6 Ways To Elevate Your Everyday During Turbulent Times

Spring has never been sweeter, as lockdown begins to ease in the UK

 

Basking in the sunshine with friends in our garden has been such a blessing after being stuck indoors all winter. Whilst I was able to dedicate time to growing the business and focus on the house, it’s safe to say I was missing normality. It definitely felt like all work and no play, as the days rolled into one.

I started to find ways to elevate my every day during the harshest months of lockdown, and now restrictions are easing, these are habits I’m taking into my new normal. Some of these I was already doing, but now I’m going into my day with a sense of mindfulness, which has reduced my anxiety and lifted my mood.

Join the 5am club

Whenever I find myself in a rut I force myself to get up earlier than I usually would. Somehow I feel more motivated when it’s still dark outside. There’s something about knowing that everyone is sleeping and feeling like you can a time advantage, that encourages me to get more work done.

The beauty of waking up this early is that you can really take your time, read a chapter of your book in bed, enjoy a cup of herbal tea, have a short meditation session, and you’re still ready to start working 3-hours ahead of your peers. Truthfully, I haven’t done this in a while, so I’m getting back into the swing of things.

 

Set some goals

Setting your intentions for the day is one of the best ways to get organised and motivated, but go one step further and prepare a list of future goals. I’m always adding new lists of things to do, and it’s so important to note, my to-do lists are not just work-related.

I carve out time and set goals for personal objectives, as well as professional ones. This means I’m placing just as much emphasis on growing my own happiness, as I am on growing my business. Something might spring into my mind that I want to do and I’ll make sure I write it down so it doesn’t get forgotten. I recently signed up for a ceramics course and my next project is building a wormery.

Random acts of kindness

Nothing makes me feel better than when I’m helping someone else. My anxious mind seems to just wash away when I’m helping other people, no matter what capacity it’s in. I try and incorporate random acts of kindness into my every day to show the people that mean the most to me, that I love them, but also to (hopefully) make the world a better place.

There are hundreds of ways you can do it, with loads of great ideas online. Whether it’s bringing your husband breakfast in bed, sending someone a little handwritten letter in the post, or giving someone a compliment, all these little acts of kindness is a lovely way to elevate your mood.

 

Don’t save the ‘special’ stuff

Do you have perfume sitting in your cabinet that you barely use? Or jewellery that you only wear on special occasions? Stop that behaviour, now. I ended up throwing away a ton of unused face masks the other day because they had all expired because I was saving them.

It felt like such a waste chucking them in the bin, but also, I’m gutted that I never got to use them. Why do we have these lovely things that make us happy, if we’re not using them? I slather my skin in quality face serums every morning, I wear my favourite jewellery every day, and put on a silk negligee every night, and I honestly feel like a million dollars.

Sixteen Bellis Daisy Chain (right) c/o Daisy Jewellery. Shop women’s bracelets here

 

Have a digital detox

As a business owner, there’s no bigger treat than disconnecting from the internet. I use my phone and my laptop mostly for work, so when I can have a break from it, I always feel so much better. Whilst I still use social media (and having a presence is important for my work), I find it doesn’t fuel me the way it used to.

Instagram gives me more anxiety than pleasure, and Facebook doesn’t grab my attention anymore. I now check my social media channels about once a day now and I find I’m far happier dedicating my time to reading a book or talking to friends, instead of scrolling through feed and feeling overwhelmed by content.

 

Cook up something new

Nothing screams “you’re in a rut” more, than eating the same thing for dinner every night. We all have our go-to meals that are quick and easy to make, but switching it up a gear can really boost your mood. Try and find a new recipe once a week, and experiment with different ingredients.

This way, it’s not too demanding on your time and energy, and you’ll slowly build up a bank of new recipes as you try new things each week. Pick up a recipe book to make life a little easier, too (we’re currently going through this one). If you have a partner, you can even take it in turns cooking for each other – also surprising your OH by making a special homemade dessert can always double up as one of your random acts of kindness, too.

---

What are your tips for elevating your everyday? ✨