We have 96 intervals of 15 minutes every day, meaning you have many opportunities to make a difference.  Each day this month, I’m giving you a 15-minute project idea. Pick your favorites to improve your day, yourself or your world. I promise you have time for this.

In 2003 I started my Theme Year Project, it was the result of a conversation with my then-supervisor about my work/life balance aka there was none.  I was overlapping work into my personal time and it was making me grumpy and stressed out all of the time.  Not good when I need to be productive at work.  I really appreciated her honest mentoring and it’s changed my perspective ever since.

You need to make yourself a priority.  You need to do things that you like.  You need time to yourself.  You need time to recharge.  Even if that means you’re ‘wasting time’ with your activities, it’s never a waste of time if it gives you the relaxation you need.  Here are a few free, simple strategies that take about 15 minutes and are totally worth your time.

Sit outside. When we lived in Baltimore, I would sit outside every day for about 30 minutes (15 works well too) once the weather was nice (like it kind of is now–weird Missouri weather . . .).  I wouldn’t have a phone, a book, a to do list.  It was just me and nature.  I’d take deep breaths and just watch what was happening, in nature.  I realized the more I did this, the more calm I felt (It’s a proven fact, nature calms people).  And it was nice, my job was stressful and I needed time to think and just be.  Even if it’s just a towel on the ground, try to sit outside more often and just sit.  Just be.

Take a walk.  When we moved back to Missouri, I’d walk for an hour every day (15 works well too). It was so refreshing and it gave me time to think about my day and figure stuff out.  It’s amazing what you can do when you’re not doing anything.  But that wasn’t the point, my goal with walking was to be outside, take a relaxing walk.  Sorting things out in my mind was just an added bonus. It takes about 15 minutes to walk a mile at a brisk pace, schedule this in to your day so you can be sure to make time for yourself.

Take a hot bath.  Now that I run regularly, this is even more my favorite relaxation thing.  Long, hot showers/baths. I’m not one for girly stuff like bubble bath (Nope, 7 years at Bath & Body Works didn’t even change me), I just like the hot water and lots of it–on a good day, I’ll usually spend 45 minutes in the tub (15 works well too).  And it’s my first go-to remedy when I don’t feel well. Schedule time to do things that relax you