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I thought we had got to a point where we weren’t talking about diets and ‘smashing it’ it in the new year but this year my feed was full of it, so much so I just had to not scroll for a bit. I was one of those people: every year I was going to be a better person. Slimmer, more dedicated, reach my lifetime goals and then February would arrive, life had got in the way and I’d carry the guilt through to the next January when the cycle would start again.

I gave up diets years ago - I dawned on me that I had to make myself ill to stay slim (my periods stopped both times I dropped a lot of weight) and a healthy approach to food came from acceptance of myself and unlearning societal bullsh*t (it’s a work in progress). But this post isn’t about toxic diet culture (oh, I could get on my soapbox about that), it’s about creating change in your life that is meaningful. And you don’t need January to do that.

But I do love this time of year for checking in with goals, starting a new planner and thinking about what’s working, what’s not, what to let go of and what to introduce more of. For me this time of year is all about figuring out which habits I want to bring in and which I need to say goodbye to. It’s not about big changes and going hard, it’s about a review and tweaking things to work better for you.

Perhaps you’ve been trying to do artists pages every morning but kids, the dog, work emergencies get in the way. Or perhaps you planned to go to the gym three times a week and just couldn't manage it on top of caring for parents and working extra hours to meet rising costs. That’s absolutely understandable and now is not the time to berate yourself and try and force these unrealistic expectations of yourself.

We know that, more than ever, our self care (as cringy as the term is now) is highly important, for us and those around us. And we know that our planet needs saving and we want to do our bit. But pressuring ourselves into unsustainable lifestyles isn’t going to help.

So it’s mid January now and no doubt you’re over the novelty of going hard or perhaps you just haven’t been able to start, putting it off until the next week. So I’m publishing this post now because instead, perhaps it’s a time for a review of habits. And maybe there is another way than going all out. The concept of small habits isn’t a new or groundbreaking one but it is an effective one and it was while doing a 25 min workout in my lounge that it came to me to write this post with some of the things that help me be consistent with the things I want to achieve.

It’s also about prioritising habits - is journaling or exercise more important to me in the mornings? I know with ADHD if I don’t move my body I’ll have an unproductive day so for me, that is my priority.

James Clear talks about habit stacking in his book ‘Atomic Habits’, where you introduce habits into time that you already spend doing another habit, maybe a habit you don’t realise you do like making a pour through coffee every morning or a walk to the sandwich shop every lunchtime. He also talks about creating the space for your habits so figuring out a space where you can workout, do yoga or picking a chair that you want to journal in.

Another must for me has been to use planner systems. I’ve used so many over the years and have always found BestSelf to be the best physical planner system but I’ve now moved to Haus of Planner on the iPad (using Goodnotes) - I love it because it has a gratitude journal and meal planner combined among other things.

So below are some of the ways I’ve built habits (slowly and over the years) into my days as a dog owner, busy freelancer and chief procrastinator.

Fitness

We know moving our body makes us feel good and we all know the importance of it for our mental health and well-being. We all have variations of what we can do: some have full mobility and others of us have reduced or very limited mobility. And then there’s the should. Knowing that we should creates a constant battle and resentment. Instead we need to reframe our approach to exercise and find a way where we enjoy it and it doesn't dominate our days.

I see this as a two pronged approach - finding the exercise that makes us feel good and is appropriate for our ability and our stage in life. And then finding a way that you can fit it in and make it fun.

I know, as I enter peri menopause, that I need to concentrate on strengthening my body. And I also know I have an unpredictable schedule that often means I’m not in the same location. I also know that going to the gym does not work for me, I get incredibly bored of the same routine, I hate the atmosphere of gyms and the team coming over assuming that I am there to lose weight and I have no idea what I’m doing. I also often find the time getting to and from gym unrealistic to fit into my busy days.

So the first port of call is to really think about what exercise you love to do - maybe it’s dance or perhaps you love the discipline of a HIIT class. And also, is this appropriate for where you are? If you are recovering from an injury or you are a little bit creaky and rusty is jumping around and endless burpees being kind to your body? If not, perhaps it’s a better idea to do some pilates for now - never let anyone tell you that pilates is easy, it builds strength like no other exercise and lays an excellent foundation for stability if and when you introduce in other types of exercise.

