21 Guilty Pleasures We Refuse to Stop Indulging In

A guilty pleasure is something that you enjoy doing, even though it may be embarrassing, taboo or even shameful for you to admit it. This could be anything from grabbing another slice of cake when you know you shouldn't, to renting a cheesy rom-com and ordering takeout on a weeknight.

One scholar of gender studies, Dr. Sami Schalk, suggests that women and other marginalized groups be careful not to attach negative connotations to pleasure -- particularly since they may be associating guilt with pleasure as an outcome of historically having been denied pleasure. 

As a community that is centered on helping women achieve their career goals, it may seem counterintuitive to discuss guilty pleasures. But having emotional and intellectual release valves are important for productivity, balanced living and can help relieve stress during difficult times. To maintain a sustainable lifestyle compatible with a demanding job, here is a compilation of so-called guilty pleasures our community have shared that feel way too good to give up — and also help provide some important mental breaks!

1. Dancing like no one's watching.

Call it "risky business" if you will, but there's nothing like cranking up the volume on a good Kelly Clarkson song and getting your groove on. Grab your hairbrush, hike up your socks and dance like no one's watching... even if they are. Certain music can especially help set a calm tone for those who work at home or have a tedious, repetitive task at hand to complete.

2. Creeping on Facebook or Instagram.

Maybe you've found yourself scrolling through your social media feeds during small breaks at home or work? Or, you clicked through one page, then another, and another until you ended up on... Asahd Khaled's Instagram account? Either way, you're not alone! A lot of us are right there with you. Think of it this way: you are staying informed about your social and professional network. Social media is a way to stay in-the-know.

3. Sleeping in. 

4. Binge-watching reality TV shows.

5. Reading novels for pleasure.

You're not the only one who owns a copy of "Fifty Shades of Grey." If romantic (or even, erotic) novels are your guilty pleasure, then we encourage you to continue flipping through. Not everything you read has to help you become more productive, efficient or communicate more effectively. Don’t be embarrassed!

6. Eating dessert before dinner — or whenever.

7. Ordering takeout when you simply don't feel like cooking.

You're laid up on the couch beneath your heated blanket while Netflix is counting down to the next episode, so you can't possibly be bothered with making your own food. Grab that takeout menu and make the call — your tummy will thank you... though, maybe not your wallet. Outsourcing cooking and cleaning is often advice given to busy working professionals. While it’s not something we can afford to do every day, with the proliferation of delivery food apps, it shouldn’t be something we only save for special occasions. Time is money, too!

8. Eating food out of the jar, or drinking beverage out of the carton.

9. Playing games on your computer, phone or video device.

10. Keeping up with celebrity feuds.

12. Taking selfie after selfie until you get the perfect one.

13. Singing along to the music in your car.

14. Sewing, knitting and croqueting, alike.

You can also do this while listening to podcasts or watching training videos at work. Just sayin’.

15. Daydreaming or fantasizing.

16. Working in bed.

You know the sleep experts say that you should create a dedicated space to work in and that working in bed can make it more difficult to fall asleep there. But sometimes there is just nothing like lying against your pillow cushions and propping that laptop up on a pillow. Just don’t do it with your manager or a client with the video on if it’s too obvious!.

17. Falling asleep during a concert or movie. 

While fewer people may be going to the movies today, there is still a lot of pleasure to take in falling asleep to something playing in the background. It may be less of a guilty pleasure to fall asleep on your couch rather than in the cushioned seats, air-conditioned spaces of a public theater but sleep is so important, who cares where you do it?

18. Borrowing the mini soaps and shampoos from hotels... with no intentions of returning them.

Among many great things hotels have to offer, the mini soaps, shampoos and conditioners are some of them. Some of us are probably guilty of grabbing some of these bottles for ourselves, but if you want to relieve the guilt, convince yourself you're getting what you paid for! (Or that your company has picked up the tab on your business trip and wants to make sure you make the most of it.)

19. Make believe apartment hunting.

Again, the theme is figuring out how to relieve your stress and reduce it to manageable levels. No guilt about feeling better, please!

20. Whining or complaining.

21. Buying flowers for yourself.

This article reflects the views of the author and not necessarily those of Fairygodboss.

Stephanie Nieves was previously a SEO & Editorial Associate on the Fairygodboss team. Her words can also be found on Medium, PayScale and The Muse.

What’s your no. 1 suggestion for how to unwind from work or exercise some self-care? Leave your answer in the comments to help other Fairygodboss members!