While a self-massage may not be able to compete with a trip to a Phuket spa for effectiveness, it might make for a good stopgap if, for any reason, you’re not able to access the services of a professional masseuse. With the techniques described below, you’ll at least be able to take the edge off your stress and muscle stiffness. Fortunately, you don’t require any equipment for these, making them also very budget-friendly.

Head/Scalp

Place the heel of your hands on either side of your head, near your temples and under your hair. Hold for a few seconds and release. Keep doing this all across your scalp. If it’s successful, you should feel refreshed and, having taken your time over it, a bit more relaxed.

Face

Draw little circles along your hairline with your fingertips, then continue along your cheekbones, above your eyebrows and where your jaw connects. Gently rub your ears and earlobes, too. Between them, this should ease the pain from a pending tension headache.

Neck and Shoulders

Drop your shoulders down and tilt your head down so that your chin is on your chest. Press firmly on the back of your neck and shoulders with a few fingers. Hold and release as the muscle begins to feel more relaxed. Roll your shoulders forward and back and repeat the whole process as required. This should ease the aches from slouching in front of your computer all day, at least until you can arrange a trip to a Phuket spa.

Lower Back

Lean back against a wall with a tennis ball in your lower back. You want to press hard enough to squash the ball a bit, but not enough to cause pain. Move your body up, down and to either side to move the ball to the areas of muscle tightness. This one is a little risky because overdoing it could aggravate already irritated tissues. It’s probably better to let a professional handle this sort of pain.

Feet

Thai foot massages are pretty famous, but they’re obviously a little tricky to give yourself. The best you can do, without visiting a Phuket spa, is to roll a tennis ball under each foot, being careful to include the heel, arch and toes. You can get a little more hands-on by sitting with one foot across your other knee and grasping each toe in turn, rotating it a few times in both directions, bending it forward and back and then giving it a gentle tug.