February can feel like a slightly odd, in-between type of month. Many of us are still recovering financially and energetically from the excesses of the festive period, and while you’re probably feeling like you’re adjusting a little better back into normal work routines than you were a few weeks ago, you’re also likely to be beginning to feel pretty impatient for Spring to arrive. Winter seems reluctant to let go this year!

The ‘back-to-reality-with-a-bump’ feeling that January brings is often eased by an increased sense of motivation stirred up through resolution making and the shiny potential of a new year. Then February hits and that refreshed energy starts to ebb. We’ve put together a series of self-care rituals to help you hold onto feelings of creativity and productivity, whilst still allowing your mind to wander free from daily stresses. We hope these will help you find to joy in waiting the weather out indoors for a little bit longer.

knit yourself a scarf

The repetitive nature of knitting can be satisfyingly therapeutic, allowing the mind to relax and wander whilst keeping the hands busy. Choose an easy pattern that allows you to work steadily through blocks of solid colour – a one-colour scarf, for example, or one with long, infrequent stripes. This allows you to more effectively zone out, without worrying about changing wools and building up detail. An added bonus of choosing a pattern that doesn’t require much concentration is that you can multi-task, choosing to use the time to relax in different ways depending on your mood – you can sit quietly and reflect, put on some music, or get stuck into a new boxset. This allows you some unapologetic downtime, which will still feel productive and creative. And the end result will be something gorgeous, new and cosy to wrap yourself up in!

do a jigsaw

Find yourself an interesting, attractive and fairly difficult jigsaw and spend a comfy Sunday afternoon working away at it. This is another activity which allows you to relax and feel challenged simultaneously. Jigsaws induce a meditative state which focuses the mind away from stresses and tensions, as well as providing a relief from our screen-focused daily lives. Pop on a podcast whilst you play and the hours will fly by.

immerse yourself in a book

You might have been gifted some new books over Christmas that you haven’t quite gotten round to yet, you might have set yourself a resolution to read more in 2020 or you might just want to treat yourself and browse for something new. Either way, this is a lovely time of year to gift yourself the time to really enjoy some quality reading. Try allocating yourself a little bit of time each evening for at least a week, then make yourself a lovely big cup of tea, get into your comfies and immerse yourself in your chosen read. It will make a more relaxing alternative to tv, and will subtly stir up your inspiration and curiosity.

take up a sociable new hobby

December and January often go hand in hand with heightened social activity, which can leave you a bit flat come February, when everything calms down. This sudden emptying of your calendar, coupled with the droop in motivation which accompanies long, dark evenings, makes it a good time to take up a new hobby. Joining a club, or signing up to a course, adds a sociable element that will be more emotionally enriching and will make you less likely to rain-check. 

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