When I have a bad day at work I escape the office and buy stuff I don’t need (because buying stuff I need isn’t relaxation, it’s more work). Yesterday was about a 7 on a badness scale of 1-10 so I needed a lengthy spell out of the office and consequently bought four books I don’t need (given I have about 150 scattered around my house or on various devices).

I realised as I shopped that this is something my local book store offers that its online competitors cannot compete with: the calming influence of immediate acquisition. Clicking and waiting for delivery just doesn’t cut it when it comes to retail therapy. Perhaps they should do a leaflet drop to all nearby offices.

My haul included a book each from Denmark, Iceland, Scotland and Sweden. I justify such largesse on the basis that it does the store good to know that people want these books (a fact they may be unaware of given there were four and a half shelves of James Effing Patterson books on display but that, friends is a rant for another day).

What’s your favourite form of bad day therapy? Do you have a favourite justification for buying more books than you need?