I’ve been feeling a bit out of my usual safe in the last year. With a new baby, two businesses to manage, never-ending to-do list & home projects that are always in progress, I felt like my own needs and daily choices have been left behind.

Our son just turned 1 year old & somehow in the last few weeks things have been coming back to normal. I haven’t felt this great in ages & I know for sure that some of the habits I add into my routine had a huge impact on this.

Here are 3 simple things that help me feel better about myself and allow me have a more fulfilling routine:

1) Controlling my thoughts. It might be the most obvious discovery ever, but I’ve lately discovered that I am THE ONE in charge of controlling my mind. Funny, right? These days, when I catch myself thinking all of the bad things, I try & change my mind to focus on something that actually gives me joy. Reminding yourself to stop for a moment and taking a deep breath, confronting myself and starting on a fresh note also helps a lot.

2) The power of getting ready. Now I haven’t been in a position where my looks define my success for a while now. Being your own boss means you can literally show up for the day’s work in your pyjamas and no-one will give you crap. As much as I love freedom, I also love feeling confident. Lately, I’ve been discovering the power of putting some effort into getting ready for the day. Now that doesn’t only contain good breakfast or getting that great night’s sleep. To me, it is also important to physically ‘get ready’ for the day. Putting an outfit that makes me feel like myself, even applying minimal makeup or getting my hair done instantly puts me into that go-getter mood. I didn’t really expect that it can make such a huge difference, but I haven’t felt this great about myself in a long, long time.

Try this for yourself, especially if you’re working from home!

3) Cold shower. I can’t really understand where I’ve been before this, but starting my day with an ice-cold shower has been one of the greatest discoveries in my routine. It gives me all the boost of energy I need in the morning. Let me share some of the benefits of taking a cold shower in the morning:

• It increases endorphins. For people with depression, cold showers can work as a kind of gentle electroshock therapy. The cold water sends many electrical impulses to your brain. They jolt your system to increase alertness, clarity, and energy levels. Endorphins, which are sometimes called happiness hormones, are also released. This effect leads to feelings of well-being and optimism.
• It strengthens your immune system. This study found that people who take cold showers are 29% less likely to call in sick for work or school. The researchers also concluded that even if cold shower takers get sick, this habit might make a person’s illness feel less severe, allowing them to continue with their daily activities.
• It boosts your energy levels. I often found myself not needing that cup of coffee after the cold treatment.
• It helps your mind to stay sharp and focussed throughout the day. Cold showers wake your body up, inducing a higher level of focus in your mind . The cold also stimulates you to take deeper breaths, decreasing the level of CO2 throughout the body, helping you concentrate.

Want to try this for yourself? What worked for me is taking things slowly & lowering the temperature at the end of my usual shower. I’ve started with just a few seconds of cold water and built up from there. I haven’t missed a single cold shower in the last four months and are not planning to stop any time soon. Honestly, I’m not sure why I was ever so terrified of trying this.

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With a small kid at home & businesses to run, I know it’s almost impossible for me to achieve a perfect routine. What I can do is find a few habits to follow that make me feel like I have myself together. You don’t necessarily need to try all of these yourself, but if any of these feel like could be the right option for you – go ahead and do it.

What about you tho? Did you find anything in particular that proved to do wonders for your overall well-being?