8 Realistic Ways to Romanticize Your Life (When You Work a 9-5)

I’m a sucker for a daily routine TikTok. If it involves short video clips of a steaming cup of coffee, the sun streaming in through a window and someone lighting a candle — set to a soft acoustic melody of course — I’m hitting the ‘like’ button.

And I’m not the only one. Videos like these often have thousands of views and likes, which begs the question: what’s so magical about content like this?

Answer: it romanticizes everyday life.

In other words, it shines a light on the ordinary, encouraging us to better appreciate the things we are used to or often take for granted.

Romanticization is a practice that’s gained popularity in recent years due to the rise of TikTok. It’s a form of mindfulness that has the ability to bring mental clarity, improve concentration, increase our empathy and acceptance of others, and more.

Still, romanticizing your life takes practice. Especially when you have a full-time job or a job you hate, you may be asking yourself, “How the f*** can I romanticize my life when I work 24/7?”

Here are eight realistic ways to romanticize your life when your job is your life.

1. Write down your daily routine

In order to infuse more mindfulness into your daily life, establish what your day normally looks like. What time do you wake up? Do you make coffee? Do you hang out with your friends? You can break it up day by day, or generalize what you do during an average work day and average day off. By visualizing your daily routine, it’ll be easier to spot the gaps and plan for better ways to spend your time.

2. What do you wish you could do more of?

When our job consumes most of our day and energy, it’s difficult to make time for the things we enjoy. List the things you want to place more emphasis on during your daily life, such as reading, spending time outside and connecting with loved ones. From here, you can think of ways to incorporate more of these into your day, week or month.

3. Prepare the night before

The morning can be stressful, especially when you’re running late. Set yourself up for a calmer A.M. by doing what you can the night before — set your clothes out for work, prepare and store your lunch, place homemade coffee in the fridge for a refreshing iced drink. This’ll give you room to have a slower morning that you can enjoy.

4. Be present during your breaks

Whether it’s your lunch or a quick 15 minutes in the afternoon, breaks are meant to give you the space and time to let go of any workplace anxieties and relax. Start by removing yourself from your work space and stepping away from technology (that includes your phone). You can even go outside for a breath of fresh air if you’re able, clearing your mind and taking notice of what’s around you.

5. Give yourself things to look forward to

I’m not a runner. Although I played sports in high school, I don’t run for fun, and I deeply respect people who do find running fun.

Still, when the opportunity to run in a race came knocking at my door this past spring, I signed up, because “finish a race” had been on my bucket list for a few years and I knew if I didn’t do it now, I would never do it.

As a non-runner, how did I power through light jogs around my neighborhood and the race itself? By giving myself something to look forward to — the satisfaction of never having to run on purpose again. With that knowledge, I soared.

To make life more exciting, give yourself things to look forward to.

Though it’s important to plan big events, like concerts and vacations, life is most often made up of little moments. This can look like drinking an iced coffee, watching your favorite TV show or having an extra hour of sleep on the weekend.

6. Practice positive self-talk

When you hate your job or you simply don’t want to work (which is all of the time), you might say to yourself, “This sucks. I don’t want to do this. I can’t wait for this to be over. I’m miserable.” Let’s face it, we’ve all been there!

However, repeatedly saying this to yourself only worsens your mood and makes time go by even slower.

Instead, spin your thoughts to be more encouraging — “I’ve got this,” “I can take this at my own pace,” “Even if I fail, I’ll be okay.” It may be difficult at first, but with practice and consistency, you can create a positive space inside of your head.

7. Be intentional

After a long day of work, there’s nothing more relaxing than vegging out on the couch. This is especially relevant if your job requires a deal of physical or mental energy. After awhile, we fall into the habit of “work, sit, scroll and repeat,” and life begins to feel like:

Be intentional with how you are spending your time. Put on your favorite song during the ride home from work, get dinner with a group of friends you can laugh with, go for a walk at sunset, read for fifteen minutes — do what adds to your life, even when you’re tired. You may find yourself feeling more energized than you did before!

8. Go easy on yourself

Life is tough, and you’re bound to have days that are more difficult to romanticize than others. Rather than force yourself to be mindful every second of the day, listen to what your mind, body and soul need. There may be (many) days where giving your brain a break to scroll on TikTok after work is better for you. That doesn’t mean you’re failing!

Romanticizing your life is possible when you work 40+ hours a week. It can be as simple as blocking a few minutes a day to center yourself, be in the moment and appreciate what often goes overlooked. Little by little, you’ll see how wonderful life can be.

Your friend,
Jane