Friend, finding time for yourself doesn’t always require an entire weekend away. In fact, it often begins with a few small moments that remind you that you’re part of your own life, too.
Do you ever catch yourself saying:
“Maybe next week.”
“I’ll rest after I finish this project.”
“I’ll read that book when life slows down.”
Or maybe the big one…
“I’ll take care of myself after everyone else is taken care of.”
Unfortunately, life rarely slows down on its own.
Instead, there always seems to be another load of laundry. Then, another email needs an answer. Next, there’s an appointment, an errand, a meal to make, or someone who needs your attention.
Before long, another day has passed, and somehow you ended up at the very bottom of your own to-do list. Again.
However, what if learning to create more me time wasn’t about finding hours of free time you simply don’t have?
Instead, what if it was about noticing little pockets of time that already exist within your day?
Fortunately, you don’t need to completely rearrange your life to begin.
Sometimes, you simply need to use a few minutes differently.
So, if you’ve been craving a little more breathing room, here are 25 simple ways to create more me time and reconnect with yourself one small moment at a time.
Why Little Moments of Me Time Matter
Sometimes, we convince ourselves that self-care needs to be elaborate before it counts.
We imagine spa weekends, expensive vacations, perfectly quiet houses, or entire afternoons with absolutely nothing on the calendar.
Sounds lovely, doesn’t it?
However, most of us aren’t waking up tomorrow morning to discover that everyone has magically disappeared, the laundry folded itself, and our calendars have been cleared.
A girl can dream, though. 😉
Thankfully, meaningful me time doesn’t have to look like that.
In fact, five peaceful minutes can completely change the direction of your afternoon.
Likewise, ten intentional minutes can help you slow down and reconnect with yourself.
Meanwhile, choosing yourself for even a few moments sends your heart an important message:
I matter too.
Most importantly, remember that consistency is often more powerful than perfection.
So, instead of waiting for the perfect opportunity, let’s start looking for the little ones.
25 Simple Ways to Create More Me Time
1. Wake Up Ten Minutes Earlier
First of all, try giving yourself ten quiet minutes before the rest of your day begins.
However, don’t use those ten minutes to start the laundry, check email, or tackle tomorrow’s to-do list.
Instead, enjoy your coffee, sit quietly, journal, pray, or simply watch the morning light come through the window.
Those ten minutes belong to you.
2. Watch One Sunrise This Week
Next, choose one morning to watch the sunrise.
You don’t need to travel anywhere special. Instead, step onto the porch, look out the kitchen window, or sit somewhere outside.
As the sky begins to change, resist the urge to grab your phone.
Just watch.
Sometimes, beauty is the reminder we need to slow down.
3. Sit Outside for Five Minutes
Then, give yourself five minutes outdoors.
Feel the sunshine.
Listen to the birds.
Notice the breeze.
For those few minutes, don’t accomplish anything.
Simply be.
4. Read One Chapter of a Book
Instead of automatically reaching for your phone when you have a few free minutes, reach for a book.
Read one chapter.
Or, if you’re really tired, read five pages.
Either way, you’re choosing something that fills you rather than something that simply fills time.
5. Buy Yourself Fresh Flowers
Every now and then, buy the flowers.
You don’t need a birthday.
You don’t need an anniversary.
And you certainly don’t need someone else to buy them for you.
After all, Tuesday is a perfectly acceptable occasion for flowers.
Put them somewhere you’ll see them often and let them remind you that ordinary days deserve a little beauty too.
6. Keep a Gratitude Journal
At the end of the day, write down three things you’re thankful for.
They don’t need to be profound.
Maybe the weather was beautiful.
Maybe someone made you laugh.
Maybe your coffee was actually hot when you drank it.
Over time, this simple habit helps train your heart to notice the good things already happening around you.
7. Take a Short Walk
Another simple way to create more me time is to take a short walk.
Even ten minutes outside can help clear your mind.
While you walk, leave the phone in your pocket if you can.
Notice the trees.
Look at the sky.
Listen to what’s happening around you.
Instead of rushing toward a destination, simply enjoy the journey.
8. Listen to Your Favorite Music
Meanwhile, don’t underestimate the power of a favorite song.
Turn up the music.
Sing along.
And, if the mood strikes, dance around the kitchen.
After all, nobody said me time had to be quiet.
Sometimes joy is loud. 🎶
9. Create a Small Evening Ritual
As the day winds down, create one little ritual that signals it’s time to relax.
Maybe you make tea.
