5 Ways to Maximize Your Self-Care Without More Time
In this episode of Embrace Your Real, we’re diving into something that might sound simple at first, but it has completely shifted the way I approach self-care. Something I call "Wellness Pairing"—the idea of combining simple, life-giving habits so they naturally fit into your day.
Because let’s be honest. Between work, family, workouts, and everything else pulling at your time, making space to journal, pray, walk, meditate, or even pause to breathe can feel unrealistic.
That's why this episode is all about taking the pressure off. I’m walking you through how I’ve learned to pair small habits together in a way that feels doable, supportive, and realistic. These aren’t elaborate routines. They’re little shifts that can help you finally make self-care part of your everyday life
What I discuss:
Five easy wellness pairings you can start using right away to make self-care more doable and less overwhelming
Simple ways to build consistency—even when life feels full or your schedule is unpredictable
Real-life examples to help you create a self-care rhythm that works with your energy, not against it
A fresh perspective on what self-care actually looks like (spoiler: it doesn’t require silence, candles, or two free hours)
Encouragement to show up for yourself in small, meaningful ways—even if no one else sees it.
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Transcript
(0:00) Hey there, beautiful human. You're listening to Embrace Your Real with me, Julie Ledbetter, (0:06) a podcast where I empower you to just be you. With each episode, I dish you a dose of real talk and (0:12) actionable advice for building your confidence, honoring your body, and unconditionally loving (0:17) your authentic self.
Stay tuned if you're ready to embrace your real. Let's get in. Let's go.
(0:26) Hello, and welcome back to another episode on the Embrace Your Real podcast. We're going to (0:30) be diving into something that might sound simple at first, but it has actually completely shifted (0:34) the way that I approach self-care. And we're talking about something that I call wellness (0:39) pairing, the idea of combining simple life-giving habits so that they naturally fit within your day.
(0:45) Because let's be honest, between work, family, workouts, and everything else pulling at your time, (0:50) making space to journal, pray, walk, work out, all of those things, or even pause to breathe, (0:57) can feel unrealistic. And so that's why in today's episode, it's about taking the pressure off. I'm (1:03) walking you through how I've personally learned to pair small habits together in a way that just (1:08) feels doable, supportive, and realistic.
And these are not elaborate routines. They're little tiny (1:13) shifts that can actually help you finally make self-care a part of your everyday life. By the end (1:19) of this episode, you're going to walk away with five easy wellness pairings that you can start (1:24) using right away to make self-care more doable and less overwhelming.
Some simple ways to build (1:29) consistency, even when life feels full or your schedule is very unpredictable. Some real-life (1:35) examples to help you create a self-care rhythm that works with your energy, not against it. And (1:40) a fresh perspective on what self-care actually looks like.
Spoiler alert, it doesn't require (1:46) silence, candles, or two free hours. And lastly, encouragement to show up for yourself in small, (1:52) meaningful ways, even if no one else sees it. But before we dive in, I wanted to share this review.
(1:58) She said, best podcast ever. I am not a podcast person, but I love listening to music and jamming (2:04) out. However, when I found Embrace URL, I haven't stopped.
I've been listening to it for a while, (2:09) and I haven't left a review yet because there is literally no words to describe this podcast. (2:13) I have struggled daily with body image and trying to eat right, but this podcast really does (2:17) help it make simple and realistic. Thank you, Julie, for doing this podcast.
Thank you so much (2:24) for this review. I really, really appreciate every single time that you guys send in these reviews. (2:29) They really do help just kind of know how this podcast is helping you.
Maybe a particular episode (2:34) helped you or just in general, how this podcast is impacting your life. So thank you in advance (2:40) for scooching over to Apple Podcasts and leaving a rating and review. Also, if you listen on Spotify, (2:45) you can simply just rate the podcast.
That helps a lot as well. So you can just go to the top and (2:50) rate it. All right.
So let's be real. When we think of self-care, our brains oftentimes jump (2:56) to these bubble baths, these spa days, some perfectly curated morning routine that we saw (3:01) on Instagram or TikTok. And yes, those things can be amazing, but they're not always realistic for (3:05) everyday life, especially as a new mom or a seasoned mom or not even a mom, maybe a working (3:12) professional.
Am I right? Because let me tell you something important. The self-care habits that (3:16) actually move the needle are usually the small, simple ones that you do consistently. And that's (3:22) why I love this idea of wellness pairing.
It's all about combining something that you're already (3:26) doing with something that fills your cup. Like it's kind of like habit stacking. So if you've (3:30) tuned into the podcast for any length of time, I've talked a lot about habit stacking, which is (3:34) just, again, a fancy way of saying stack a new habit onto one that you already have down, like (3:40) nailed down that is every single day.
And when you do that, your brain doesn't have to work (3:45) as hard to remember it or resist it. It just becomes a natural extension of what you're already doing. (3:50) So if you're already brewing coffee in the morning, why not use those couple of minutes (3:54) to jot down three things that you're grateful for? You're already there.
Might as well make it (3:58) intentional. And here's the cool part. When you pair wellness habits together, it can actually (4:03) boost the benefits of both.
Research shows that this kind of pairing can lower stress and even (4:08) help you feel more grounded mentally. So instead of thinking that you need more time or a whole (4:14) new routine, what if you just paired a few things that already fit into your life? Let's kind of (4:19) dive into a few ideas. Wellness pairing number one is journaling and morning coffee.
This one (4:24) isn't always talked about, but it's such a great example of wellness pairing that I wanted to (4:29) include to kind of round out the list. If you're anything like most people, your day probably (4:34) starts with a warm drink. Maybe it's coffee, maybe it's tea, maybe it's hot lemon water, (4:38) or maybe it's not something warm.
Maybe it's like a protein shake. Or if you're anything like me, (4:43) I love my protein coffee shake. It's delicious.
And it's like, it just starts your day off right. (4:52) But whatever that is, that ritual of sipping something is already part of your morning. So (4:56) why not layer it with something like a little mindfulness on top of it? So while your coffee (5:01) brews, or while you're enjoying that first quiet sip, open a journal.
You don't need to write a (5:06) novel. You just need to jot down three things that you're grateful for, or one thing that you want to (5:11) focus on that day. Or maybe it's just a brain dump of whatever is on your mind.
And it doesn't even (5:16) have to be pen to paper. It can be an audio message. It can be a voice to text on your phone.
(5:22) But this simple act turns a passive habit into an intentional moment of self-care. I truly believe (5:28) that it grounds you before your day even truly begins. It takes almost no extra time because (5:33) you're already in that space.
And it's amazing how much clearer you can feel just after two to (5:39) three minutes of this. Wellness pairing number two is walking plus prayer or gratitude. So this (5:45) is something super close to my heart.
Honestly, it's one of the most simple things that I do (5:49) that has had a really big impact on how I feel mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. All you (5:55) literally need to do is go for a walk. It doesn't have to be long.
It doesn't have to be fast. It (6:00) doesn't even have to be outside. You can use a treadmill, a walking pad, if that's what fits in (6:05) with your day.
But the point isn't the pace or the steps. It's pairing that movement with intention. (6:11) So as you walk, start talking out loud or in your head if that feels more natural.
Pray about what's (6:16) going on in your heart. Speak gratitude for what's going on. Or just visualize the woman that you're (6:21) working to become.
The one who feels strong, who feels peaceful, purposeful, and faithful in what (6:26) God has given you. The one that shows up with joy and discipline, even when it's hard. What that (6:32) does is it brings your body and your mind into alignment.
You're not just moving physically, (6:38) you're moving emotionally and spiritually too. And the combo is powerful. If that feels hard (6:44) to start with, just begin with a few simple phrases in your head like, thank you for fill (6:49) in the blank, or please help me with fill in the blank, or today I want to focus on fill in the (6:55) blank.
