HOW TO (REALLY) SWITCH OFF FROM WORK TO RELAX MODE

HOW TO (REALLY) SWITCH OFF FROM WORK TO RELAX MODE

I mean, we all know the struggle, let´s face it. With social media constantly switched on, where we spend hours of mindless scrolling getting our daily Instagram fix on our evening commute from work, checking in on Facebook right before we go to bed, stalking all our favourite celebs on Snapchat, or receiving endless Twitter notifications pop-ups (note to self: turn these alerts OFF!). And if it´s not social media, it´s TV. Which again, can act as the biggest escapism after a long day working in the office, where you most likely don´t have a lot of energy to converse or use much brainpower… In comes the trashy reality shows, which sure enough, numbs our brains into jelly. Sounds harsh, but I am pretty sure I am hitting some core home truths here… Don´t worry – WE ALL DO IT. Or at least, sometimes/most of the time. Hopefully, many of us still have that little voice at the back, reminding us to REALLY switch off by banning all social media and TV during some parts of your evening, and spending some much needed quality ´me time`. