If you’re anything like me, then the new school year will bring a ‘reset’ mindset. It was deeply ingrained back from when I was at school that September was a fresh start, and before I could shake it from my system, I had kids (in my 20’s). Now, September will forever be the time to have an overhaul and do better.
Self care is actually something I really enjoy. In fact, it’s a hobby at this point. I love buying products to help me take care of myself. I love using what I’ve go to build new routines and I love to take time to notice how these improvements are paying off.
Since it’s September again, and I’m a year on from making some significant changes to my health, I thought I’d share what I like to do (and what has stuck).
Skincare Routine
A skincare routine is perhaps the favourite routine I’ve started. I don’t use the same products over and over again because I enjoy trying new products on the market. I won’t always get on with what I buy, but do have a few favourite brands that I keep coming back to – including Mario Badescu (pictured), Dermalogica, and a lot of L’Oreal products wow me these days.
So, if you’re not loyal to any products, how on earth are you maintaining a skincare routine? I hear you ask. Don’t worry, I’m not insane, I follow the same structure and swap in and out products to suit my fancy (or the time of year).
Currently, my morning routine consists of a gentle cleanser, a hydrating serum and a moisturiser. If I’m leaving the house, I add SPF but otherwise I leave that as the last step before I put on makeup.
My evening skincare routine involves a bit more experimenting. I always, always take of my makeup, then double cleanse. If I’m feeling sleeping I’ll just jump straight to a serum and a moisturiser. If I want to be exciting, this is where I try new products I don’t yet know where to fit in my routine, I’ll also do face masks, and red light therapy.
The routines themselves are simple and I can sub in different products without a headache, but by getting into this routine, I’ve noticed how much better my skin is.
Good Sleep
I feel like recommending good sleep sounds insane, especially as so many people have trouble with sleeping that they can’t control. I’ve never had trouble getting to sleep, but if I’m not careful, I can stay up way into night just scrolling on my phone.
For the past year, I have been taking supplements at night that help get me off to bed. I take Magnesium and sometimes I take Melatonin. These together are meant to be excellent for a restful night’s sleep and I have found they give me that cosy, sleepy feeling and help me drift off.
This feeling I get helps me to stay on top of my bedtime routine. If I take the supplements about 8:30/9:00, then by 10 I’m desperate to get to bed and 10:30 is my cue to stop scrolling because my eyelids start to feel heavy. I then get a very restful 8ish hours and I tend to wake up naturally about 10 minutes before my alarm.
Natural Deodorant
It probably doesn’t count as a routine item in its own right, but I wear deodorant every day, so it’s technically a routine.
I’ve made the switch to natural deodorant because I couldn’t really tell if the people who say how bad normal deodorant is are onto something or if they’re nuts. Either way, I’ve decided it’s not worth the risk and have switched things up.
I also feel pretty proud at how good for the environment these natural deodorants are with their reusable cases – so even if I’m not making a difference to my health, I’m doing some good somewhere. It’s little things like this that keep my mood up.
Plan Low-Effort Meals
I’ve got 5 mouths to feed (including my own) and I’m a very lazy person. I can cook well but I don’t really enjoy it and would buy a takeaway every day if my bank account permitted.
I’ve changed my mindset so I’m not chasing impressive, high effort meals. It doesn’t matter if you’re repeating meals and it doesn’t matter if they’re not mega healthy. Everyone just needs to eat a meal that they enjoy. It doesn’t even need to be someone’s favourite – it just needs to fill a belly.
So now it’s autumn and I can bear to eat warm and nourishing things again, I try and use my slow cooker at least once per week. Also, don’t underestimate the power of serving up various roast meat or fish alongside a little bit of veg and a carb in the form of rice or potatoes. This opens up so many doors of possibilities, but you won’t be forced to spend hours prepping.
Just have a few easy feeds up your sleeve and buy enough food in the weekly shop to throw them together.
Getting Up Earlier
Don’t worry, I’m not suggesting getting up at some obscene time to “jumpstart the day” (or whatever motivated people say). But if you jusy get yourself and everyone else up about 20 minutes earlier than usual every day, the morning school routine is less of a rush and so much less stress all round.
If the kids are going to mess about instead of getting ready – don’t worry, you’ve got time. If everyone is ready well before it’s time to leave – congratulations! You’ve earned a bit of time to unwind before we set off!
To Sum Up
So, I’ve actually been living these routines since last September and I’ve also managed to lose 7 stone while doing them too, which is no mean feat. Having a vague sense of what you need for a basic level of your own self-care is a great place to start. Find out what works for you then make sure you do it. Don’t overcomplicate it and you’ll feel a lot better when it all starts to work out.