Whether it's a 10 minute loop around your neighborhood, or a treadmill stroll between (7:00) meetings, or during nap time, this pairing turns a simple walk into a soul nourishing reset. And (7:07) trust me, once you try it, it will become one of your favorite ways to recharge. I've been doing (7:12) this with Blake and I've been calling it a worship walk.
And it's like right after I feed him in the (7:18) morning, we'll go on this worship walk and I'll turn on some music. And I will just be walking (7:23) outside with the sun on my face and with the breeze. Oh my gosh, it just is like the best way (7:29) to start out.
And if I have extra time during his nap time, and I've gotten like my dumbbell lift (7:35) in already, I sometimes will also do the incline walk. And it's like a worship incline walk, (7:42) which I've been talking about on my Instagram. And then I also just had a podcast episode about (7:46) the weighted vest.
So I have my weighted vest on for that. I don't do a weighted vest for the (7:50) stroller walk simply because we have so many hills where we live. And I just personally, I'm like, (7:56) I am not ready for like a weighted vest plus a stroller plus the hills.
I can do the incline (8:03) on the treadmill and the weighted vest, but not the combo with the stroller yet. But it is so (8:10) life giving. And not only that, but I just love that, you know, when I'm listening to worship (8:14) music, Blake gets to listen to it and it just becomes a part of his daily routine as well.
(8:19) And man, I can just tell you there's something so powerful when you do pair that movement with (8:24) just intentional time with God or even just like intentional time of just gratitude, because we (8:31) truly do have so much to be grateful for when we really take, even if it's two to three minutes, (8:36) like I said, that's all you genuinely need is two to three minutes to get into it. And then (8:41) trust me when I say like, once you get into that mindset of just like thanking God or just praying (8:47) over certain things or just simply saying out loud or in your head, like things that you're (8:52) grateful for, the list just keeps going on and on and on. It is incredible.
But I could talk about (8:58) that all day. Let's go into wellness pairing at number three, which is treadmill desk plus (9:03) working. So this pairing has been very helpful for me as well, especially during like those full (9:09) work days.
I tend to do things in batch work. So I do like all of my movement with Julie stuff (9:15) in batch work. I do all my podcasts in batch work.
And when I have those full work days, (9:19) I feel like I have been glued to my chair for hours, whether it's during nap time or after (9:25) Blake goes to sleep at night. But instead of trying to carve out extra time to move my body (9:30) on those days, I really started blending movement right into my work rhythm. So I'll hop on my, (9:35) you know, walking pad while I check my emails, while I'm brainstorming podcast topics, (9:40) or I am working on movement with Julie stuff, or I'll listen to a book or a podcast.
It's a (9:46) simple shift, but it really does keep me moving, engaged, and focused all at the same time. (9:51) And just to be clear, it's not about burning calories or getting a workout in. It's about (9:55) staying in tune with my body while I tackle the rest of my day.
That gentle movement really does (10:00) remind me that I don't have to sit still to be productive. And I don't have to choose between (10:05) work and wellness. You don't need a treadmill desk to do this either.
You can pace during calls, (10:10) you can take short standing breaks during tasks in between tasks, or even walk like laps around (10:16) your living room while taking notes. The goal here is movement with intention, not perfection. (10:21) So if you're in a season where you feel stuck at your desk more than you'd like, (10:24) this one is an easy way to reconnect with your body and your mind all while getting stuff done, (10:29) while being productive as well.
Wellness pairing number four is driving plus a mindset audiobook (10:35) or a podcast. So one of my favorite ways to point myself without needing extra time throughout the (10:40) day is listening to a mindset or faith based audiobook while I'm driving. So whether it's (10:47) five minutes on the way to the grocery store or 20 minutes, if you're in the school drop off line, (10:52) it is time that you'll already be spending in the car.
