5 Ways our CEO is Prioritizing Daily Self-Care
Far before “me” time, I enjoy spending meaningful time with my two toddlers, growing Equilibria with our incredible team, and spend time with my husband when we can squeeze in date night. Keeping up with friends, family, civic boards, and trying to maintain a work-life balance… there are truly more demands than hours in the day. As women with busy lives and so much on our plate, often the very last person to receive any nurture is, well, ourselves. (At least this is my truth.) When Marcy and I started Equilibria last year, part of the motivating factor behind this company was the opportunity to talk about balance in a direct and honest way. Balance is really hard to achieve. But is it impossible? Are the demands of others at odds with our own needs? What’s the right sweet spot? If I take time out for myself, is that indulgent? OR vital for our mental health?
At Equilibria we want to help you prioritize more time for yourself, every day, even if the routines you’re adopting seem like smaller changes.If we’re not making time for ourselves, how can we be our best selves for others?
So in the spirit of self-love, here are five ways I’m prioritizing self-care:
1./ 8 hours of sleep every night
- For real. Not 7, or 6.5. Not a total of 56 throughout the week. EIGHT. I’ve always been a great sleeper but I can be tempted to cut corners with late nights (usually, ahem ahem, working). In the spirit of self-care, and not de-prioritizing my own needs, I am committing to sleep hygiene and starting my bedtime routine 9 hours before I have to wake up. For me, this means no social media at least an hour before bedtime, taking my nightly 10mg Equilibria Softgel, and then reading a PAPER book to turn my mind off.
2./ 20 minutes of Peloton 5X/ Week (because it’s now inches away from my bedroom so no excuses!!)
- We have a makeshift workout room adjacent to my kids’ playroom in the basement, but I knew that adding another piece of equipment to a room I very rarely visit would do, well, almost nothing. So the new Peloton now lives just outside of my bedroom on our landing, and there are literally no excuses to not climb on for 20 minutes (at least) most days. I’ve been on a great streak lately and it’s an awesome way to clear my head and not give up much time. (OK, so maybe I’m in my pajamas, but who’s telling?!)
3./ A (PAPER) fiction book a month (or, even a quarter… sadly that might be all I can handle)
- I was an English major, but am embarrassed to say how little time I make for reading in my current life stage. Even though I may only get through a page or two at night before crashing, it always brings me comfort to know that I have a paper book on my bedside table. Right now I’m obsessed with Rebecca Mekkai’s The Great Believers and The Hundred Year House.
4./ Daily Gratitudes
- Oat milk vanilla lattes. Brow powder. Travel (pre-pandemic). Healthy kids. Old friends. From the small stuff to the big, it brings me peace of mind and centeredness to slow down for a minute and express gratitude for the people/ things/ opportunities in life that bring me joy and transcend the daily grind.
5./ Bath time (no, not for toddlers!):
- OK, let’s face it… not every day has time for a shower, so it definitely doesn’t have time for a bath! But for the few days a week when I can squeeze in a hot soak, nothing melts away stress more effectively. I love simple Epsom salt as well as Equilibria’s Mindful Mineral Soak. Any Diptyque candles enhance the mood perfectly! Add Beauty Counter’s Cleansing Balm and Peter Thomas Roth’s 24K Gold Pure Luxury Lift & Firm HydraGel Eye Patches … and it’s GAME OVER!
