Mornings are often the most stressful and busiest times of day for many families. You may find yourself rushing to make breakfast for everyone, get children dressed and ready for school or nursery, while trying to get yourself ready for work or the rest of your day, so you may think any acts of self-care are too much of a stretch.
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But self-care doesn’t have to mean indulgent skincare routines or a long soak in the bath; these healthy habits are some of the simplest acts of self-care you can imagine, and even the busiest of mums can make time for these in her morning. Trust us, you’ll soon feel better for it…
Drink a glass of water
Before you go reaching for your morning tea or coffee, drink a pint of water – or better still, a cup of warm water with lemon. This is one of the easiest ways to help you feel hydrated and alert first thing, and it will kickstart your metabolism and aid your digestion much better than your normal caffeine fix.
Eat breakfast
You may think you don’t have time to eat a healthy breakfast in the morning when you’re so busy sorting everyone else out, but there’s a reason why it’s often called the most important meal of the day.
Not only will it provide you with much-needed energy to tackle your to-do list, a healthy breakfast can help balance your blood sugar and allow you to focus better, meaning you can be much more productive than you would be otherwise.
Save time by prepping ahead the evening before where possible; think overnight oats, frittata muffins or yoghurt and fruit pots for easy and nutritious options that you can even eat on the go if you need to.
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Write a To Do list to ease overwhelm
If you’re feeling stressed about a busy day ahead, take a couple of minutes to jot down the key things you need to do, whether it’s in a note on your phone, a productivity app or good old pen and paper.
Getting everything down can help you to feel less overwhelmed, prioritise tasks for the day and set realistic goals, helping to put your mind at ease.
Apply eye cream and a moisturiser with SPF
Some days even brushing your hair can feel like a stretch when you’re rushing out the door, but one quick step in your routine you shouldn’t skip is moisturising your face and applying SPF.
Tap some eye cream around your eyes and brow bone with your ring finger, and follow up with a moisturiser on your face, neck and décolletage. Not only will it instantly refresh you and hydrate tired skin, but in the long term it may also help to prevent the first signs of ageing.
Meanwhile, SPF is a must even on cloudy days, as harmful UV rays can still penetrate and damage your skin. You can often find moisturisers and foundations with added SPF, but we recommend using at least factor 30 or 50+ where possible.
CeraVe Facial Moisturising Lotion SPF50, £15, Amazon
CeraVe facial moisturising lotion has factor 50 UVA and UVB protection, a non-greasy formulation and five-star reviews on Amazon. Best of all, it’s only £15, making it a budget-friendly addition to your morning routine.
Take a mindful moment
If you’re prone to feeling stressed and anxious in the mornings, take even one minute to just be still and mindful, focus on taking deep breaths and check-in on how you’re feeling and why.
Benefits of deep breathing include reducing stress and lowering the harmful impact of cortisol on your body, helping to lower your heart rate, and thus supporting your immune system. It’ll get you back on track and mentally prepared for whatever you have on that day.
What is the one healthy habit you can’t live without?
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