So why not make it intentional? (10:57) And I've personally learned that those small pockets of time, they really do add up. (11:02) And hearing something encouraging, truth filled or perspective shifting while I drive (11:07) really does help me to personally stay grounded and focused even on those busy days. It's not (11:13) about perfection or fitting in some elaborate routine.
It's really about using the time that (11:18) I do have to fill my mind with things that support who I want to be. And hey, if you're here listening (11:24) right now, you might have already had this wellness pairing mastered, but whether you're listening to (11:29) me or another podcast or audiobook, I recommend doing it daily. Listening to things daily, (11:34) even if it's for a few minutes that have a positive influence on your life will transform (11:38) your mindset, your motivation and your excitement for life.
I guarantee it. All right. Last but not (11:43) least, wellness pairing number five is a skincare routine plus gratitude list or prayer.
If you know (11:49) me, I personally love a good gratitude practice. I talk about it all the time because it is truly, (11:56) genuinely transformed my life, but having a baby like in my morning or nighttime routine now just (12:01) looks different. And I personally needed to find a way to still make it part of my daily routine.
(12:07) And so now in this season, at least for now, for the time being, it just looks different. So now I (12:12) pair it with something else. So, you know, an idea is to pair your nighttime skincare routine with a (12:18) gratitude check-in or even prayer.
It's a simple habit, but it's helped me wind down and recenter (12:24) in such a meaningful way. So while I'm washing my face, while I'm applying serums, moisturizer, (12:30) all of the things, I really try to take a moment to list three things I'm grateful for, or at the (12:36) very least like pray and just say, God, thank you so much for today. Thank you so much for all of (12:40) the amazing things that you have bestowed upon me.
And just the fact that I have air in my lungs (12:45) and I have a family, I have a roof over my head, I have food in my belly, like start with those (12:50) basic things. And then as you get used to that practice, I guarantee you'll just start seeing (12:56) more and more things that you're grateful for. And I just pray them.
I praise them out to God. (13:01) And I just say, thank you. And you know, sometimes that is out loud.
Sometimes it's not, it's in my (13:09) It's amazing. And it's something that I just personally love. I just love those real life (13:15) moments that remind me that I'm growing, that remind me that I'm supported, that I'm simply (13:20) present.
And this small practice has really helped me shift out of stress mode and into peace. (13:27) Instead of replaying like my to-do list or spiraling about what I didn't get done, (13:32) I am reminding myself what I am, what I'm so grateful for, what did go well, (13:37) and I'm really trying to train my brain to notice the good. And over time, (13:42) I have just personally noticed, especially postpartum, because if you guys know that (13:47) postpartum hormones, like especially if any of you guys have breastfed or are currently (13:53) breastfeeding, like the weaning process, I am still breastfeeding Blake, but we're slowly (13:59) just naturally weaning.
But man, like that weaning process does have some hormonal shifts in your (14:04) brain and it can get a little cray-cray up there. So really having that time to change (14:10) my perspective has been so helpful. And also let's be real, being consistent with your skincare (14:15) routine, especially as you get older is a whole other level of self-care that I personally love (14:21) and is so important.
Okay. So there you have it. Those are my ideas today for some wellness (14:26) pairings.
I hope that it gets your mind turning on how you can find some pairings that will work (14:31) best for you in your life, because at the end of the day, self-care is needed and it doesn't have (14:35) to be complicated. We think that we don't have time, but we really do. We just need to be more (14:39) mindful about how we're using our time.
And another thing that just came to mind, if all of (14:44) these are like, you know, this doesn't sound realistic, which the driving one and listening to (14:49) a podcast or something mindful, I think is very, very realistic, especially for busy moms who are (14:55) in the car constantly carpooling back and forth from, you know, in the summertime, like playdates (15:00) and as we head into the school year, you're going to be in the school drop off line, all of those (15:04) things. But another thing that we do a lot too, is we make lunch, we make breakfast, we make all (15:10) the meals, we're cleaning. That's another time that you can really take to just try to center (15:16) yourself and pray, list things that you're grateful for, whatever it is.
