We’ve all seen the TikToks about having a “little treat”, or reposted countless “Treat Yo’ Self” gifs in group chats, but what are the actual benefits of rewarding yourself?
To figure out why having a little extra boost during the week makes everything so much better, we have to define what a little treat is and find out how it can apply to you.
So first off, what is a little treat? In an article for The New York Times, Julia Carmel defines a little treat as “a tiny win”; little treats are these moments of consistent small joys when life seems stressful and daunting on the large scale.
What Carmel is saying is that finding joy in the little things is so important, especially when exams, deadlines, or major life crises can make everything feel unbearable.
So, why is treating yourself important? Well, on a psychological scale, being rewarded plays an important role in forming good habits and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. In an article for PsychCentral, Gretchen Rubin states that “When we give ourselves treats, we feel energized, cared for, and contented, which boosts our self-command — and self-command helps us maintain our healthy habits.”
What Rubin’s point essentially boils down to is that when we give ourselves tiny rewards, we become more motivated and tend to stay on track with our goals if we have something to keep us going.
But how can you find the right little treat for yourself? It’s all about finding what keeps you motivated; this could be anything, from having a guilty pleasure snack at the end of a hard day or treating yourself to a small gift at the end of the week. Your little treat doesn’t have to be material either, if spending quality time reading a book or just painting your nails is more your speed, have an at-home “treat yourself day” once a week.
Personally, I am a big fan of treating myself to a small meal at the end of the week. Right now, I’m in the middle of a cold and rainy Philly winter and my self-prescribed little treat has been to have a soup Friday. At the end of the week, I buy myself a container of soup and have it for lunch. It’s warm and filling- and the extra push I need to get through my Friday work shift.
Having a ritual for myself at the end of the week is nice because I can sit down, have some soup, and think about how much I got done during the week. It’s a little moment of peace to congratulate myself for all my work, before having to jump into my upcoming projects and deadlines. Having this little treat breaks up the monotony of my day-to-day hustle between work and school; it’s something I look forward to every week.
Treating yourself to something small every week may seem pointless, but really anything that keeps you happy and on track isn’t pointless at all. Think of your morning coffee- whether you make it at home or buy it from a coffee shop- think about how it feels to take that first sip of coffee in the morning. It’s something that wakes you up, that makes you feel good, and that motivates you for the day; this is the power of a little treat.