Perhaps you dim the lights.
Or maybe you sit somewhere quiet for ten minutes.
Eventually, your mind begins to associate that routine with slowing down.
10. Say No Without Feeling Guilty
Sometimes, the best way to create more me time isn’t adding something to your schedule.
Instead, it’s removing something.
You don’t have to attend every event.
You don’t have to volunteer for everything.
And you don’t have to explain every “no.”
After all, every time you say no to something unnecessary, you create space to say yes to something that matters.
11. Enjoy Your Coffee While It’s Still Hot
Believe it or not, drinking an entire cup of coffee while it’s still hot can feel downright luxurious.
So, sit down.
Don’t fold laundry.
Don’t answer email.
Don’t start cleaning the kitchen.
Instead, enjoy the coffee.
All of it.
While it’s hot.
I know. We’re dreaming big now. ☕😂
12. Take Pictures of Beautiful Things
Whenever you can, photograph something that catches your eye.
Flowers.
Clouds.
Butterflies.
Sunsets.
Interesting shadows.
Beautiful buildings.
As a result, you’ll begin intentionally looking for beauty instead of rushing past it.
13. Journal Your Thoughts
If your mind feels crowded, give those thoughts somewhere to go.
Open your journal and write.
Don’t worry about grammar.
Don’t worry about handwriting.
And definitely don’t worry about making it pretty.
Instead, simply let your heart talk.
Sometimes you don’t realize what you’re carrying until you see it written on the page.
14. Take the Scenic Route
Instead of always choosing the fastest way home, take the prettier route once in a while.
Drive past the lake.
Take the road lined with trees.
Roll down the windows.
Play your favorite music.
For once, let the journey be part of the joy.
15. Spend Time in Prayer
Most importantly, make room for quiet time with God.
You don’t need perfect words.
You don’t need an elaborate prayer routine.
Instead, simply come as you are.
Talk.
Listen.
Be still.
Sometimes, the peace we’ve been searching for begins in the quietest conversations.
16. Stretch for a Few Minutes
Likewise, remember that your body carries stress too.
Take five minutes to stretch your shoulders, neck, back, and legs.
Breathe slowly.
As you do, notice where you’ve been holding tension.
Sometimes caring for yourself begins with simply paying attention.
17. Declutter One Small Space
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t try to organize the entire house.
Choose one drawer.
One shelf.
One corner.
Then, stop.
The goal isn’t to turn your me time into another cleaning marathon.
Instead, it’s to create one small space that feels peaceful.
18. Laugh More
Of course, self-care doesn’t always have to be serious.
Watch a funny movie.
Send your friend the ridiculous meme.
Call the person who always makes you laugh.
After all, laughter has a wonderful way of reminding us not to take every part of life quite so seriously.
19. Leave Your Phone in Another Room
Every now and then, give yourself fifteen minutes without your phone.
No notifications.
No scrolling.
No emails.
No wondering what everyone else is doing.
Instead, pay attention to what’s happening in your own life.
You might be surprised by how peaceful fifteen disconnected minutes can feel.
20. Color a Page
For something completely different, grab some colored pencils and color.
There’s no deadline.
There’s no productivity goal.
And there certainly isn’t a prize for staying inside the lines.
Instead, let yourself create simply because it’s fun.
Sometimes that’s reason enough.
21. Spend Time Near the Water
Whenever possible, find your way to the water.
A lake.
A river.
The ocean.
A creek.
Even a small backyard fountain can create a peaceful atmosphere.
For some reason, water has a beautiful way of making the world feel a little quieter.
So, sit for a while.
Listen.
Breathe.
22. Watch the Sunset
At the end of the day, step outside and watch the sky change.
Yes, there may still be dishes in the sink.
Yes, the laundry may still need folding.
However, the sunset isn’t going to wait for you to finish your chores.
The dishes will still be there in fifteen minutes.
The sunset won’t.
Choose the sunset sometimes.
23. Celebrate Your Small Victories
Along the way, remember to celebrate what you did accomplish.
Finished something you’ve been putting off?
Celebrate.
Took your walk today?
Wonderful.
Remembered to drink enough water?
Look at you go!
Instead of constantly focusing on what’s left undone, acknowledge the progress you’re already making.
24. Ask for Help
Above all, remember that you don’t have to carry everything alone.
Ask your spouse for help.
Ask the kids to pitch in.
Accept the offer when a friend says, “What can I do?”
Although asking for help can feel uncomfortable, it doesn’t mean you’re incapable.
