When you're feeling a bit rubbish, normally the last thing you want to do is put on real life clothes and leave the house. With that in mind, we've rounded up a few super easy things you can do from the comfort of your home (and in pjyamas if you so wish) to cheer you up a bit.
Speaking from personal experience and regular spouts of don't-fucking-talk-to-me, sometimes it's the little, actually attainable acts of self care that make you feel really, really good. And let's be honest, you've probably got no money and no plans for the weekend. So, let's embrace it.
1. Choose a space and organise the hell out of it
There’s a lot to be said for the state of the space you’re in. Especially if you’re surrounded by dirty laundry, mouldy plates and mysterious items that seems to have accumulated from nowhere. There’s also been research into how being in a messy room could have an effect on your ability to focus and on the quality of your sleep, which for anyone with a reputation for really not being a morning person (guilty), it might be worth looking into.
Now, we’re not saying you need to jump up, don the marigolds and give your house the spring cleans of all spring cleans. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. But chose an area of your room like your wardrobe, dressing table or that chair hidden underneath a mountain of maybe clean, maybe not clean clothes and sort it out. You’ll feel like an absolute saint when you’re finished, honest.
2. Open some damn windows
Don’t underestimate the power of fresh air, guys. And while the great outdoors and the whole exercise thing is really great and everything, we totally understand that it involves putting shoes on and you know, being in the great outdoors. So seeing as the weather is generally pants anyway, start with opening up a window or two and be one with the fresh air for a while. I always find it perks me up a bit and at the very least it'll get rid of that funky smell in your room.
3. Read a book. Like, actually.
Don’t roll your eyes. It might sound a bit bleh, but it’s not. When was the last time you swapped Netflix for an actual physical book and gave yourself longer than the length of your commute to get stuck into a bit of literature? You don’t remember, do you? Pick up that book you’ve been promising yourself to read before your mates catch wind of the fact that you definitely googled something interesting to say about it last time it came up in conversation, get yourself comfortable and read. No buffer time and no not being able to find the next episode. It’s a whole new world, people.
4. Remember baths?
Is there anything more relaxing than a bath? There’s a whole lot more to it than sitting in a bowl of water to get yourself clean. There are actual benefits too. We need very little convincing to have a soak, but a study by the University of Wolverhampton found that a bath at the end of each day significantly improved people’s moods. Which obviously means that if your flatmate gets a bit moany about you using up the hot water, you can tell them that science said it was kind of okay, right? Maybe?
5. Cook an actual meal
Like, a meal that involves using more than one kitchen utensil. I know it seems like a lot of effort but stay with me here. The process of cooking is actually pretty therapeutic, especially if you just go with your culinary instincts and manage to create something from the very little you have left from last month’s food shop. Unleash your inner Nigella and cook up a food storm.
If you want to feel extra smug, why not make yourself enough food to last you the week so you can re-experience your culinary genius over and over again. (But if you’re not feeling particularly inspired, we’ve got a meal plan you can try out right here.)
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.