In the past ten or so years, as wellness has taken a leading role in my life, I’ve managed to establish a rhythm to my practices. These have become second nature. So although I am busy and often attending to all manner of tasks – meetings, flights, photoshoots and events in a single day – I can enjoy what I do because my wellness is taken care of first and foremost. It means I can unwind properly and swiftly, knowing I have the systems in place to take care of my wellness.

 

I prefer to thrive than just survive life’s challenges, so I keep my spiritual ‘thrival’ kit of sorts handy. This kit can help with sleepless nights, focus, fatigue and lack of inspiration. I save time with these practices because they create the mental space necessary to recentre and focus on what matters.

 

Want to get wellness into a busy life? Here are my time-saving, quick-fix wellness wins.

 

Take the (cold) plunge – or just splash your face

Feeling anxious and need to get in the zone before a meeting? Splash some cold water on your face and pulse points, do a quick cold plunge or – should you happen to be near one – an ocean dip. Something as simple as splashing water on your face induces what’s called a ‘diving reflex’ or ‘cold shock response’, which is healing for your vagus nerve.

 

Or take a few sips of water – this helps with mindfulness, as a moment of pause, while activating the parasympathetic nervous system.

 

Walk barefoot

Grounding improves mood, eases stress and anxiety and improves sleep quality. When I’m travelling, the first thing I like to do upon arrival at my destination is find a park or a beach to walk barefoot or sit under a tree for half an hour.

 

Keep a foot roller under your desk

On the subject of grounding, try a wooden foot roller such as Theraflex Reflexology Roller for some indoor foot stimulation. I like to use mine under my desk.

 

Only time for one yoga pose? Try this one

Another favourite of mine is the legs-up-the-wall pose. This can be done anywhere, any time and it activates the parasympathetic nervous system, is helps lymphatic drainage, boosts the immune system and relieves muscles.

 

Take a breath break

Breathwork and meditation are also in my kit. When I have something to do that requires focus, I’ll stop, and breathe (box breathing or kriya breathing - a type of controlled breathing that harmonizes the body, mind and emotions) listen. Then, once I’m coming from a place of calm, I’ll choose what action to take on it then do it.

 

Make a song and dance

Another quick, state-altering, time-saving practice that works for me is singing and dancing. I often have music playing in the house, so I’ll be inspired by whatever is featuring on my playlist, turn it up and go for it! It could be the Beatles, it could be Blues.

 

10 minutes on a rebounder

I use my Plunge Rebounder as a quick, effective way to squeeze in a workout. A NASA study from the 1980s found ten minutes on a rebounder to be equivalent to 30 minutes running! That, and the fact it’s helpful for bone density, the pelvic floor and phenomenal for the lymphatic system makes a rebounder hard to beat when it comes to time efficiency.

 

5-minute manifesting before bed

When winding down of an evening, a surefire way to fall to sleep (and cultivate your very best next day) is to use the last five minutes wisely. The five minutes before sleep fuel your subconscious and dream state so I make sure I visualize what I want for myself - the highest, most vibrant, joy-filled, fulfilling experiences - and for the highest good for all.

I’m extremely disciplined so I won’t allow fears, worries or problem-solving to interrupt this precious time. This helps me drift into a restful and regenerative supportive sleep. And as all mothers know, a proper sleep is the best time-saver on earth!

 

Avoid grabbing your phone the moment you wake up

The same applies for the morning after. The next day, in those quiet first five minutes after waking, I send love and inspiration to all beings, myself included, hands on heart and smiling. I also find waiting for as long as possible to reach for my phone helps me wake up purposefully and begin the things that are a priority for me. This saves time as I’m not distracted by work or other interruptions before I’m ready to address them.

 

Read the rest of our founder’s column over atGet the Gloss.