The Calm Zone
Fish Tank
Though I can sense your alarm bells already ringing, fear not. Owning and caring for a pet such as a cat or dog can indeed be stressful yet rewarding work at times. However, caring for a fish is, quite literally, an entirely different beast. Perhaps the most low-maintenance pet option available to you, the extent of your fish-raising responsibilities primarily consists of feeding them once a day and cleaning their tank once a month. Sounds easy enough and the rewards are having a lively decoration and attraction for your room and home, as well as the reward of caring for and nurturing an animal in and of itself. All necessary items available at your local pet store.
Indoor Bonsai Tree
If caring for fish is a little too high maintenance for your serenity, there is another, much simpler, solution. Whether you have had little to no interest in gardening before, the scientific benefits for your mental wellbeing that caring for a bonsai tree provides, are proven and documented. While caring for one isn’t exactly a high maintenance job, putting all of your efforts into pruning and watering it on a daily basis will give you a much-needed distraction at the beginning and end of a long workday. Available at in-store and online gardening retailers for <£50.
Mood Light
For a lot of us, our bedrooms and houses are safe spaces that can provide much needed respite and relaxation after a potentially frustrating day. That being said, there’s only so many times you can look at the same drab walls and wallpaper before you need a change of scenery. Investing in a mood light may just provide you with exactly what you need in that department. It’s easy to look at one and dismiss it as being ‘just a bunch of colours’, but I can personally guarantee this is a definite case of ‘don’t knock it until you try it’. Available on Amazon for <£30.
White Noise Machine
Having trouble with sleeping due to noise, or lack thereof? Whether it’s the hustle and bustle of the city, noisy neighbours or an uncomfortable dead silence, there are many ways our hearing can impede a good night’s sleep. That’s why a white noise machine is an essential purchase. A simple audio device with a built-in speaker, this machine provides you with a soothing constant hum or buzz at various frequencies or volumes to drown out the noise, or indeed provide you with noise where there is none. Everyone needs and deserves to have a good night’s sleep each night and, thanks to the white noise machine, nearly everyone finally can. Available on Amazon for <£30.
Scented Candles
I don’t mean to insinuate anything about anyone reading this when I say that you could really do with a scented candle, but it’s true. Whether you have issues with the natural smell of your house/room or not, the existence of the scented candle proves the importance of giving your nostrils a treat. Available in about as many flavours as Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, you certainly won’t be short on choice of aromas to decorate your house and home with. Available at Amazon and other online stores for <£20.
By Tom Naylor
