Not too long ago, we asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to share their top ways to treat themselves after a rough time. The responses were so helpful that they inspired even more "me-time" tips — so let's get into these:
1. "Watching cooking shows are my thing to feel better. I get to watch food being made without me actually having to cook, which means not producing any dirty dishes."
2. "To relax I do a paint-by-numbers while listening to Last Podcast On The Left."
3. "I have my trifecta of terrible movies I watch: Showgirls, Troll 2, and The Room. I always feel better after watching these."
4. "I used to play volleyball — it's fantastic for stress relief because you can just take it all out on the ball. I can't wait until I can do it again, because I've been stressed."
5. "I usually watch the behind-the-scenes special features of the extended versions of Lord of the Rings to relax. They were always so fun and calming. Kiwi accents for the win!"
6. "Doing jigsaw puzzles while listening to audiobooks is my happy place."
7. "I do diamond paintings to calm down. Having to focus on the gems and symbols really helps my mind stop wandering. I'll also have comfort shows on in the background and a stash of snacks handy — it’s bliss."
8. "Most of the time I'll knit or crochet while watching a more 'adult' cartoon, like American Dad!, Bob's Burgers or Family Guy for the hundredth time."
9. "I like to plan a fake trip on Google Maps. The last one I did was in Charlotte, North Carolina — I just looked around the city area and 'planned' things to do by looking through all the pictures and going 'ooh' and 'aah'. After about an hour of that, I close the tab and go on about my day. I prefer doing this to going on actual trips honestly."
10. "Watching TV shows and films is always my go-to relaxation tactic. I’ll either binge-watch something new or if I need to really shut my brain off, something I’ve seen a million times already. If I’ve had a particularly crappy day/week then I’ll stick on something I know will make me cry to get it all out."
11. "Reading books is the perfect escape. I got back into reading recently thanks to a kindle that my mum bought me, and I’ve just been loving it so much. Reading helps me to feel better every time and see things from a different perspective."
12. "Dancing at the club all night is my go-to. I always feel totally rejuvenated for about three to four days afterwards."
13. "I like to go to a Home Depot, buy some new flowers, go home and garden. Something about digging into the dirt and making something beautiful makes me happy."
14. "I'll go on Netflix and either watch something really bad like Riverdale or a movie that makes me cry while snuggling my dog. It's a perfect evening."
15. "I head to the park with a collapsible chair and a cigar, find a spot by the water away from anyone, and don't look at my phone. It brings me peace."
16. "If I can get myself to do it, then crying definitely helps. I'll be watching comfort movies with a drink and some comfort food. By the time certain scenes in my films come up, I'm crying and releasing whatever's been tormenting me and I feel better."
17. "I usually just buy things; which is quite expensive actually so I need a new thing to do to relax. All of my hobbies that I use to distract myself cost money — painting, candle making, tea collecting, baking, wine collecting!"
18. "Fiction is my escape. If I had to pick a favourite thing, it might be watching TV because I know I can just sink into easily a hundred hours of a show without having to put any thought into anything. I get so much comfort from the characters, their world, and their stories."
19. "When no one else is home, I like to do karaoke. There are thousands of videos on YouTube, so I search for my favourite songs and sing at the top of my lungs. My stress is totally gone afterwards!"
Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.