Back in 2020 I joined FIIT and it has been a game changer. It’s an app that is full of brilliant classes from top trainers from all walks of life. So whether it be a strength session with Nez Daly (my fave), a gruelling pilates session with Sorel Carradine or a restorative yoga class with Cat Meffan - I just throw down my mat and get on with it. And I love I can connect my TV and have my own personal gym at home. I know that for me, any challenging exercise needs to be done in the morning otherwise I spend the day talking myself out of it so I just commit to 25 mins every morning I’m not shooting after the dog walk and before breakfast. The yoga is a different matter, I often do a session in the evening to wind down and love it. There are other apps out there so find what works for you but I love FIIT because of the variety of instructors and how you can filter classes. Classes come in either 10, 25, 40 or 60 mins so there really is something for every workload. Check FIIT out here.

While having FIIT has allowed me to cancel my gym membership I do love a weekly group class and I know some people have to have the dynamic of a group to be able to exercise. I have a Classpass membership - an app that allows you to buy a certain amount of credits every month to attend local studios and gyms at a reduced price. A lower tier allows me a class at my favourite spin studio every week. I wouldn’t be able to afford to go to this studio otherwise so it’s a great solution and a variable add on that I can pause if I’m having a tight month with money.

Nutrition.

Food planning has so many benefits - it’s a great way to plan to make sure you are getting certain food groups in as well as being more aware of sugar consumption - but it is also a sure fire way to save money and help our planet too. It eliminates food waste, use of extra fuel and your time to ‘just pick up a few bits’ and reduces your temptation to order food delivery.

It always feels like a bit of a boring task but actually, once you sit down to do it it takes minutes and is really inspiring. I try and do this every Sunday morning because I like to make myself a coffee, surround myself with my favourite cookbooks and plan the week. I then make a list of what I need to buy and do an Ocado or Sainsbury’s order for the pantry bits (I can usually get a delivery for early Monday morning) and head to my local farm shop after a nice long walk with Monty for the fresh stuff. It’s such a lovely way to spend a Sunday.

If you feel like you would love to understand a little more about your eating and what your body but don’t have the budget to see a nutritional therapist might be needing I wholeheartedly recommend a mini consultation with Wild Nutrition. They offer free 15 minute consultations with highly experienced nutritional therapists (some of whom were my lecturers when I studied nutrition 10 years ago!) or detailed consultations for £45. They gifted me one just before Christmas and despite my existing knowledge I learned so much and it really helped me see the wood for the trees.

And do yourself a favour and download Waterlogged (iOS only) - it’s a brilliant, simple app that helps you drink enough water. I thought I was drinking enough but during the first few days of using this app I realised I was probably only drinking a litre a day. It’s now a month on and I still find this app so helpful and my skin, focus and general health is so much better for it.

Sleep.

While technology can be a driver in us not getting enough sleep we can also utilise it to help us sleep more. I highly recommend turning on your app limits - I have everything grey out except emergency contacts at 9pm every evening, meaning I’m not pulled into WhatsApp back and forths or doom scrolling until I realise I’ve been sat there for hours and my anxiety is through the roof. It may seem a bit unsocial but friends will learn that if they want a response from you they need to message earlier than 9pm and you can get back to any messages the next day. It will also help you use social media in a healthier way.

Make a deal with yourself that you’ll only watch a film if you turn it on before 7pm. Aim to have all screens off at 9pm. You can also use the Sleep function on your phone by setting a sleep schedule. Your phone will remind you when you need to go to bed.

Create a routine for going to bed - drop some essential oils onto your pillow or get your electric diffuser going. Have some lovely music on. Make a sleepy tea. Fill a hot water bottle. Treat yourself to a new pillow. Make it as delicious and enjoyable as possible.

Wellness.

We are all told we need to take time for wellbeing and self care but a lot of don’t actually know what our version of selfceare is. I want to detail a little bit about how I came to prioritise different things for my self care in the hope that it in turns insures you to find your version.

