5 Ways To Treat Yourself When You Need a Pick-Me-Up

Maybe it was the weather, maybe it was lack of sleep, maybe it was the lack of sunshine. Back in mid-February I found myself more overwhelmed than necessary. From getting stuck in a weight loss funk to trying to sooth a teething baby every little thing I did felt like a huge weight on my shoulders. In reality it shouldn’t have, but I let it get to me. One Saturday morning Baby B took a nap, Little Man and daddy were out running errands and I had a clean house all to myself for three straight hours. I should’ve used the time to take a nap. Instead I decided it was time to buy into the idea that sometimes you just need to treat yourself.

Somehow that three hour period of time was exactly what I needed to jumpstart an incredibly productive weekend. By Sunday night I had laundry done, time with the boys, meals prepped and we were ready to take on the week. After that weekend I’ve really spent more time understanding that every once and awhile it is a GOOD idea to treat yourself.

1. Treat Yourself to Time Alone

Three hours of quiet was exactly what I needed to clear my head. I played with my blog, watched an episode of Madam Secretary and even took a chance on a face mask I had received in my Ipsy.

As a working mom, my time alone is typically first thing in the morning during my morning workout or in the car in the morning after I drop the boys off. On the rare occasion that they both are in bed at their bedtime (it’s okay I laughed typing that) I can sneak in a little bit of evening computer time. For the most part my day is all about them. To be fair, I wouldn’t have it any other way. They are my world and I wouldn’t change a thing.

I have come to find though that every once and awhile I need that space to just take a deep breath and pretend responsibilities don’t exist. If you find yourself stressed out, the first way to treat yourself is find a way to get a few minutes of alone time to sit and do nothing. I promise it will boost your energy more than you would expect.

2. Join A Subscription Box

Okay, I won’t pretend that all of my ideas are free. Sometimes you just need to get a treat in the mail. Back in January my co-workers talked me into joining Ipsy. I am NOT a makeup mom by any means. Luckily Ipsy let me customize my bag to be tailored a little bit more towards my interests. Now each month I look forward to Ipsy day, for $10 I get a little treat int he mail with products I can use to treat myself throughout the month.

A few subscription box ideas:

• Ipsy
• FabFitFun
• Fabletics
• Stitch Fix

There are hundreds of ideas out there that cover pretty much any interest you can come up with. Each month (or quarter) you get a little treat in the mail which always gives you an instant boost. Who doesn’t love getting mail? Well, outside of bills.

3. Invest in a New Outfit

I’m not big on clothes. When it comes to style I’m the least fashionable person you will meet. Don’t ask me my jeans size because I probably won’t get it right. Yet, if  hand me a new pair of workout leggings and we’ll be best friends.

Thanks to Poshmark I have been able to invest in (way too much) Lululemon without spending way as much money at retail prices. They have pretty much any brand (not just workout clothes) you could imagine and if you use the code GCMNL you’ll get $5 off your first order.

I fully believe that the right outfit can change a person’s confidence level. Who doesn’t feel great with a new outfit?

4. Indulge in Your Favorite Cup of Coffee

From leggings to lattes (get it?) my other favorite form of treating myself involves a good cup of coffee. Maybe tea is your go to drink or a fancy adult drink. Regardless of what it is, treat yourself to it once and awhile. You deserve it.

While I blog from a coffee shop fairly often, I typically stick to a small cup of coffee so I’m not spending more than $10 a week. Every once and awhile I’ll check out my other favorite coffee shop and splurge for an Almond Rocha Latte in which I’ll spend somewhere between $4-$5 for. Sometimes you just need that little boost of caffeine to make your day turn around. There is nothing wrong with that.

5. Take Care of Yourself

At the end of the day, taking care of yourself is the BEST way to treat yourself. No amount of retail therapy will offset how you will feel if you aren’t taking care of yourself. Although in this instance, being healthy doesn’t just mean not picking up a cold from your 4-year-old (more Emergen-C please).

Getting up and exercising can help you physically and mentally. Clear your head, drop a few pounds… going for a simple run can change your life.  Taking vitamins, making sure you’re drinking enough water and every once and awhile getting enough sleep at night can make a huge difference. Switch up your diet away from fast food if you find yourself dragging. At the end of the day treating yourself will never feel better than when you treat yourself to taking care of yourself.

Rough days happen, everyone has them. It is safe to say we wouldn’t be human without them. We can’t always treat ourselves to something new but we can find little ways throughout the day that could turn a bad day around.

How do you treat yourself?