Welcome to Refinery29’s Feel Good Diaries , where we chronicle the physical and mental wellness routines of women today, their costs, and whether or not these self-care rituals actually make you feel good.
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Today: A woman juggling a full-time job and a side hustle finds peace in nights in, meal prepping, and letting loose at Target.
Age: 29
Location: The suburbs of Chicago, Ilinois
Occupation: Communications Specialist, freelancer writer
Salary: $45,000/year, plus supplementary freelance writing income which is usually about $600-$800 per month
Editor’s Note: This diary was written in January 2022.
Day One
6 a.m. — I start my day the same way every morning: Getting up around 6 a.m., feeding the cat, starting the coffee maker, and enjoying about 30 minutes in bed, zoned out with a steaming cup of black coffee. My early mornings started when I adopted my needy rescue kitty, but honestly, I cherish them. They are pretty much my favorite part of the day. Some mornings, I go to my desk and get some freelance work done. Some mornings, I stare into the abyss and just let myself wake up. Today is an abyss morning.
I really appreciate that my phone is silent during this portion of time and that I never have to rush out of bed. Highly recommend it.
7:30 a.m. — I swing by Starbucks for coffee number two, which is a tall black iced coffee. Before the caffeine haters come hating, I am a recovering Starbucks addict who used to buy venti drinks every day. I don’t think there is anything wrong with buying Starbucks daily if you can afford it, but I was becoming very stressed about how much money was going towards coffee. Now, as a treat, I allow myself a Starbucks drink on Mondays and Fridays! Due to my cup of coffee in bed every morning, I have found that limiting the amount of coffee I’m buying out and about is very doable. It makes me excited for this little treat to start and end my work week.
I head to work (enclosed office + mask protocol = still going in) and am checking over emails by 8:15 a.m. ( $3.25 )
5 p.m. — Honestly, since the pandemic started, I have been struggling to keep up with a fitness routine . I was part of a yoga studio pre-COVID, but I haven’t rekindled my membership. Instead, I’ve been taking baby steps to try and be more active by taking long walks. This is probably one of the last decent weather days in Chicago, so I decide to start my evening with a stroll even though I want to plant myself on the couch.
I never regret my walks! They are a great way to decompress and get a little fresh air. I used to live in the city, where I walked everywhere, so moving to the burbs was a difficult transition. I felt very shut in, especially with the pandemic happening. Something as simple as walking through the neighborhood to look at pretty houses, or through the little “downtown” district with shops and restaurants, always boosts my mood.
Daily Total: $3.25
Day Two
8:30 a.m. — I take the time to find a great Spotify playlist because work has been a little bit stressful. I find a few that carry me through the day: Wanderlust and Morning Coffee. Sometimes something as small as the right background music can be the game changer between a “good” day and “blah” day. If I am doing a task that involves writing in-depth or editing, I tend to turn off all music to focus, but today I am mostly answering emails and preparing promotional materials. Perfect Spotify-listening day!
4:30 p.m. — I used my lunch break to order groceries from Aldi for pickup. I live and die by this method. It’s so satisfying to be able to see everything in your checkout, as well as the total, and it saves me time as I just swing by Aldi after work. I usually do a grocery haul about once a week and spend around the same amount of money. Sometimes, if I get a bigger haul, my next week’s cost total is lower, but on average, I am spending roughly the same amount of money week to week.
One of my biggest wellness improvements this past year has been learning to cook. I’m still not very good, but I […]
source I’m 29, Make $45k, & Spent $228 On My Wellness Routine This Week
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