Wellness Rituals for the Modern Woman

By Rippan Sandhu

The modern woman is a master juggler — how could she not be, with a career, children, partner, and social life all up in the air? As much as she does it with grace, she can’t help but feel time-poor and stressed out, with little energy for herself at the end of the day. We feel you — and we’re here to help! This Women’s Day (or as we like to call it: Women’s Month!) we want to help you create simple new rituals that’ll have you sailing through 2020. By creating these handy routines for mental clarification, better sleep, and time management, you’ll avoid the pitfalls of stress, which can often lead to a physical burnout. This Women’s Month, find five minute intervals to celebrate yourself with these easy wellness rituals not only will you look good, but you’ll feel even better!

BE CONSISTENT
Here’s a common story: you’re rushing in the morning to get the kids to school and help your partner find his keys, and by the time you’re out the door yourself, you’re already as tired as if you’ve had a full work day. The key to fighting this early morning frazzle is setting a morning routine that readies your mind for productivity. Ayurveda recommends that you spit out your saliva within five minutes of waking up, scrape your tongue, have a morning detox drink of ginger and lemon, and take several deep breaths to ground you for the day ahead. While the weather is still warm, why not take a few moments to walk barefoot on grass? This little routine should not take more than fifteen minutes, but can make a world of difference. The key is ultimately solitude, you need this time in the morning to check in with yourself: how do you feel? Are you calm, content, grateful? If not, why not? Once you take this time to sort out your own emotions, you’ll feel much less overwhelmed by the emotions of others.

RELAX ON A (TIME) BUDGET
Don’t have time for a bubble bath? We’ve been there! If you want all the relaxation benefits of a bath without the fuss or time of drawing one, the foot soak is your go to! Prized in eastern medicine, the foot soak is an easy way to rejuvenate, destress, and relax. Show some love to your feet for carrying you around all day with a basin of warm to hot water, with some epsom salt added for its grounding and therapeutic power.

REMEMBER TO LAUGH
Life is full of funny moments that we tend to forget in the haze of work and commitments. However, when you’re old and grey, what would you prefer to remember a good presentation at work, or that time you laughed so hard you cried? Research shows that the simple act of writing down three things that made you laugh every day can boost your happiness level and reduce depression. It can be small and mundane but anything that made you smile is worth remembering. And this only takes two minutes!

BE LESS SOCIAL (MEDIA)
You’ve heard this one before! High rates of social media use and digital exposure has been repeatedly linked to insomnia, anxiety, and depression. With so many modern jobs dependent on social media and a constant connection to our devices, you might be finding it impossible to switch off, even if your sleep is cursing you for it. Rather than go cold turkey, simply make a habit of charging your phone away from your bed to reduce the instinct to check your socials first thing in the morning. Additionally, establish a weekly ‘no social media’ day (Sunday, maybe?) to spend with family, friends, or just yourself. You’ll be surprised how much mental clutter you can clear simply by spending 24 hours away from social media!