Often women are reluctant to make caring for themselves a priority. A lot of women feel that if they take the time to care for themselves, they’re being selfish. The truth is that only by taking care of ourselves first do we have the stamina and energy to truly take care of others.

Ask yourself, are you the best partner, wife, or mom you can be if you’re over-tired? How much harder is it to get everything on your to-do list done if you don’t feel physically well?

A common response about establishing a routine of self-care that includes getting enough sleep, exercise, healthy foods, and quiet time for self-reflection, meditation, prayer, or appreciation is, “I don’t have time to do those things.”

The truth is you don’t have time not to do them. Making your self-care your highest priority—even if it’s only 15 minutes a day—will give you extra energy and vitality that will enable you to be the mom you want to be or to do more in the time you do have.

If you only have 10 to 15 minutes a day to take care of you, what should be highest on your list? I would suggest you seriously consider making it a priority to move your body.

Exercise is actually powerful medicine. The list of its benefits is long and incredible. Study after study shows that exercise plays an important role in promoting sound physical and mental-health, as well as emotional wellbeing. If the effects of exercise could be put in a pill, everyone would want to take it.

And this doesn’t have to be a long, full-blown workout. Even going for a walk around the block makes a difference and provides stress relief. If you can do just one thing, figure out how to move your body in some way that works for you. Even making the commitment to move for 10 minutes a day can really make a difference in your life. And this could be vigorous vacuuming! Get creative and count everything you do.

Other simple but powerful things you can do are using affirmations to shift old thinking, taking 5 to 15 minutes to meditate or pray, or focus on appreciating not only the blessings in your life—but also of the people in your life. I can tell you from experience that these small actions can have amazing results in shifting your perspective. Making the choice to eat healthier foods or smaller portions can also have a powerful impact on your well-being.

Establish a simple and doable routine of self-care now—actually schedule it in your calendar and do your best to work everything else around it. Make taking care of yourself a priority so you have the energy and vitality to take care of others.

Together we can do it!