Face mask-free self-care:

THAT DON’T REQUIRE MUCH MONEY, OR ENERGY, OR ANYTHING MUCH AT ALL.

Cheap and easy ways to be kind to yourself

GO FOR A (SUPER-SHORT) WALK The word ‘walk’ can sound intimidating, like the kind of activity that requires you to seek out sensible footwear and fill a drink bottle with water. But never fear, because we’re literally just suggesting a 20-second trundle to the mail box, or a three-minute wander to the end of the street. Maybe you can do more, but it really doesn’t matter. If walking is accessible to you, then sometimes a super-quick stroll can make a difference. It’s just about getting your limbs moving, your breath flowing, and your head out of the house. ...................

SCHEDULE IN TIME FOR SILLINESS A little-known fact, obscured by the reality that we live in a world with jobs and rent and deadlines, is that it’s totally acceptable to schedule in time for supposedly ‘silly’ activities. As in, you should pull out your planner or calendar right now, and set aside some time for the completely ‘non-productive’ activities you enjoy, but struggle to justify. Dancing around your room in a towel is a schedule-worthy activity, as is building a cardboard fort, teaching your dog to do a roly-poly, and learning all the lyrics from Rent. Silliness should go in your calendar with a giant symbol for ‘priority’, because otherwise you’re 20 weeks into the year, your hair is falling out, and you can’t recall the last time you played hide-andseek with your imaginary cat. ...................

MAKE A LIST OF NICE TYPES If you’re stuck in an endless cycle of stress, try sitting down to make a list of everyone you know who’s more or less a good person. When you’re living life in the hell pit of anxiety and pressure, it’s easy to see everyone as a frustrating pain in the arse. This is why ‘we’ (that’s code for ‘me’) sometimes find ourselves irrationally lashing out at partners, friends and strangers in the supermarket. The obvious solution is to de-stress your entire life, but until that happens, the small task of writing down names is a helpful reminder that some people in the world are actually all right. ...................

GET A BIT ORGANISED Does your underwear need to be colourcoded? No. Could it be? Yes. There’s real value in the act of doing things just because you can, especially when the task is strangely visually satisfying and theoretically counts as ‘tidying up’. When life is overwhelming, your space can turn into a literal nest of clutter and trash, and frankly, that’s fine. If you have the energy to clean your whole house, go for it. But if your bedroom’s a good 10 years away from looking organised, just pick a tiny task and give it your attention for a while. Alphabetise things that don’t need alphabetising. Change the pillowcases on your bed. Arrange everything on your bedside table or organise your pantry for no particular reason. ...................

DRINK A LOT OF WATER The next time you’re feeling unusually horrible, try taking a few deep breaths and drinking a glass of water. Two glasses, if the first one helps. Water and oxygen alone won’t propel us into a glorious stress-free utopia, but they can propel our bodies out of dehydration and into a state of relative calm. If nothing else, when you’re drinking a glass of water, you’re giving yourself a temporary reprieve from grinding your teeth, holding your breath, clenching your jaw, or anything else you’ve been doing subconsciously for the past five hours. While you’re at it, try massaging the muscles around your jaw and in your forehead. Set yourself an alarm to do this every few hours, because it feels good and you deserve it. ...................

WATCH CUTE ANIMAL VIDEOS Sometimes we need to step away from the computer, but other times it’s best to lean right in. The internet’s not a total pit of trolls and doom – it’s also home to one of the world’s happiest, least stressful phenomenons: super-cute animal videos. I don’t know who decided it would be a good idea to tape cats crawling out of jumpers and turtles playing with dogs, but that person is a genius, and together the universe has created so much heart-warming animal content that we’re basically set for life. Some people would call this activity ‘procrastination’, but really, watching animal videos falls into the category of sensible self-care. ...................

WEAR SOMETHING CHEERY Put on your fancy, happy, good-time clothes, then free yourself from the obligation to go anywhere at all. If make-up’s your thing, add that, too. Do whatever you do to your hair to make yourself feel great, or something you’ve always thought you should maybe try. And then: nothing. This is a no-pressure activity, because dressing up doesn’t have to mean going out, and sometimes it’s just nice to wear things that make you feel fancy or strong or like a glorious queen. Flop on your bed and watch four episodes of The Office, if you feel like it. They’re your fancy clothes, and you can do whatever you like. ...................

START A COMPLIMENT FILE When you’re feeling shitty, it’s hard to remember that you’re actually a really great person with a pile of redeeming traits. So, instead of relying on your memory to remind you you’re worthy and awesome, ask your friends to do some of the work for you. Screw any sense of shame and literally request some reminders of the nice things people think about you, and the reasons you’re a good friend. If that sounds like a nightmare, whip out a pen and some paper and write the list yourself. Jot down literally any kind words people have shared about you in person or online, including but not limited to, “Thanks for lending me your pencil sharpener,” and, “Your hair smells really nice.” Try not to qualify happy memories by telling yourself they probably didn’t mean it. They meant it, and you’re great. ...................

HAVE A FOOT BATH If you’re the proud owner of a bucket, a tap, and maybe even some Epsom salts, then you’re well on the way to one of the world’s most glorious and slightly absurd relaxation activities, otherwise known as the foot bath. A full bath is great, but it’s also a bit of a commitment, and if you’re living with tank water or in drought, it’s not exactly resource-friendly. The foot bath, on the other hand, requires less water than it takes to wash a few loads of dishes, and, even better, makes you feel like you’re visiting a day spa. Spray some perfume in the air and you’re basically getting a luxury relaxation experience for free. Plus, it grounds you in space for a while, because it’s just plain difficult to get up and attend to life’s busy-work when your feet are sopping wet. ...................

GET LOW So much of our time is spent crumpled up in chairs or standing on our feet, resisting gravity. This little activity is about giving in to the universe and letting gravity take you to the ground, so your muscles can chill out for a bit. If you have access to a patch of grass and it’s not rainy, windy or overbearingly warm, then go have a little lie down outside. Getting horizontal can change your blood pressure and breathing in ways that just feel good, especially when you’re lying in the sun and watching clouds in some idyllic re-enactment of a summer picnic. If you can’t get outside, though, the regular inside ground will be just fine for lying on, too.