I truly loved the dictionary motif that the author incorporated into the book, while also offering specific details on how to use each technique that she introduced. This made the reading experience unique as well as impactful.

This book is a great overview of all the different self care techniques that you can employ. Each entry describes why the activity can be considered self care, its benefits, and its downsides. This a great place to start if you're feeling burnt out and looking to improve your mental health. There is also a brief section of Further Reading suggestions that I found very helpful for my continuing journey.

This was an interesting book. I thought the information presented was well laid out and flowed well. I really enjoyed reading it and want to try and start implementing some of what I read.

The More Or Less Definitive Guide to Self-Care by Anna Borges is an A-Z listing of a wide variety of different self-care strategies. The book is visually appealing, with illustrations and an easy to read layout. Parts of the book are targeted specifically at people with mental illness, but it would still be relevant to people who don’t have a mental illness.

The author explains that she sees four types of self-care that involve nourishing the body, mind, relationships, and spirit. She makes it clear that self-care is not selfish, an excuse, self-reliance, one-size-fits-all, or a cure. I very much agree!

I found it interesting that the author acknowledged the privilege involved in being able to attend to self-care, as some people don’t have anything to spare beyond their focus on survival. I thought that showed very good insight.

Throughout the book, “their care” sections contain stories from contributors about how they attend to their own self-care.

Some of the strategies suggested are more internally-focused, including recognizing cognitive distortions and practicing radical acceptance. Others relate more to interactions with others, such as maintaining boundaries, saying no, and asking for help.

There are a few suggestions that are a little on the “out there” side, like astrology, crystals, and tarot cards, but they’re presented in a down-to-earth rather than “woo woo” manner.

Speaking of down-to-earth, I liked the author’s comment on medication: “medication isn’t for everyone, but it’s a totally viable option to talk about with your doctor.” Simple and straight to the point.

I enjoyed the suggestion to build your personal blanket fort, as well as the idea of giving your inner voice a name. The example name she tossed out was Donald, which of course made me think of talking to the inner critic as if it was Donald Trump…

At the end of the book, there’s a tree chart suggesting different self-care activities to suit different conditions. Personally I love that kind of thing.

I was impressed with the variety of different self-care strategies suggested. While some were about creating immediate or short-term positives, others might be difficult to do but would have longer-term benefits. There was also a mix of low-effort and high-effort activities. Overall, I thought it was quite well balanced.


I received a reviewer copy of this book from www.netgalley.com.

I have been in various forms of therapy and medical intervention for my mental illness for five years now - and I was unwell for many years before that. I have taken innumerable classes, received every hand-out and info sheet, and read many many self-help books on the subject of mental health. Some of them were directed to my condition specifically, but others were for health-conscious folks of all backgrounds. Sometimes I feel that I have read everything and have seen everything and that nothing will ever again give me that "aha" moment when reading about mental health.

What I find sets this book apart from all others that I have come across is its accessibility and honesty.

I can be very easy in this day of commodified self-care and "treat yo' self" to fool yourself into thinking that every act of indulgence and temporary self-soothing is self-care. While sitting on the couch and having a pint of ice cream can be a self-care experience, mostly it isn't.
What Anna Borges does in this concise and eminently readable volume is to assure the reader that self-care is possible, necessarily inexpensive, and important. Despite her evident command of the subject, there are no absolutes or hard-line answers in this book. Mental health management is like anything else in life: Your Mileage May Vary. She makes this clear, while still providing ideas, options, and perspectives that I believe will be helpful to anyone looking to manage their mental health.

My favourite item in the entire book was the "OK-case Scenarios". I had never heard this term before and I found it really spoke to a need in mental health conversations. So often we vacillate between extremes of "best" and "worst" case scenarios and for someone with emotional regulation issues, it is a blessing to have a middle-ground that isn't a compromise, but rather a "medium-good" place. Excellent read.

**I was given an advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. I received no compensation and my vies and opinions on this title are entirely my own.**

The More or Less Definitive Guide to Self-Care From A to Z by Anna Borges is definitely More. One of those books that will be reread numerous times. I wanted to highlight so many passages while reading the ARC but will have to wait to get the print edition once it is published. Some new ideas and some older ideas but presented with a different spin making them fresh and relevant. The flowchart will prove to be a very useful tool. A very encouraging and uplifting book.
Thank you to The Experiment Publishing, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

My new favorite book recommendation is The More or Less Definitive Guide to Self-Care by Anna Borges. Every page in this book is practically perfect. The layout is easy to read, the personal stories are a lovely touch, and the facts are undeniable. The clarity of how to put the book into practice is amazing, and it covers every type of self care possible. I truly cannot recommend this book enough. Every therapist should have it in their office, every person who wants to show some kindness to their self should just look at any page.

This was such an interesting book to read, with lots of infos and tips (from hobbies to self improvement) and I will definitely use it again in the future (starting now).

I found it very well structured and easy to understand, truly a good guide.

This was just so nice to read. Not only did it give great tips and advice, but the experience of reading it itself was calming and felt like I was giving myself some space to reflect and relax.

I love that this book pours light on how the differences in gender, class, determine what self-care is for an individual. A lot of self-care tips are usually banking on capitalism, making self care a commodity that certain people can’t attain but Anne Borges addresses that.

