Sometimes when I’m talking about my state of well-being, I refer to myself in the third person as a Delicate Petunia. My body and mind are quick to wilt when left untended. Feeling crushed by a volley of life events this year — a sick parent, a tough breakup, a tumultuous cross-country move — I started sacrificing the routine maintenance I need to keep going, instead focusing all of my energy on the problems at hand. I shriveled. A week sans stretching left my neck so stiff I couldn’t turn my head. Multiple nights without popping my night guard over clean teeth had me constantly fretting about my next dental checkup. My mind circled back on itself before bed, and I couldn’t sleep. Once I realized these troubles had put me at a loss, I then tried to make up the deficit with expensive, indulgent remedies like massages and green tonics, in hopes of reviving myself.

But in recent months, I’ve queued up a routine with a few simple, inexpensive ways to nurture myself in as little as 15 minutes a day, so that I can feel steady even during life’s inevitable droughts and downpours. (I also started going to therapy, because although I find these tools helpful, they can’t replace professional medical help. Here’s some advice on finding a therapist, if you’re looking.) In collaboration with picks from Wirecutter, a New York Times company that reviews and recommends products, here are five cheap(ish) things I use to take care of myself in 15 minutes or less.

Sunscreen as skin care

Applying face sunscreen is an easy way to stall wrinkles and skin cancer. It’s also a budget-friendly way to make me feel as if I’m doing something nice for my skin without splurging on lotions and potions that I don’t know will work. I prefer the lightweight EltaMD UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46 sunscreen for my sensitive skin, and I find that a bottle lasts for months. Wirecutter has several affordable, great options too.

Effortless toothbrushing

I sometimes yearn to skip this step in my nightly routine so I can just get to bed already. Since getting an electric toothbrush, though, I’ve found that persuading myself to brush is easier. Wirecutter’s pick, the Oral-B Pro 1000, does most of the work for me. The Oral-B is a cinch to use, and it makes my teeth feel scrubbed clean (I just turn it on and attempt to follow the American Dental Association’s guidelines for two solid minutes). Every time I go to Costco, I treat myself to replacement heads alongside a giant bag of snap pea crisps. Balance!