… Or a stressful LFW!
You’ve been in overdrive for days on end – juggling deadlines, an endless to do list, etc etc or perhaps you’ve been at London Fashion Week, trying to make it to as many shows as possible while creating content on the go. Your mind is racing and you’re craving just 30 minutes of downtown but when you finally get home, it’s impossible to switch off. You’re stuck in monkey brain mode!
If you find yourself surrounding yourself with loved ones but you’re not really present, it might be as a result of your mind ticking things over – thinking about that to do list and what job you need to do neck. Thankfully you’re not alone – and our body and mind actually finds it tricky to navigate from all the hustle and bustle of a busy day and then suddenly go into chill out mode. So, we have to train our minds to relax.
Personally – I’m a perfectionist. I am always striving for perfection and there’s always more work I could get done. I struggle to switch off and as I put my everything into my work, it’s only natural that I can’t help but check my site, my video comments, emails, stats and social media every spare second of the day. On the final day of LFW though, I made a conscious decision to give myself a break – to enjoy the day and not pile on the pressure to create lots of content. I took Dexter along with me (and my mum too – watch the vlog here) and spent the day caring for myself, and enjoying the moment.
Most days though, I have to train myself to switch off; here are a few of my favourite ways to unwind – as recently put to the test after the more hectic days at fashion week!
Wrap It Up
Before you head out the office or close up your laptop for the day, take five minutes to tie up any loose ends on your to do lists or in your inbox. By doing this, you’ll stop your brain from thinking about all the things you need to do – keeping you awake at night thinking about tasks you need to finish or small tasks that could easily have been completed before you finished up.
Create a Relaxing Ritual to train your mind and body to switch off.
Sadly, the usual screen time before bed is most definitely not good for our stress levels. Just as children love bedtime rituals to help children learn to settle down, relaxation rituals can help us to unwind in the evenings too. There are so many ways that you can train your brain to switch off, ranging from a simple trigger such as a cup of herbal tea, to a meditation, warm bath, or mini pamper evening.
The most important thing is that you practise your routine regularly – the more wired you are at the end of the day, the more you’ll need your ritual.
Spend Time with Animals
Even just a few minutes of cuddling and love with a pet can instantly take the edge off a stressful day – I find it hard to be upset or frazzled when cuddling Dexter, that’s for sure! If you can spend time outside with your pet – taking your dog for a walk around a park – then even better, exercise and endorphins are another quick way to zap stress.
Run a Bubble Bath!
Never underestimate the power of a good bath! I absolutely love the precious moments that I steal for myself when in the bath – it’s the ultimate relaxation because I’m forced to just sit down and take time out with no technology, and just think. Or better still, not even think, just breathe. My favourite bubble bath at the moment is Pure Grace from Philosophy – it’s a delicate scent and incredibly bubbly! I like to make a cup of herbal tea, grab a magazine and unwind for as long as possible.
Looking After Yourself
Investing just minutes of your time during the day can help to keep stress levels down so you don’t have that mad panic and continuous monkey brain when you return home from work after a busy day. As you may know from my recent posts and videos, mindfulness and taking the time to sit back and breathe have become essential parts of my daily routine, and I credit these moments out to staying sane throughout the day, as well as keeping my productivity levels high.
Looking after your body is something you should never skip out on, no matter how busy you are. I’ve always struggled with drinking enough water – despite being told that more hydration will help my skin, energy levels, weight control and SO much more. During London Fashion Week though, ironically during the busiest of days when previously I’d go through an entire day without so much as drinking half a glass, I found a solution that I’m hoping will be simple enough to keep my hydrated on a daily basis – keeping a water bottle with me at all times, and a bonus too if it’s pretty & pink!
I picked up a BRITA Fill & Go from The Apartment, and just by having the reusable bottle in my bag, I was prompted to drink from it every time I noticed it. Staying hydrated is so important for our health and wellbeing, both mentally and physically and the BRITA bottle is of course refillable, filtering the water with the MicroDisc inside which cleans around 150 litres of tap water. PLUS it’s better for the environment too – it’s just too easy to pick up a plastic water bottle at lunch time, but the damage these do to the environment can be so easily reduced should more of us choose a reusable bottle.
What I Wore
Pink Jumper by
White Jeans by
Boots by Simmi
Necklace by Ted Baker
Watch by
Bracelet by Ted Baker
Sunglasses by Miu Miu at Sunglass Hut
Clutch by Aspinal
This post is kindly in collaboration with BRITA
xoxo
