There’s something magical about spending time alone in coffee shops. It can be the rich smell of freshly brewed coffee or that jolt from the first sip, the pleasant bustle of customers that blends well with the soft jazz music playing endlessly in the background or the cozy nook where you can spend hours reading a good book.
While coffee shops are also my go-to place when I want to get things done at work, they have also become my favorite retreat after a very stressful week juggling household chores, work and an endless to-do list. Like magic, I always come out feeling refreshed and happy, ready to tackle another week of chaos.
When you’re busy, plus you have a world of distractions at your fingertips, it’s easy to forget about self-care and spending some alone time. But science has proven that carving some solitude in our cramped schedule has plenty of benefits for our mental health and overall well-being—which include improved mood, increased self-confidence and creativity, and better sleep. This is why even if I am swamped with a lot of work and chores at home, I make sure that I set aside a couple of hours once a week for the simplest and easiest “me time” getaway: spending an afternoon alone at Starbucks in the neighborhood. It’s cheaper too. A dessert and a drink for a little indulgence will cost less than Php500, which I can pay with convenience through GCash Swipe to Pay.
It may not sound grand like a weekend getaway in Boracay or as luxurious as a spa treatment, but spending my alone time for a couple of hours at Starbucks or at any cozy café helps a lot in keeping my mind and emotions in check, which is really the essence of “me time.” Studies have proven that coffee is a potent mood booster because of the antioxidants it carries. Coffee shops, on the other hand, generate a distinct ambient background noise or buzz that fuel creativity and offer novelty that helps stimulate the brain. These and the benefits of drinking coffee provide the perfect mix for a healthy quiet time alone.
When was the last time you spent some time in solitude? If you haven’t for quite a while, be kind to yourself and squeeze in some “me time” on Oct. 10, World Mental Health Day. You know where to find me on that day—in my favorite coffee shop reading and people watching in between sips of a tall Americano.
