When life gets stressful, as it inevitably does, little pick-me-ups are really important so you don’t lose your steam and get burned out. There are both constructive and ineffective ways to approach self rewards, and some indulgences can even leave you feeling worse at the end of them. For effective, positive ways to treat yourself, these ideas are here to help.
Take Yourself Out
When you really like someone, you reach out and offer to take them out somewhere and spend a little quality time with them. It’s important to remember to do the same for yourself. While you may have to wait to send yourself off on an all inclusive cruise, you can take yourself out for a fancy dinner, to get a haircut, to see a new exhibit or gallery or for a nice cup of coffee or tea on a slow morning. After all, you’re a great person to spend time with.
Have a Spa Day
The stresses of everyday life can weigh heavily on your mind and make your body feel fatigued, tense, sluggish or overworked. Give yourself a little relief and book an appointment for a pedicure, manicure, facial or a massage. If you don’t have the funds to visit an actual spa, draw a bath for yourself at home and use a sweet-smelling bath bomb, nice lotions and relaxing candles to really set the mood for relaxation.
Sleep In
While sleeping consistently can interfere with a consistent sleep schedule, the occasional morning in which you ditch your alarm and draw your curtains tightly to block the sun can feel like an indulgence in itself. Plan ahead for a morning where you know you don’t have any obligations and can get an hour or two of extra shut eye.
Cook a Nice Meal
Few things feel nicer than a fancy, home-cooked meal. Whether you make yourself breakfast in bed, recreate that amazing sandwich you had while on a tropical vacation last year or you spend time in the kitchen at night on a new, special recipe, a nice meal can make the day feel a little more special. Treat yourself to an extra dessert, a fancy drink and appealing plating to really elevate the elegance factor.
Stay In For the Night
Sometimes nothing says self-care like intentionally canceled plans so you can spend the quiet evening alone at home. Once in a while, clear your schedule in the evening and enjoy the solitude by listening to a good audiobook, playing a game by yourself, watching a favorite movie or kicking back on your couch to read a classic novel.
Buy Yourself Flowers
Fresh blooms are not only a lovely gesture for yourself, but they have even been scientifically proven to boost your mood and reduce feelings of anxiety. The next time you take a trip to the grocery store, grab a bouquet of fresh flowers to place in a vase on your kitchen table, bedside table, in your bathroom or anywhere you’d like to place them to brighten your day.
Redo Your Room
Your room should feel like a relaxing sanctuary that you can turn to at the end of a long day. If the space doesn’t feel quite right, make a few adjustments so that it’s a place you really feel comfortable in. You can upgrade your bedding, buy a new decorative pillow, hang a few favorite pictures on the wall or even just rearrange your furniture to give the place a new look and feel.
Take a Day Off
You don’t need a reason to call in sick to work. Sometimes a personal day is exactly what you need to recoup and refresh. Use one of your paid sick days to get a few extra personal tasks done, run the errands that you’ve been putting off or even stay home to do nothing at all. You can choose to be productive or just take the time to do whatever you want just because you can.