That is another time that I (15:23) don't want to say is dead space because we're still obviously doing something productive, but (15:27) it's time that you're already going to be doing it, so why not pair it with something meaningful? (15:32) All right, let's quickly recap those wellness pairings. So number one, journaling plus morning (15:36) coffee or your morning drink. Start your day grounded by pairing your coffee or your drink (15:41) with a few minutes of gratitude, reflection, prayer.
You're already sitting down or you're (15:45) already making it, so why not make it meaningful? Number two, walking plus prayer or gratitude, (15:51) whether that's outside, on a treadmill, on a walking pad. Use your walk to really check in (15:55) with your heart, pray, speak gratitude. Remember that it's movement and mindfulness all in one.
(16:01) Number three, treadmill, desk and working. So blend that gentle movement with productivity, (16:06) answer emails, listen to a podcast, plan your day while you move, work. It's all about staying (16:10) connected to your body while showing up in your life.
Number four, driving plus mindset audio. (16:17) So use that drive time to pour into your mindset. A few minutes of that uplifting podcast, (16:22) audio book that can shift your entire day.
And skincare plus gratitude. So while you're washing (16:27) your face at night, list those three things that you're grateful for. And it's a simple way to (16:32) reset your mind as you also care for your skin.
And then lastly, I talked about just that time (16:37) where you're making meals. So whether it's breakfast, lunch, or you're even cleaning and (16:42) using that time for either gratitude or reflection or prayer or that mindset audio book, all of those (16:49) things, that's just going to help so incredibly much, but just remember that you don't need to (16:54) have a perfect routine. You don't need a ton of time.
You just need a few intentional moments (16:58) and all of those things add up in a big way. And if you're, if one of those things that you're (17:03) trying to get more consistent with is movement, whether it's structured workouts or just moving (17:08) your body a little bit more each day, that's exactly why I created my movement with Julie (17:13) dumbbell only workout app. It's personally what I lean on when life feels full, which let's be real (17:19) is almost always, but the workouts are simple.
They're effective and they're built in to fit (17:24) into your real life. So whether you've got 20 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes, all you need (17:28) is a few pair of dumbbells. Even if you don't have any dumbbells and just have body weight, (17:33) I always get body weight alternates.
I also have flex body weight only workouts, and you can choose (17:38) however many days a week you want to train. So whether that's two days a week, three days a week, (17:42) four or five days a week, I will show you exactly what to do. And you can just walk through that (17:47) workout.
And also I will show you, you know, how to progress so that you can keep building strength (17:53) without the guesswork. So if you want to learn more, you can go to sale. That's s a l e.movementjulie.com (17:59) again, that sale s a l e.movementjulie.com. If you love today's episode, I know you will also (18:04) love episode four 16, the simplest morning routine for the ultimate motivation.
I will (18:09) also include that in the show notes that you can easily go access that now. But if this episode (18:14) encouraged you, would you mind sharing it with a friend who might need this reminder too? And if you (18:18) haven't left your review already, I would be so grateful if you took a minute to do that. It (18:23) really does help spread so much this message to more women.
But that is all that I have for today's (18:28) episode. I love you so dang much. I mean it.
And I'll talk to you in the next one. All right, sister, (18:42) that's all I got for you today. But I have two things that I need you to do.
First thing, if you (18:48) are not already following me on the gram, be sure to do so Julie A Ledbetter. Yes, it's with an A in (18:53) the middle for that daily post workout real talk, healthy tips and tricks and honest accountability (18:59) to keep your mind and heart in check. The second thing, be sure to subscribe to Apple podcast to (19:05) never miss an episode.
Thank you so much for joining me. It means the absolute world and I'm (19:11) going to leave you with one last thought. The most beautiful women that I have met in my life (19:15) are the ones who are completely confident and secure in being authentically themselves.
Remember (19:22) that beauty goes so much deeper than the surface. So go out there and embrace your real because (19:28) you're worth it.