To figure out what can make you feel like you had time for yourself during a busy day, ask yourself: What makes you light up? What makes you feel soothed and calm?
You can try any of the day-savers mentioned above and in the original TikTok video — like calling your mom, going for a walk or having a cup of tea — or you can try activities like petting your dog, stretching, buying yourself a pastry, painting your nails, playing a video game, watching a funny YouTube clip, going for a run, planting flowers and much, much more. “The possibilities are endless,” said Kieser.
“I think it’s important for folks to know that this doesn’t have to be a big thing,” Harris said. “You don’t have to wait to start.”
“Saving the day” today can be as simple as getting up for a seltzer after you read this article, or stepping outside for some sunshine after a big meeting.
“I think sometimes there can be this big barrier to entry … [like] it’s all too big and nebulous and we don’t really know how to do it,” Harris said. “But we can do all of these things — we can show up for ourselves in any moment of the day.”
And you don’t need permission to start saving the day, Kieser noted. It’s common for people to feel like they can’t just do something for themselves, or like they need external validation to do that thing.
You can even use your social circles to hold yourself accountable. In the TikTok video, Merz said she and her friend check in with each other about their day-saving moments. (Ever since learning about this, my friends and I check in on Fridays about how we’ve saved the day that week.)
Adding a buddy to your “save the day” challenge can be a great way to make sure you actually carry it out. Plus, it can help you celebrate that you’re doing this mood-boosting behavior.
“It’s not just that I am doing it, but I’m doing it and with intention, and I can thank myself for doing it,” Harris explained. “And then that’s how it becomes a practice, because I’m actually acknowledging I’m doing it. I’m not just mindlessly doing it, like I’m probably mindlessly working.”
If none of this feels easy at all, you may need additional support — and that’s OK. “If it’s feeling too overwhelming or even the idea of adding in one moment to your day feels too taxing… therapy would be a great way and a great place to start exploring some of those feelings and thoughts you’re having,” Kieser said.
In the end, this behavior is meant to bring “the intention” back to your day, as Merz says in the TikTok video. It helps you refocus your attention on yourself when there are so many other things out there competing for it.
While “saving the day” doesn’t have to be a big portion of your day, it can be a meaningful part ― and maybe even the best part.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
