Make yourself comfortable
As we near the end of the month, this Researcher Renew activity invites you to introduce small changes to your home environment and routines, so you feel more comfortable and secure.
Building on the earlier activity of sorting your workspace and making things tidier this task suggests ways to feel cosier and more contented.
Today’s activity may be short if you can immediately identify something pleasant you’d like to try (or perhaps are already doing). Or take longer if you want to research and implement ideas, adapt your living space; or add positive, comforting activities over time.
Contextualising Cosiness
I’m writing from the UK where it’s currently cold and stormy, so my idea of comfort is woolly socks, warm clothing, soft lighting to brighten the dark afternoons, and a mug of cocoa. But you may be in the southern hemisphere where ice cubes in cold drinks, air conditioning, and light clothing may be more appropriate.
Lots of wellbeing advice encourages us to make our living spaces more comfortable as a means to relax. You may well be familiar with recommendations of bubble baths, cups of tea, cosy sweaters, or snuggling under blankets.
There’s nothing wrong with any of these suggestions, but often they’re commercialised and commodified as self-care implying help is only for those who can afford it. Or they ignore diverse needs and abilities. A bubble bath, for example, requires the money for hot water and bath products, the availability of water, plus mobility and energy to get into and out of a bath, dry off and dress.
This Researcher Renew task invites you to use standard comfort and cosiness suggestions if they appeal to you, while also extending ways to experience relief and calm based on your physical and mental abilities, energy levels, environment and budget.
Building on a well-known technique
Today’s activity adapts a grounding technique for reducing worries that you may already be familiar with, called 5,4,3,2,1 and is explained in more depth (with other mindfulness suggestions) in this blog post about ways to calm.
In this activity, when you’re feeling overwhelmed, need to regulate, or just want to gently focus, you consciously note each of the following:
5 things you can see
4 things you can feel or touch
3 things you can hear
2 things you can smell
1 thing you can taste
If your senses are impaired, or you find focusing on particular senses overwhelming, you may want to exclude some of the above (e.g. you might leave out the things you can see or hear, paying more attention to the other senses).
In doing this activity you draw your attention away from unpleasant physical feelings, slow your breathing, and notice things around you that distract you from worries or racing thoughts.
Using your senses to help you get comfortable
For this Researcher Renew task we’ll use the 5,4,3,2,1 approach as a scaffold to focus on increasing your comfort levels.
Things you can see
These should be things that help you feel hopeful, cheer up your surroundings, or enable relaxation.
It might include watching your favourite, gentle or funny TV show or film; looking out the window at wildlife; stargazing in the garden; a strategically placed photograph or picture; repainting a wall into a bright or restful colour; a bunch of flowers; arranging your bed or other living space to look tidy and inviting; or candle meditation (more on how to do this in the link above for calming activities).
Some of these may be quick to do – like picking a TV programme, tidying a corner of a room, making your bed, or placing an ornament somewhere visible. Others may require time, planning and potentially additional cost or labour to do (e.g. redecorating). Use this task to pick some quick wins of things you can easily look at and enjoy, while also noting more ambitious plans you can implement through the year.
Things you can feel or touch
If you’re using fidget toys, sand play, or plushies; or enjoying knitting, sewing, pottery, painting, cooking, dance, gardening, or mosaics (to name a few) then you’re already bringing comfort, interest, or calm to your life through movement and touch.
You may want to extend this to include things like light layers of clothing you can add or remove if you’re hot or cold, or a scarf. Some people like textures of throws or cushions that may be anything from fluffy to silky. Visuals can be incorporated here with colours or patterns.
Alternatively, things you can feel might include warm or cool water you spray on, dip your hands or feet in, wipe yourself with a flannel, or enjoy in a shower.
You may want to explore touch with your hands or feet, or your whole body lying under a weighted blanket or holding a hot water bottle. Or try applying lotion to your hands or feet, or using massage tools to help soothe, relax, or gently ground you.
It may be you’ve not previously connected activities with feelings and touch, nor noted how this can feel energising or relaxing, while bringing comfort and a sense of routine or even repetition. Take time in this task to notice what you already do and how it helps you feel, while also appreciating the space you make for yourself in doing these activities.
Things you can hear
Music is the most obvious choice here, taking us back to our first activity where you picked your favourite song or melody. You may find it calming or uplifting to enjoy music as you work, or when you’re switching off, or going to sleep. Combining this with things you can see or hear may be particularly powerful.
