If you’re looking for something a little stronger, have a drink. No, we’re not suggesting you crack a beer at work, but it’s totally acceptable to grab a Peet’s Iced Espresso and let the rich, creamy drink wake you up—and cheer you up. It’s made with carefully sourced ingredients, including single-origin dark roast Colombian espresso, pure cane sugar, and hormone-free milk and with less sugar than competitors and no artificial colors or flavors. It’s the kind of easy reward you can drink every day, and you’ll find it at most convenience and grocery stores in a right-sized eight-ounce can, perfect for telling yourself, “Congratulations on making it through another morning.”
For those particularly hectic days, you can reward yourself by simply doing nothing. Give yourself the gift of zero activity (physical or brain) for 5 minutes without guilt. Grab a seat in the sunshine or just pop on your noise-cancelling headphones at your desk, and let your mind drift away from what’s next at work, family obligations, and your never-ending to-do list. Let it wander only into vacations, flower fields, and exciting weekend plans; create the space for all the happy thoughts that you usually push aside—consider it a thank you for all the thinking your brain has done today.
Get a little help in pushing the real world away for a second by spritzing yourself. Good smells and moisturized skin are two things that make everybody happy, and facial sprays will perk up your nose and your skin. Even if you don’t have time for the other quick options here, it only takes a few seconds to use these. A little four-ounce bottle will slip right into a purse or desk drawer, and they come in a variety of aromas that you can tailor to your needs—lavender is known to be stress reducing, while peppermint can cheer you up. And on top of the instant refresh for your skin and mood, you can also feel good about staying moisturized.
Life is hard, especially when no one else gives you the praise and compensation you deserve. But there’s no need to save that reward for a special day—after all, you made it out of bed today, you deserve a prize.