Some people love a skincare routine or a bath. Some love to meditate. Some it’s yoga. For me, without a doubt, the most powerful practices are money management and journaling.

Money has long been a huge source of anxiety for me so breaking the head in the sand response to it has been massive and has changed me and my mental health in so many ways. It was the root cause of so many issues including impulse spending and splurges and a general feeling of instability. So I schedule in an hour every week to check in with money and then once a month do a more in depth check in.

For me, I love an evening in, perhaps a bit too much. And this might be anything from a bath to a film with some essential oils blowing out of a diffuser. But I’ve found what’s most effective for me is breath work - it has a noticeable effect on my mood, aches and pains and sense of self. I use either FIIT or the Feel Better app (the sessions with Breathe With James are just 👌🏼). Again, it’s finding something that works for you and I love closing up my book, turning off the light and laying back enjoying a little centring.

Journaling for me doesn't happen in the morning. It would be the optimal time to journal but on top of a dog walk, a workout and nourishing myself I just can’t commit to that time of day. So I do it when I can - some days I need to move past a work block so will walk to a coffee shop and thrash it out for a bit or some evenings I need to offload so do it before bed. But the key is that I accepted it just wasn't going to happen in the mornings and moved on from the idea. Accepting it made it happen elsewhere in the day instead of trying to find the time in the morning and always feeling guilty I couldn't.

Being kinder to the planet and yourself.

In this pivotal time we all know we need to do our bit. But ‘going sustainable’ can feel overwhelming with bills going up and time dwindling. However there are a few easy swaps you make that are a great start.

Cleaning products are incredibly damaging to the planet and they’re not great for you too. Additionally, the packaging often can’t be recycled because of the contents. Have a search online for eco friendly subscription services for non toxic cleaning products and it will be kinder on your time too. I get my cleaning products and shampoos on refill from Milk & More and then also love Spruce but there are a whole host of excellent cleaning products out there now.

Likewise with skincare and deodorant (currently coveting AKT - get £5 off here) - there are now a wealth of planet friendlier brands on the market. Watch out for greenwashing - you can do a web search on a brand and you should see the truth soon enough. Otherwise opt for the Beagle button, an incredibly helpful plug in that will help you make better decisions.

Get on the Vinted train - I bought some of my most favourite ever items of clothing from Vinted last year and it’s been so easy on my pocket. Also, get selling your own stuff, having a good clear out and sell session will actually have the knock on effect of you wanting to buy less too. Go for a good variety of photos in good light - a full length, some crops in and you wearing it in the mirror selfie 🤳🏻 I use my iphone which makes it quick and easy. Then instead of uploading in one big batch aim to upload a few every week (I usually do Sunday pm) which keeps everything bumped and visible and your profile fresh. Be really descriptive - detail if it’s stretchy/loose/oversized/tight and what it can be worn with (inspire them on the investment and how it can multi seasonal) and always add in bust measurements. Spot of being yourself helps too! Finally, good, upbeat communication with buyers (when you’ll be posting on buying and when you’ve sent it) will get you great reviews, just be yourself.

And if you really want to make an impactful change in minutes, cancel your Amazon Prime right now. I’ve been without it for a year and I promise you, you can live without it! You can find so much online now and if you really need to buy another LED light try your local hardware shop or find an independent who sells online - supporting ethical businesses is worth an extra pound and waiting a few more days.

In summary.

I hope this post has been useful. If you have any questions just drop a comment below!

write a list of habits you’d like to introduce over the coming months
order them in priority
assign a time of day and physical place for them
use a planner or diary to help you make the habit stick
try and introduce in a habit at a time
stack new habits onto old ones - for example: if you want to meditate in the morning do it before your morning coffee ritual
create a spot for certain habits - so decide where you will sit to journal or lean your yoga mat up against the wall where you intend to practice
keep things realistic
use reminders or physical places to help you remember certain things (like your supplements or meds)

I hope this post has been useful. If you have any questions just drop a comment below!