that's better suited for you versus the day. I also really like to look at your bedroom environment optimization.
00:18:07
Speaker
So dimming the lights, like I mentioned in last week's episode, I have this alarm clock that has like a dimmer where you can even have the light setting. So I know that for a lot of people who are neurodivergent, you don't like the big lights, the fluorescent lights.
00:18:21
Speaker
You like to have maybe lamps and what have you, which is absolutely fantastic. But is there also a way to maybe change the settings with those? so that you can have a physical environmental signal to prepare for sleep and to essentially prepare to wind down.
00:18:37
Speaker
Ultimately, what I'm talking about here is building consistency. You want to essentially stack your habits. You want to be able to recognize what your foundation is and figure out how to build on top of that.
00:18:51
Speaker
So if your foundation is... brush teeth, shower, get ready. How can you use that foundation to create a more nourishing routine?
Creating Personalized Routines
00:19:02
Speaker
Same thing with the evening.
00:19:06
Speaker
Additionally, set realistic expectations. I want to emphasize that. This is about low effort. What's going to be maybe the least energy? What's going to be perhaps the most novel?
00:19:18
Speaker
Again, if you are experiencing executive dysfunction and you're one of those people that's like, this is boring. to have no interest in doing that. I don't care about taking care of myself. i don't care about brushing my teeth. I don't care about doing the like 20-step skincare Korean, like skincare routine.
00:19:34
Speaker
Like, then don't do it. Don't do that thing. Do the other thing that's going to be low effort, low energy, and also perhaps more enjoyable.
00:19:46
Speaker
So one thing that you can do to help you create a low effort routine is to think about what is it that's getting in my way? And is it because I find the thing uninteresting and boring? And if that's the case,
00:20:03
Speaker
What can I do to make it more interesting, to make it more enjoyable? Maybe the thing, how can I make it a little bit more efficient? How can it be quick yet effective?
00:20:18
Speaker
How can you make this fun? How can you make it novel? Because the thing is, like you don't have to do or mimic the like skincare routine or the nighttime routine you see and an influencer doing.
00:20:31
Speaker
online. Like is the routine aesthetic? Yeah. Is it goals? Maybe. But that doesn't mean it's going to work for you. So if there is a way to make your routine perhaps more enjoyable, make it more fun and more interesting so that you actually stick to it, then that's what you need to do.
00:20:53
Speaker
So ultimately, when it comes to your low effort self-care routine, it is something that is highly tailored to you. It is something that isn't going to take a lot of time. It isn't going to take a lot of energy, mental or physical, and ultimately still be effective and nourishing.
Conclusion and Call to Action
00:21:15
Speaker
Thank you for tuning in today to the Growing With Soul podcast. If today's episode resonated with you, subscribe and leave a review. If you want more insights, definitely follow me on social media. You can find me on Instagram and on TikTok at yourcoachmudi.
00:21:31
Speaker
And if you are looking for support, definitely reach out to me. i am accepting new clients and you can schedule a discovery call through the link in my show notes. Until next time, keep growing.