Your exams are over, your brain is tired, and you’re not quite ready to jump into summer hustle mode. But doing absolutely nothing for days on end can leave you feeling disconnected. What you need is a gentle decompression plan—a way to restore balance, energy, and a sense of self without putting pressure on yourself.
Here’s a 5-day soft reset to help you slowly unwind:
Day 1 – Sleep and Silence: Cancel alarms, stay in your pyjamas, and allow your body to catch up. Watch comfort movies, eat what you love, and do absolutely nothing that feels like effort. Let your mind rest.
Day 2 – Step Outside: Reintroduce movement—but keep it gentle. Go for a walk somewhere green, have a picnic alone or with friends, or sit outside with a book. Fresh air works wonders for stress recovery.
Day 3 – Do Something Childlike: Play. Build LEGO, paint with watercolours, bake cookies, or revisit a childhood video game. It sounds silly, but fun without stakes is the fastest way to reconnect with your joy.
Day 4 – Social Check-In: Use this day to reconnect with people you’ve unintentionally drifted from. That might mean texting a friend you haven’t seen in weeks, FaceTiming a sibling, or catching up with housemates.
Day 5 – Reflect Without Pressure: Instead of setting goals, reflect. Write about how the term went—what you’re proud of, what was hard, and what surprised you. You don’t need answers—just awareness.
The key? This isn’t about productivity. It’s about creating space to feel like yourself again. After five days, you’ll feel more grounded—and ready to take on the summer in your own time.