The More or Less Definitive Guide to Self Care is the type of book that I’d like to read over and over until the pages are bent in my favourite places. I’ve already started some practising some of these tips. This is what a self-help book is supposed to do, it’s supposed to help you help yourself. I’d recommend this book for anyone who’s interested in self-care and doesn’t know where to start, or someone looking for self-care tips that don’t involve buying a candle and a face mask (not that there’s anything wrong with that) it’s all of that and more. Borges talks about how self-care sometimes gets misconstrued and ends up being a negative coping mechanism and how to avoid that.

At some point, I stopped reading this book as a reviewer and started reading it as someone who badly needed it. I haven’t found a self-help book that was actually helpful before, that had helpful actions in them that one could actually undertake. That’s what Anne Borges’ book is. It’s greatly helpful and filled with tangible advice that one can take

The More or Less Definitive Guide to Self-Care reads like having a no-nonsense talk with your big sister on how to deal with life issues. It strips away most of the hard-to-understand scientific mumbo jumbo of psychology and present them into a language that everyone can understand and follow through. I like that there are a varieties of options for the same category, so you can just pick and choose the ones that are suitable for you at a particular moment. This is a must-read for anyone who would like to learn how to incorporate self-care into your everyday life physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Self-care can be (and has been) defined many different ways. Many of the resources I've seen over the course of the last year have all been focusing on the "pampering" aspect of self-care. Things like taking baths, getting a pedicure, etc. I've also seen examples around practicing gratitude, journaling, etc. What's great about this book is that is has both and then so much more. I think it's relatively true to its title in that it's pretty exhaustive.

"The goal of self-care is an ever-morphing target, so concentrate on getting to know yourself and your needs instead of thinking in terms of cures and fixes, solutions and antidotes."

This book doesn't pass judgement on how to define self-care and what's acceptable and what's not. It casts a wide net and gives you so many options that you feel empowered to pick what works for you at different times in your journey.

There are so many awesome ideas in this book that I can't imagine there won't be one that speaks to you. I've read several books and hundreds of articles on self-care in the last few years and there were several new-to-me ideas in this book. Many of which I was excited to try immediately.

If self-care is an area where you're interested in exploring or if it's an area where you've explored for a while and would like fresh ideas, I think you will love this book.

thank you to netgalley and the experiment for an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

The More or Less Definitive Guide to Self Care by Anna Borges was stellar y'all. It was absolutely stellar. Anna Borges is one of the authors of one of my favorite pieces on self care from the internet, so I was really excited to get the chance to do a deep dive into her work on the topic. This is an A to Z index of a variety of self care strategies. What I appreciate is that it keeps things simple. It's a manageable exploration of the topic. The thing about self care is that it can and should be accessible and easy. More than anything, it's about meeting basic needs and finding fulfillment in your day. I loved that this was the tone of the book. Of all the stuff I've read on self care (and I have read a lot), this is the best and most comprehensive review. I love that it wasn't just about one avenue, but this is really a chance to explore what works best for you. This is a great way to learn the what, the how, and the why of a variety of strategies around self care. This one doesn't hit shelves until November (I know, total bummer), but thanks to NetGalley I got a sneak peek! When this does hit shelves, I'll absolutely be purchasing a copy, so I can read, re-read, and re-read some more!

I loved this collection of self care advice! Like the title says, it is pretty much definitive. I loved the variety (and creativity!) of the tips. This is also a very pretty book that would look great on your shelf and make you feel positive and inspired to care for yourself when you see it.

lizabeth W. rated a book it was amazing
The More or Less Definitive Guide to Self-Care by Anna Borges The More or Less Definitive Guide to Self-Care: From A to Z
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The More or Less Definitive Guide to Self-Care by Anna Borges is a great reference book for anyone who is looking to make their mental health a priority. Designed in an accessible A to Z format, it is full of tools, tips, tricks and practices that may make the process of caring for your self easier.

While I was reading it, I was shocked by any of the options- I had heard of almost all of them and practiced many of them, but it was nice to have a reminder of the skills that I've learned in going to therapy and reading about self care strategies. The writing is really encouraging and never didactic. Reading this really feels like reaching out to a wise friend who gives you a lot of possible resources without saying "This is how you solve your problems." The flowchart, FAQ about therapy, and list of other resources in the back add to this books value.

I really enjoyed the accompanying illustrations and highlighted quotes. I plan to purchase this book once it is published to add to my collection of resources related to mental health so I can easily flip through when I need a bit of a boost or guiding hand.

Thanks to The Experiment and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book is perfection! It's basically everything I've heard from trying to read and find ways to implement self-care (and then some) all in one place. I love the layout of the book and think the A-Z was a creative way to share the tips and ideas. The author shares her personal experiences and truly understands what self-care means (and that it can mean different things for different people) which is a great plus. I love how the author included snippets from individuals who share what self-care means to them. This is definitely a book to keep handy when needing a pick me up. Thank you to Netgalley and The Experiment for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

this was a great collection of things to do/think about when you need a bit of 'self care'. i liked all the snippets from other people, i liked the variety of things listed. my favourite one was the Laugh one, i tried it and it totally worked. this is definitely a book i'll re-read snippets of when i feel like i need some self love and don't know where to start. i feel like this list is great, full of actual helpful things, different ideas for different people. there's no one thing that will work for every single person, and i feel like this list has a little something for everyone.