Alternatively, you might enjoy the sounds of nature (either from your home, or a recording); conversation; poetry; or soundscapes for relaxation.
Meditation and mindfulness can be combined with either silence, or guided techniques, perhaps with music or just the spoken word. Note that these don’t work for all and can feel unnerving or worsen some symptoms, so use carefully and stop if they are unpleasant.
For many of us that have racing minds, some kind of sound is a helpful distraction and important means of calming, whereas for others absolute silence is key to their comfort.
You will know best what suits you – a blast of loud rock music, a classical piece, birdsong, or dedicated moments where you simply sit in silence, noting the different noises around you.
Things you can smell
Freshly brewed coffee, bread baking in the oven, newly mown grass, essential oils, creosote, a pavement after rain, wet dog.
Some or all of those might be your favourite smells, or it might be you hate them, perhaps even struggle with allergies.
Smell is a very personal thing and can make a big difference to our comfort levels. While much standard wellbeing advice focuses on scented candles, freshly washed bedding, or the smell of bath oil It might be you find some scents overwhelming.
For this part of the activity note two things. Firstly, scents you like. That may include specific fragrances or making items like a pot of coffee or an aromatic meal. Secondly, reduce smells you dislike, for example emptying a refuse bin, wiping down surfaces, or making the bed. Or, if fragrance is distracting or upsetting, look to find ways to remove it, including asking for accommodations if you work somewhere that air fresheners, perfume, or other overpowering smells prevent your participation.
Smell may be uniquely combined with things you can touch, feel and hear. So, enjoying a hot chocolate that smells and feels nice; while listening to music might help you combine different sources of comfort.
Things you can taste
This could be your favourite food or drink, or something you’ve never tried before. Food can comfort us in terms of childhood memories, favourite flavours, or beneficial effects of specific ingredients and nutrients.
This may be as simple as drinking water as you do this task, sipping it slowly and noting how it feels. Or you might want to schedule different things to taste through your day – sweets, fruit, nuts (allergies and food sensitivities permitting) plus other snacks and meals. You could plan a week’s worth of recipes, or use a meal delivery service, noting some new things to tempt you, or familiar safe foods.
I’m always concerned refreshment is rebranded as a treat rather than a source of nourishment, but this might be worth exploring if you find it helps to energise or calm your day. Try having scheduled mealtimes, or food in different locations, or a new drink or snack.
Taste and smell are often intertwined, but you may also want to deliberately mix things like a textured meal you prepare by hand (touch) with food, cups or bowls in different colours.
Some of us struggle with food, so leave this task if it’s triggering for you to change from whatever agreed upon food plan is currently working (and seek medical advice if this is not possible).
Bringing this all together
Considering different ways to feel more comfortable may be something you do by yourself or shared in the company of others. You might get inspired by Pinterest, books, visits to hotels or other spaces, or opportunities to take up a new hobby or interest.
Build ideas over time, particularly if you feel overwhelmed, unsure where to begin, or are anxious about cost and energy to prepare.
If you found this difficult
You may be anxious about the cost or time commitment to make things more comfortable. Remember, you don’t have to buy anything special or expensive to do this activity. It may simply involve a small change to your home, or intentionally making, pouring, cooling then drinking a cup of tea.
It can take as much or as little time as you like, particularly if you find it difficult to sustain habits. You can schedule rest and other comfort into your life. Or you can just try activities when time or energy permit.
Other people may get in the way of comfort, in which case scheduling time to enjoy them without interruption may be important. Alongside noting where you might be putting aside pleasant things and personal care for other people’s demands.
Making your surroundings comfortable or increasing self-care can be challenging if you struggle with direct demands, have low self-esteem, or are restricted in mobility due to health or disability. It is okay to note where you might like to do something but need additional help; or where you would like to try but need time to adjust to the idea; or even where you’re currently very against these suggestions but might want to return to them at a later point, having had time to reflect.
There is no pressure to do any of the suggestions above if you already know what makes you feel comfortable. It’s not a competition, or something to put pressure on yourself. Nor does it carry with it a hidden agenda of judgement.
If you’ve favourite ways to feel comfortable and cosy, please share them in the comments or on Bluesky or LinkedIn.
As with other Researcher Renew tasks this isn’t about perfection or pushing yourself. It’s simply a chance to consider ways to feel more content, particularly if you’ve not had the chance to reflect on this before.