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During the week, it can feel like our hours are broken down into “to-dos”.” Whether it’s emails, meal prepping, or errands, we start to feel like we’re running a race. Indeed, even our attempts at creating healthy moments in the day, from meditation to pilates classes, can take on the flavour of stressful obligations. It’s easy to start feeling like your day belongs to others. What if there was a way to claw back some time for ourselves that only took ten minutes out of our already hectic schedules?
TikTok, our personal life coach, seems to have offered a solution. On April 22nd, creator and actual life coach Trina, who posts under the handle @breatheintransformation, shared that she and a friend have a check-in system that keeps their days from getting out of hand.
If they’re feeling stressed and overwhelmed, they text each other, “How did you save your day?”
What Is The Save The Day TikTok Trend?
“Save the day” incorporates, or simply recognises, moments of micro-self-care. While we love to talk about carving out “me time” with bed-rot days, nights of reading, and yoga sessions, occasionally, life gets in the way. We’re faced with weeks full of unavoidable deadlines, family commitments, and stressors (you’re bound to have a maintenance problem in your apartment the week you have a job interview and daycare falls through).
The TikTok save the day trend can translate to making yourself a cup of tea, going for a short walk, or reading a book. She says anything that “makes the day feel like you’ve had some space in it again… it doesn’t need to be a huge time commitment.”
To us, the saving the day TikTok trend feels like gamified meditation, a way to check in with yourself in the chaos. The save the day concept has been well received. As of the time of writing, the video has had 3.7 million views and almost 3000 comments.
Trina’s followers are embracing it. One says, “I’m trying to do this today. I’ve had 50-hour work weeks lately.” Another says, “Stepping into a grind season, I absolutely love this.” One follower requests a full list of ways she can save the day.
@emikopowers @trina 🕊️ work-life harmony you made my day !!!! 🩵 such a great form of self care 🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼 #nyc #newyorkcity #savetheday ♬ Beautiful Flowers – Lofi Boss
Why Do We Need To Save The Day Though?
The TikTok saving the day trend has been gathering ground with fans sharing how they’re salvaging busy days with small treats and thoughtful gestures to self.
But, one commenter pointed out the irony inherent in the concept of saving the day. “This is both such a positive way to make some time for yourself and a stark reminder of how overworked EVERYONE is.”
After all, if we need TikTok to remind ourselves to make a cup of tea or stand on the grass, it’s a good indicator that from our workloads to our family responsibilities (unsurprisingly, the majority of the commenters on Trina’s video are women) are wearing us thin.
Tina’s saving the day concept is brilliant, not just because it ensures you carve out even a tiny bit of personal time during your most stressful days. Saving the day also removes the guilt about not “taking care of yourself”. We live in a culture that thoughts wellness and self-care practices. At the same time, the realities of capitalism and day-to-day living demand a grindset. It’s easy to feel like you’re not doing enough, which can quickly sink your mindset if your day is stressful. It’s one thing to worry about pleasing your boss and getting your kids to daycare, it’s another when you have to feel additionally guilty that you’re not taking care of your inner child.
Paying attention to micro-moments of self-care can keep you feeling like you’ve got it together. Plus, good habits breed good habits.
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