It's often difficult to find the time to look after our own mental health and wellbeing, but for one woman there are five 'hacks' we can apply to care for ourselves during our everyday routines07:12, 24 Jul 2026When it comes to self-care there are many ways in which we can look after our body and our mind. The problem is, however, there often aren't enough hours in the day to do so - despite our wellbeing being of paramount importance.‌But what if there ways to care for ourselves that don't require any additional time and can be done whilst we're carry out menial tasks? It's easily possible according to one woman who says she has five self-care strategies that require no extra time whatsoever. Hypnotherapy expert, Emilie Leyes has more than 900,000 TikTok followers and recently told them of a "hack" that has "completely transformed her life and her health". Emilie went on to outline each of her recommended five steps.‌1. 5-second rule by [author] Mel Robbins"This idea is basically for those who tend to snooze or really have a hard time getting out of bed or taking action in the morning," Emilie explained. When your alarm sounds, she recommends counting down '5, 4, 3, 2, 1' in your head - then when you reach one - sit up and get your day started.‌"After doing this for a couple of days, I have become so much more of a morning person," she admitted.2. Laughter yogaEmilie said laughter yoga is another practice she incorporates into her morning routine while getting ready. "You can do it in the shower, while you are brushing your teeth and it based on the idea that the body doesn't know the difference between a real and fake laugh," she revealed.Therefore, if you do "fake laugh", it will "become real very, very quickly" and lift your spirits entirely.‌Content cannot be displayed without consent3. Mundane momentsDuring life's mundane and 'neutral' moments, Emilie suggests shifting your focus to "supportive" and "pleasant" thoughts. "For example, if you are doing the dishes, it's not a super-fun task," she continued. "But what if you put the water to the perfect temperature under your hands - and instead of focusing on doing you a chore, you instead pay attention to how good the water starts to feel."The sensation of suds on your hands and the warmth they generate should prove calming, Emilie believes.‌Another example is during your daily commute. She added: "During this time, why not count all of the beautiful things you pass along the way and all of a sudden all these experiences that you are already going to have become supportive - they become self-care."4. Mindful breathingWhile Emilie champions meditation, she acknowledges it can be time-consuming. A worthwhile alternative, however, is mindful breathing."You can do this at any point in your life," she advised. "Just take a moment for the next three breaths - you're going to pay attention to what it feels like to breathe. I find that the psychological sigh is a helpful way to do that and all it involves is taking a deep breath, catching another quick deep breath and then exhaling all of that out in a big sigh."‌According to Emilie, repeating this three times consecutively will "reset" your nervous system, provided it is practised regularly throughout the day.5. DaydreamRounding off her list is her preferred method - daydreaming. "Just allow yourself to do this," Emilie urged. "Give yourself permission to daydream about everything going right for you and about all the things in your past that were so good too."She continued: "Reminisce on happy memories as though they are happening right now. Give yourself permission to think about what it will feel like if you reach your biggest goals."‌Emilie concluded her video by recapping her five points: "All of these things are going to make such a big difference about how you feel in your days."Her recommendations come after a recent poll of 2,000 adults found Brits' favourite methods of self-care include ironing, washing the car and giving the bathroom a scrub. Alongside more conventional ways of looking after yourself, such as yoga and beauty routines, research found that that many forms of 'self-care' don't actually involve looking after yourself at all.The average adult practises self-care four times a week, for just over three hours in total. This typically occurs after a particularly stressful day, or when they're feeling emotionally low. However, the primary motivation is simply to enjoy some time to themselves.Article continues belowThe research was commissioned to mark Mental Health Awareness Week by CASIO, makers of Moflin a smart companion powered by AI which has emotions like a living creature and is designed to help people of all ages relax.