Self-Care by Claire Chamberlain | Mindful Living Gift Book

Some books are meant to be read. This one is meant to be opened at random on a flat evening and closed again five minutes later, slightly improved.

Claire Chamberlain's Self-Care is a soothing collection of quick, achievable ideas for looking after your mind, body and soul. The suggestions run from the invigorating, such as a brisk walk or a properly good meal, to the deliberately slow, like a face mask and a long soak with the phone in another room. Alongside them sit inspiring words to sit with when you need them. Chamberlain writes on health, fitness and wellbeing professionally, and the advice reflects that: nothing here is out of reach on a Tuesday. It reads well next to Shine: 20 Secrets to a Happy Life. Do I need to read it in order?

Not at all. It is built to be dipped into. Open it anywhere, pick one idea, and put it down again. That is the entire method. What does it look like?

A 160-page hardback at roughly 114 x 156mm, with a soft textured white cover and delicate watercolour botanicals throughout. It photographs beautifully, which is part of why it has done so well as a gift book.

It suits a friend who is stretched thin, a colleague leaving on parental leave, or anyone who needs permission to slow down without being lectured about it. Tuck it into a hamper with a candle and a hand cream, or our Gift Ideas for Her edit for something to sit alongside it. Why You'll Love It

- Quick, genuinely doable ideas rather than a routine to maintain
- Designed for dipping into on the days you need it most
- Soft watercolour illustrations throughout the 160 pages
- A generous small gift at an easy price point
- Gentle tone that never tips into preaching Where It Lives Best

Bedside table, bathroom shelf, or the corner of a desk. The pale textured cover works against warm timber and linen, and it stacks neatly with other small hardbacks. In a guest room it makes a thoughtful welcome next to a water carafe. For a larger companion title, look at Calm by Sally Denning. What it comes down to

Self-Care by Claire Chamberlain is a 160-page hardback from Summersdale filled with quick self-care tips and inspiring words, from invigorating walks and good food to face masks and hot soaks. Illustrated with soft watercolour botanicals, it is a well-priced wellbeing gift book available from Flux Boutique in Mount Maunganui with New Zealand-wide shipping.