"Is it just me, or is the ""self-care"" rabbit hole actually more stressful?

I had a rare night to myself recently. It’s not very often that I get the chance, so I decided I was going to do the whole relaxation thing properly. No laptop, no chores, just total peace. But somehow, in less than 20 minutes, I found myself on Alibaba looking at bulk quantities of those compressed brightening face masks, wondering if I should start some kind of skincare routine or if I was just trying to buy a personality. After hours of endlessly scrolling through my phone, I realized I didn’t even know what I was doing. I spent so much time researching skin care products and looking at wholesale shipping and I ended up feeling so weird about myself, more weird than I usually felt after a full day of work. It’s like I’ve forgotten how to just sit still without trying to optimize myself or my appearance. So, I’m genuinely curious: how do you guys actually turn your brains off? Does anyone else feel like they have to buy something or fix something to feel like they’re relaxing, or have you mastered the art of doing absolutely nothing? I’m starting to think my hobbies are just online shopping for things I won't use. Help me out here guys.

Posted Feb 20, 2026, 4:28 PM UTC

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