Give responsibilities the crust-off (Picture: Getty)
You know those days where all semblance of civilisation goes out the window, where you don’t shower, cook, clean or do anything that might be considered productive?
Not only has a name been coined for them, they’re now being hailed as a necessary part of life for introverts.
TikTok creator Avery Brynn posted a video earlier this month popularising the term ‘crust day’.
‘Besties, something the Outside People simply never understand is the importance of a crust day to us introverts,’ she said.
‘If I don’t have one day a week to fully rot, really do some decaying, I’ll panic. Literally, I need at least four hours of carcass time to function. I’m a better person when comatose.’
Although Avery didn’t expand on the theory initially, thousands of commenters related to the need for regular hibernation.
‘If I do not get a crust day to rot, I simply will not survive another week,’ wrote one person, while another said: ‘My entire existence just made sense because of this TikTok.’
Essentially, a crust day is when you check out of life and all its trappings, living in squalor and doing as little as possible while you recharge your social battery.
Many of us – not just those who consider themselves introverts – feel drained after being around people for long periods, so taking time alone can be beneficial when you’re schedule is manic.
A crust day can also help you prepare for a busy week, offering you respite from the pressure of work and ensuring you’re at your best when you need to be.
Avery later explained that ‘behind every successful Monday is a solid Sunday afternoon crust,’ adding: ‘You get two crust days a week and Sunday afternoon is one of them.’
Some claimed they call it rot time or lizard time, with others likening it to the goblin mode and rat girl summer trends we’ve seen recently.
Where in the past we may have strived for meticulously-curated Instagram posts and Marie Kondo-worthy homes, it appears the tide is turning.
Crust days, like these other post-pandemic lifestyle crazes such as deinfluencing, are all about pushing back on unrealistic ideals of perfection and embracing the parts of ourselves that are lazy, selfish and sometimes downright disgusting.
According to a global study by Deloitte, the majority of working women are more stressed than they were a year ago, with 46% of those surveyed saying they feel burned out.
It’s no wonder, then, that we’re looking for ways to get off the never-ending treadmill of responsibilities – even if just for a few hours.
Rather than feeling guilty about crust days, think of them as self-care done your way.
Given burnout, mental ill health and work-related stress is now estimated to cost the economy £28 billion per year, going full crust and coming back refreshed is actually pretty sensible.