I can’t remember the last time my brain truly powered down. You know that feeling when you sit down for a minute, but instead of relaxing, your mind immediately starts scrolling through a mental to-do list? The laundry, the email you forgot to answer, the thing you should be doing instead of sitting there. It’s like the tabs in my brain are permanently open.

Life has a way of filling every inch of space we give it. Some things, of course, are nonnegotiable — the day job, the responsibilities, the routines that keep everything moving. But then there are all the unexpected extras. The errands that turn into three more stops. The quick task that becomes a whole afternoon. Suddenly, you’re on a side quest you never even signed up for.

Last Saturday was exactly that kind of day. I spent the morning running errands, bouncing from one place to the next. By the time I finally pulled into the driveway, I was already drained. The list of things I had planned to do that afternoon was still sitting in the back of my mind, waiting — but honestly, I didn’t have the energy to even start.

I carried everything in from the car, put the groceries away, and then I did something I rarely let myself do: I sat down on the couch. And for a moment, I just stayed there.

That’s when it hit me. Something has to change.

How do I actually make space for myself — real space — without immediately feeling guilty about it?

I made a list of ideas.

long walks while listening to audiobooks
I started doing this last Spring and I can’t wait for warmer weather to start it again. I’ll put on some leggings and sneakers, grab a cup of coffee or a sandwich from Wawa and make my way to the park to sit on a bench and enjoy my snack before making my way back home. It quickly turns into an hour walk and “just one more chapter”.

cooking dinner
I know this is going to sound weird, but I love to cook dinner at the end of the night alone. I will put on a show on the iPad and enjoy that alone time to cook and then tidy up the kitchen. Sometimes we have to get creative on how we can enjoy our hobbies and get that much needed alone time in our day.

baking
My coworkers benefit most from this! I try to bake once a month and bring in baked goods for coworkers to enjoy. On Sundays, I throw a banana bread into the oven or make a cake for special occasions. It’s more fun to bake for others to enjoy and gives everyone something to look forward to.

sunday baths
If you also suffer from the Sunday Scaries, let me introduce you to Sunday baths. Even if you don’t have a bathtub, you can still take an everything shower. I have a ton of bath bombs, salts, and bubble bath to make them special. I try to spend a good amount of time in the bath to tell my body to unwind and relax. Then I apply the best lotions and skincare afterward, before getting into bed with a book.

skincare
Pick out a few serums and moisturizers that are your favorite. Now leave them out for you to get to easily. Apply every day! I always get a lot of compliments on how healthy my skin barrier is at my Botox appointments and it’s because I’ve been dedicated to a strong skincare game for years! Your future self will thank you! You don’t need expensive skincare just whatever works for your skin.

make an appointment
Schedule a hair or nail appointment in advance. You know if it’s on your calendar that you won’t make an excuse not to do something special for yourself. Once a month, I like to schedule something selfish for myself in advance to make sure it gets done!

book a trip
Doesn’t have to be far away or fancy. But having a trip planned gives you something fun to look forward to!