The Secret To A Great Stay At Home Routine

This year has been a rollercoaster and a lot of us have found ourselves having to face a new normal (even though it’s anything but). It’s called ‘staying at home’ – and we’ve been getting very good at it as of late. For many of us, this has meant a dramatic shift from endlessly juggling work, childcare, homecare and trying to support loved ones from the confines of our humble abodes.

This is easing slightly but for the majority of us, our daily routine has changed dramatically. We may complain about being on the hamster wheel, but the truth is that routine is good, and is pivotal for our sleep health.

The one thing we currently can control this year is our home schedule and we’ve put together our best home routine hacks to get us on our way to a better night’s sleep, and a better morning.

Why is a routine important?

At a time when disruptions to your sleep are coming in from all angles, it’s more important than ever to get a great home routine in place. It’s tempting to throw caution to the wind and stay in our PJs all day and work from our beds, but this can have a detrimental effect on our health.

By putting a daily home routine in place we actually receive multiple benefits to our health, productivity and overall bodily functions. So what’s the secret to a successful home routine?

It all starts with sleep!

We may be biased, but we think sleep is key when creating an ideal routine. In fact, we believe a great night’s sleep is the most important foundation and can actually help us stick to a routine!

This is because our mental performance is built from a good night’s sleep including our ability to focus and concentrate and to feel at our best emotionally.

But it’s not just sleeping itself that matters – though you’ve hopefully heard great things about our mattresses being pivotal for a good night’s sleep. It’s also about preparing the body and brain for sleep, allowing us to easily transition into rest mode. 

So whether you are practising the great balancing act of working from home or adjusting to an entirely new way of living, we’ve compiled some simple hacks for a home routine that will power you all day long:

• Start your day right
  Getting between 7 – 8 hours of sleep has never been more important for mental, physical and emotional health.

• Plan your day
  Decide when you want to take breaks and stick to them as part of your home routine. Set little alarms on your phone if you need, and genuinely give yourself permission to take a break.

• Treat your day as a normal one
  Resist the urge to stay in pyjamas – getting ready as you would on a normal day will help with motivation levels. It doesn’t sound like much, but it’ll give you a sense of normality.

• Keep the work/ life balance intact
  Creating a separate space for working and rest is incredibly important to help us switch off in the evenings.

Be conscious of food, drink and screen time
What we consume and the amount of time we spend on our screens can all have an impact on productivity and sleep. Keep a track of how your usual eating, drinking and screen use patterns are changing, and as a general guideline, caffeine should ideally be cut off after lunchtime.