You can be so busy taking care of business and other people that you aren't even aware of what's going on with your own body.

I found out I'd had a heart attack at some point in my life. No idea when. How crazy is that?

Your situation is probably not that extreme, but if you are not deeply in tune with your body, you won't realize when it needs something from you.

If that's the case, you need to make an effort to check-in with yourself several times a day and see what your body is telling you.

Ellen Bard writes a blog about self-care and she has written a comprehensive list of things that indicate you're not taking care of yourself. Some of these things happen to all of us; look for a pattern. I relate to "When you struggle to think of anything you want to be doing".

It's an interesting list and a worthwhile read.

My compass is much simpler: how do you feel?

If it's anything less than happy, content, peaceful - good feelings - then something is off. The real work is sometimes figuring out what it is and what to do about it. And that might take longer than the minute or two you can spare.

I have some advice for those times, and like most things I do, it's quick and easy:

• Make a note of how you feel.

• Take a few deep breaths to relax.

• Come back to this when you can and try to find the real issue.