Bare Minimum Good Habits

Audre Lorde famously spoke in 1988, saying “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” More plainly, it is the simple concept of doing what’s going to help you feel best, and be the best person, friend, significant other, daughter/son, that you can be. 

However, this list is about minimum effort so in keeping true to the title of this article, I won’t dwell too much on the words ‘good’ or ‘best’ here. Here is a lazy girl’s list of good habits and self care practices that require ONLY the bare minimum for when you have zero energy and hate everything. 

1.

Wash your face as soon as you get home. Please don’t sleep with makeup on. Same goes for sunscreen (yes, even in smog weather). Your Ghost of Christmas Future will thank you. 

2.

Work out at least once a week. I said ONCE. Just 1 hour out of 168 in a week. 

3.

Make a to-do list in your notes app. You don’t even have to hunt for stationary (unless you want to).

4.

Keep an eye on your budget. Use apps like Monefy so you don’t wonder where your pay check went when you only ordered FoodPanda “a couple times”.

5.

Drink lemon with hot water. Be the Gwyneth Paltrow of Gulberg.

6.

Start flossing. No one wants gunk in their teeth. Not even Nosferatu.

7.

Eat ice cream. Okay, so maybe this isn’t a ‘bare-minimum-good-habit’ but it’s ice cream and it’s wonderful.

8.

Give yourself five minutes to tidy your place (or to the length of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody).

9.

Be okay with being alone with your own company, and tune out the world. Listen to music. Nap (I realise that would mean going against spending time with yourself, but naps > everything else).

10.

Practice meditation or yoga. Pretend you’re Lara Croft or Master Shifu. If anything, it’ll make you laugh.

11.

Smile at yourself whenever you pass a mirror. One small step into narcissism at a time, please. You could use the endorphins.

12.

Eat breakfast?! Do not say no to food. Especially after waking up (which is essentially you fasting for 7-8 hours).

13.

Find a good multivitamin that works for you. South Asians (that’s us) have a generational Vitamin D deficiency among others, so please get those necessary nutrients and vitamins back. 

14.

Sleep. What can be better? Make bedtime inviting and comfortable with fluffier pillows, a cup of hot chocolate/ chamomile tea (whatever your fix is), a scented candle. Get that squeaky ceiling fan fixed! Or not, because it’s going to get colder here on out and Spring You can deal with it.

15.

Watch a documentary instead of a movie. I swear, you’ll learn something. And it’s a good flex in front of your frenemies. 

16.

Start keeping a journal. Your Notes App counts, sure, but it doesn’t do justice to the whole journaling experience. Maybe don’t even journal at first but carry it around like Elena Gilbert a là The Vampire Diaries (remember that era?), and emit mysteriousness. The journaling will come to you after a few doodles and the grocery lists.

17.

Take a damn shower. Cold weather shouldn’t equal less showers.

18.

This smog isn’t doing anybody any good. Wear a mask outside and steam your face to get the hazardous air out of your lungs. There is a guy wearing an actual GAS MASK next to our Air Quality Index, if that helps.

19.

Call that friend who’s moved away to this place called Canada where half the population is South Asian for some reason. I’m sure they’ll appreciate your call and you’ll get to talk to somebody breathing clean air.

20.

Be kind or whatever. I’m tired of this list now.