It's easy to get caught up in the stresses of life and forget to take time for yourself. However, it's important to remember that self-care is essential for your mental health. So look no further if you're looking for a way to treat yourself without breaking the bank. This blog post will discuss some small pleasures that will make you feel good without costing much money. So sit back, relax, and enjoy.

You don't need to wait for that big reward.

Rewards are things that we obtain after accomplishing something. Therefore, they motivate us to keep working hard, knowing there is something nice to receive after you achieve something. Rewards await after achieving our goals, such as a better-paying position in the company we are working in, a nice car, house, or expensive gadget, or a fabulous vacation trip to a different country. Most of us will probably think of such big things regarding rewards. However, some rewards come in smaller packages. These are the ones that don't require much of your time and money to enjoy and obtain. The thing with big rewards is that it can take a long time before you get them. While waiting and working on getting them, you may feel discouraged and lose motivation to work since getting them takes a long time. But who says fulfillment and happiness should come in one big burst? It is possible to be happy and fulfilled along the way by indulging in some simple pleasures. You can make it a habit to enjoy these little things and activities regularly, so you can maintain momentum and keep a positive attitude while working to obtain a much bigger reward later in the future. Most of them can be readily done anytime, and they may be lying around you, waiting to be discovered and enjoyed.

1. Go outside your house and office

Once we become working adults, many of us will spend our time inside the office and in our cubicles doing various stuff. A significant portion of our adult lives also gets spent inside our houses, doing different chores and daily responsibilities and perhaps indulging in stuff that doesn't require one to go outside, such as watching TV. Things can get monotonous if we see the same sights within our walls. Doing some little or long walks out and basking in nature can do wonders, and it can serve as a refreshing way to enjoy yourself after your daily activities or during breaks in between. You may also try doing some physical activities you can enjoy outdoors, like exercising or playing sports with your friends if they can accommodate you.

2. Read a book

If you are into reading, it can become a pleasant and rewarding activity. In addition, books are not very expensive, and you can easily carry them. You can sneak time to read during break periods, waiting in line, or while riding a public vehicle. Reading can be done online by reading e-books on a device or offline by reading traditional print books that you can touch and skim through the pages. Not only can reading be an enjoyable activity, but it can also improve your vocabulary and enhance your imagination by reading fictional stories. You can also learn new things if you read something informative.

3. Get into journaling

Journaling can be a rewarding activity at the end of the day after you have done your work and daily responsibilities. It can be an outlet for your emotions and things you may not feel comfortable saying to others. You can write about everything you have thought for the day, release your pent-up feelings, and keep them personal. You can also work on your writing skills by writing down notable things daily.

4. Eat or drink something nice

Dining in restaurants can be costly, but if done only once in a while, eating some delicious food can be a nice little reward whenever you accomplish some work, such as checking things from your to-do list. It won't hurt to eat your favorite meal once a week as a treat to yourself for a job well done. Drinking something can also be a small reward you can give yourself now and then. Drinking a cup of hot chocolate or coffee in the morning, refreshing yourself with water or some fruit juice during breaks or intervals between work, or a single can or bottle of beer or wine once in a while can all be rewarded for yourself.

5. Talk to a friend or family member

Trying to do things alone can be nerve-wracking. It won't hurt to talk with somebody else to lighten up the mood, and maybe you can also ask them for support. Communicating and socializing with others can be a form of reward to yourself whenever you do something well or want to feel better. Talk to a friend on the phone when you can keep in touch or message them online. If there is time, maybe you can arrange a get-together for fun activities.

6. Sleep

Sleeping provides a well-needed reprieve after a day's work, and you can think of it as a reward to relax and recover your energy so you can be in good condition the next day. You don't need to wait until the evening or whatever time to get your day's rest of several hours. Sometimes, taking a short nap if there is time can help you rest between work periods, especially if there's more workload than usual in a day.

7. Indulge in your hobby or passion

An excellent way to ensure you reward yourself daily is to spend time each day doing your hobby or passion. This will most likely be done after work and your responsibilities, or you can wake up earlier daily to do your favorite activities. Hobbies and passions are most likely things you are willing to make time for each day, so if they matter to you and you love doing them, you are most likely ready to dedicate time for them each day. You can watch one episode of your favorite TV show, play video games for an hour, browse social media, read a good book, or do something creative like drawing, painting, sculpting, etc.

8. Spend some quiet time for yourself

Every day can be busy, so why not spend time relaxing and removing all the noise in your surroundings as a reward to yourself? Find a quiet spot where people won't disturb you, and there aren't many noise-producing machines or things around. Try to meditate and remove all the stressful thoughts in your mind. Give time for yourself to relax, and you can even use this time to assess yourself and see where you want to take your life.

Simple pleasures are rewarding.

There are many kinds of things that can serve as small rewards for ourselves. The idea with them is that they don't require much time to enjoy and don't cost too much money. They help fill in the gap while you work toward a big goal with a significant reward. Small pleasures can help you feel happy and fulfilled while waiting for that big burst of joy and satisfaction you can get once you get that big reward. Even if you are not striving for something grand in your life, as long as you ensure you reward yourself with things regularly, you can maintain a momentum of optimism and happiness every day that can keep you going with life.