If you were to sit down for a few minutes and write out all the tasks you complete and responsibilities you have each week, would you see anything in that list that you do for yourself? For me, a lot of my tasks revolve around work—full-time job and an ever-growing freelance writing and editorial business—my relationship, and keeping up with family and friends. So, I’m not always the best at taking care of myself. Thank goodness I have an amazing partner, and he continually encourages me to take care of myself and focus on rest.

At the bare minimum, here is what works when you need to put yourself first:

10 Ways to Put Yourself First

1. Journal—By moving at the speed I do each day, sometimes it’s not only nice, but also beneficial for me to put my thoughts on paper. If I’m feeling grumpy, a gratitude list most likely goes on paper. If I’m feeling scattered, I’ll dump everything on paper and sort through it later. If something has triggered me emotionally, I’ll force myself to put it on paper with the vow to never look at it again. No matter the purpose of a journaling session, I always feel like I’ve done something good for myself when I’m done.

2. Solo coffee date—I love sitting at a coffee shop by myself. Sometimes I take a book. Other times I take some freelance work with me. I love the buzzing atmosphere around me (even though I’m an introvert). I like being out among people without having to socialize with any of them. I feel a boost in my energy just by being surrounded by people moving about.

3. Talk about your needs—This one is harder for me than others. I’m self-aware enough to typically know what I need, but I’m not always great at voicing what I need from others. Having the vulnerability to ask for help is a great way to put yourself first. It’s not selfish to need things from other people.

4. Savings plan—There’s nothing like some retail therapy to boost my mood, but an overall savings plan is more beneficial for putting myself first. Taking care of ourselves is more about our long term care than our immediate desires. I often walk around a store with an item in my hand, thinking I’m going to purchase it, only to put it back down once I realize I’d rather keep the money in my pocket than have the particular item. Doing that enough really starts to add up, and I can see the benefit of not purchasing random items.

5. Get some sunshine—After living in Florida for 30 years, I’ve come to realize that I need some sunshine in my life to feel good. I notice a swing in my mood when it’s gray and rainy for days on end. So, as soon as the sun comes back out, I’m sure to bask in its rays. I feel more calm and like myself when I spend time outdoors in the sunshine.

6. Go for a walk—I sit a majority of the day due to the work I do, but walking (even for 5 minutes) makes me feel like I’m taking better care of myself and looking out for my needs. I also get to soak up that sunshine mentioned above when I go for a walk outside.

7. Exercise—I always feel like I can take on the world after a good exercise. I personally love an energetic spin class with loud music or a gentle, restorative yoga class with long pose holds. (Extreme opposites, am I right?) Getting to a class isn’t always easy due to the five million tasks on my schedule, but I always feel so much better and healthier after a good sweat.

8. Make a meal—Don’t get me wrong, I love a good meal out. But I feel most like I’m taking care of myself when I have time to make more meals at home. Right now, I love cooking up a chicken couscous bowl with feta cheese and Kalamata olives on top. I still need to find a good tzatziki sauce. (I want to try this spicy tzatziki sauce recipe next.) When I worked in Orlando, there was an amazing Mezze grill near the office and served food similar to Chipotle, just with a Mediterranean spin. I always got the couscous bowl, so now that I’ve moved I’ve been recreating it.

9. Declutter—I can’t focus if my surroundings are cluttered or the energy is off in some way. If I can’t focus, I can’t create. So, I take time to tackle piles and put items in their correct places. This spring, I’m really going to focus on pairing down all areas of my home even more than I did last year.

10. Read a book—For me, there is nothing better than sitting in a hot bath with a good book. Taking a bath forces me to remain stationary, without darting from task to task. So, I’ve learned to make myself take a bath when I can’t stop making laps around my apartment.

So, those are the 10 ways I use on a regular basis to put myself first. How do you make sure you put yourself first?