Rather, it means you’re recognizing that your time and energy matter too.
25. Schedule Your Me Time
Finally, put yourself on the calendar.
Seriously.
If you schedule appointments, practices, meetings, errands, and activities for everyone else, you can schedule twenty minutes for yourself.
After all, you’re important enough to make the calendar too.
Even better, treat that time like an actual appointment.
Don’t cancel on yourself every time something else comes along.
You Don’t Need More Time—You Need More Intention
Many women understandably believe they need hours of free time before they can begin taking better care of themselves.
However, that’s rarely true.
Instead, peace often grows from little moments chosen intentionally.
Five minutes.
Ten minutes.
One quiet cup of coffee.
One walk around the neighborhood.
One chapter of a good book.
Over time, those small moments begin adding up.
As a result, they start changing something much bigger.
They start changing the way you experience your own life.
That’s why learning to create more me time isn’t really about escaping your responsibilities.
Rather, it’s about making sure you don’t disappear beneath them.
Jesus Often Chose Quiet Moments
Throughout the Gospels, we see Jesus stepping away from the crowds.
He prayed.
He sought quiet places.
He spent time with His Father.
In other words, rest and quiet weren’t treated as meaningless interruptions.
They mattered.
Likewise, we shouldn’t feel guilty for creating space to renew our own hearts.
After all, if Jesus intentionally stepped away from the noise, perhaps we can give ourselves permission to do the same.
Me Time Isn’t Selfish—It’s Stewardship
God entrusted you with one heart.
One mind.
One body.
One beautiful life.
Therefore, taking care of yourself isn’t selfish.
Instead, it can be an act of faithful stewardship.
When your heart is healthier, you have more patience.
Likewise, when you’re rested, you have more energy to give.
As a result, you can love more freely, laugh more often, and be more present for the people who matter most.
Taking care of yourself doesn’t mean you stop caring for others.
On the contrary, it means you’re finally including yourself among the people worthy of your care.
Start Small, Friend
If twenty-five ideas feel overwhelming, don’t worry.
You aren’t supposed to do all twenty-five tomorrow.
Please don’t turn a blog post about me time into a new twenty-five-item to-do list. 😂
Instead, choose one.
That’s it.
Maybe you’ll read a chapter tonight.
Perhaps you’ll take a walk tomorrow.
Or maybe you’ll buy yourself flowers on the way home.
After all, every beautiful habit begins with one simple choice.
Eventually, little choices become beautiful habits.
Then, those beautiful habits begin creating a life with more room for peace, creativity, laughter, rest, and joy.
Continue Your Me Time Journey
If this post encouraged you, I’d love for you to continue exploring The Power of Me Time series here at LV Creative Concepts.
Throughout the series, you’ll find practical encouragement and gentle reminders to help you slow down, reconnect with yourself, and make room for more peace and joy in your everyday life.
Likewise, if journaling helps you process your thoughts and reconnect with your heart, visit my Journals Collection.
Whether you choose one of my journals or simply grab a notebook you already have, the important thing is to begin.
After all, your heart deserves somewhere to breathe.
Before You Go…
Finally, friend, here’s one last reminder before you head back into your day.
You don’t have to wait until life becomes less busy before you begin enjoying it.
Because, let’s be honest, life is remarkably talented at finding one more thing for us to do.
Finish the laundry?
Congratulations! There’s another load waiting.
Clear the inbox?
Oh, look! Three more emails.
Clean the kitchen?
Apparently everyone in the house has suddenly decided they’re hungry again. 😂
So, instead of waiting for the magical day when everything is finished, choose one little moment for yourself today.
Take the walk.
Read the chapter.
Buy the flowers.
Watch the sunset.
Or, better yet, sit down and drink that coffee while it’s still hot.
After all, creating more me time isn’t about escaping your life.
Rather, it’s about becoming a joyful part of your own life again.
So, start small.
Then, do it again tomorrow.
Before long, those little moments will become something much bigger: a gentle reminder that you don’t have to spend your entire life taking care of everyone else while continually putting yourself last.
- You deserve some laughter.
- You deserve some creativity.
- You deserve some quiet.
And yes, friend, you deserve some joy too.
Now, go claim ten minutes before somebody notices you’re sitting down and asks you where the scissors are. 😉
XOXO,
~Linda
My Favorite Resources
Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support LV Creative Concepts so I can continue creating encouraging content, resources, and inspiration for women every day. Thank you for supporting my small business!