Pampering ourselves, it’s a simple pleasure that we often make excuse to avoid this self indulgence. There’s always a reason why we can’t take this time for ourselves, regardless of your situation.

As a single female, my excuses run the gamut of too tired after work, too much to do around the house, and the list of other priorities goes on and on. What excuses do you use to avoid taking care of yourself?

Pampering yourself could be anything from taking five minutes to an entire day to take care of what should be the most important person in your life-yourself. If you think that you shouldn’t be the most important person in your life remember the airplane rule for emergencies. Before you put the oxygen mask on anyone, put the mask on yourself. The same applies to life, you can’t help others until you help yourself.

Ideally it is best to get rid of any and all distractions and take care of you; however we know this is not always the case and sometimes you need to take care of yourself, despite the distractions.

Pamper yourself in 5 minutes or less

1. Slice a few cucumbers for your evening dinner and save a couple for yourself. Before sitting down to eat make a breakaway to your room. Lay down slap the slices over you’re your eyes, and in five minutes your eyes will feel refreshed de-puffed and ready for dinner.
2. Time to wash dishes; take this opportunity to moisturize your hands. Slather on some hand cream and slip those lady fingers into a pair of well fitted gloves. By the time you’re done the dishes, your hands will be soft like butter.
3. Before bed, using the same method for your hands except this time we’re focusing on your feet. Slip on cotton socks, instead of the rubber gloves, unless of course you want your feet to look and feel like Daffy Duck.
4. Anytime you can spare, give yourself a quick facial mask. Many pharmacies sell them in convenient one use packages and they only take 5 minutes.

Pamper yourself in 30 minutes or less

1. Give yourself a pedicure.
2. Pedicures not your thing, give yourself a manicure.
3. Give yourself a hair treatment. You can either use the store bought product such as VO5 hot oil; or you can heat up olive oil (please be careful doing this, oil is gets very hot and dangerous). The best way to heat up oil for your hair is to put some in a sealable container and set in a bowl of hot water until warm enough. To avoid the oil dripping all over you, cover your hair with a disposable shower cap. Another item you can use is coconut oil. When cold, coconut oil is a solid; it turns liquid upon heating. Thsi is great because when you use coconut oil as a hair treatment, it goes on liquid but then transforms into a solid.

So the next time you think you have no time for yourself, think how you can incorporate one of these into your pampering ritual.