02.13.24
The Internet Is Obsessed With Hurkle Durkle—Here’s How to Do It
Scotland, thank you for your service.
Whether your group chat, office Slack, or TikTok sent you in search of the meaning of hurkle durkle, welcome. In this edition of “Things the Internet Has Validated,” we’ll discuss the premise of hurkle durkle-ing, its origin story and mental health benefits, and how to do some healthy hurkle durkle-ing this week. Let us begin.
The first thing you should know is that hurkle durkle entails staying in bed like a duchess in a 17th-century painting—just lying there, chilling, reading, daydreaming, or simply summoning the motivation to do important shit. It’s basically an appreciation for slow, peaceful mornings.
This is an actual word though—not a thing made up by the internet: The origin of the (most perfect) phrase (in existence) dates back to the 1800s in Scotland. To hurkle durkle means “to lie in bed or lounge about when one should be up and about,” according to the Dictionaries of the Scots Language.
If you felt personally attacked by the, “should be up” in that definition, same. Thankfully, in the year of our lord 2024, TikTok has done the good work of stripping this bit from its original meaning. And in doing so, hurkle durkle has become what could be your new favorite mental fitness trick.
That’s because popping out of bed to shower, check your email, eat, and get out the door to get to your day as fast as possible can be real chaotic. “That high-stress start to the day can take a toll on our body and mind as we kick things off with a mental and emotional sprint,” says clinical psychologist Ryan Howes, Ph.D. “A slower start will be less stressful, even enjoyable, as our brains and bodies come back online.” Makes sense!
Of course, what you do with that loungey morning pre-game matters, says clinical psychologist Jessica Stern, Ph.D. She suggests doing it in a way that benefits your mood and energy levels—rather than tanking them.
But, like, how? Excellent question. Here’s how therapists suggest getting the most out of your next hurkle durkle.
Set a limit.
In order to be a boost to your self-care routine, hurkle durkle-ing shouldn’t interfere with getting to work or school on time or any other responsibilities that matter. So, Dr. Howes suggests setting a timer and sticking to it. “As enjoyable as hurkle durkle can be, if it’s not a weekend or a mental health day, you’ll have to get going eventually,” he says. To calculate your hard stop time, think about the latest you can get out of bed to start your morning routine while still moving at a comfy pace. After all, slow is the ethos of hurkle durkle.
If you find that it’s becoming more difficult to get out of bed, something more serious might be up, Dr. Howes says. Ask yourself, “Am I doing this for self-care or to avoid something?” he adds. If you find that you’re consistently procrastinating, even if it is by doing healthy activities, that could be a sign you’d benefit from some mental health help, adds Dr. Stern. Just something to keep an eye on!
Adjust your sleep schedule (if necessary).
In order to make space for hurkle durkle-ing, you might need to wake up earlier. Since sacrificing sleep for journaling kinda defeats the whole point, that probably means going to bed sooner. “If you’re lacking sleep, it will be very easy to choose the snooze button over a new hurkle durkle routine,” says Dr. Howes.
Maybe that means Nighttime You will have to cut down on some of that cherished late-night TV or TikTok scrolling to make more room for morning self-care stuff. But it could be worth it.
To recalculate your bedtime, figure out how much time you want to spend hurkle durkle-ing before you get ready for the day. Then, move your bedtime up accordingly. The math does math.
Do your own turndown service.
Because the whole goal of this is to make your morning more chill, you might need to spend some non-morning time prepping your a.m. hurkle durkle activities. That could look like having your journal, book, candles, or whatever at the ready on your nightstand, says Dr. Stern. This way, you’ll be more inclined to wake up and do your activities rather than go back to sleep or scroll. If you want to have a relaxing breakfast-in-bed moment, make some overnight oats and cold brew so it’s minimal effort.
You can also prep the things you need to get ready so you have more time to lie around. Lay out your outfit for the day, pack your work bag or your lunch, or any of that kind of getting-ready stuff.
Relish in the self-care stuff you don’t normally make time for.
With fast-paced lives and seemingly never-ending demands, it can feel like you have absolutely no time to take care of yourself. Enter, hurkle mf durkle. When you set aside a.m. time to actively practice self-care from the comfort of your bed, that’s a win. But, scrolling on your phone might not be the move. Instead, Dr. Stern recommends things like coloring in a coloring book, doing a crossword puzzle, or journaling. You can even sit up in bed and meditate.
Whatever makes you feel more relaxed counts—even if that’s just staring up at the ceiling. That’s because starting slow can help you emotionally prepare, strategize, and prioritize the day, says Dr. Howes. That’s especially true if your schedule is looking chaotic. “It’s much better to approach life from a calm place than already feeling frantic and behind.” Huzzah!
Wondermind does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a replacement for medical advice. Always consult a qualified health or mental health professional with any questions or concerns about your mental health.
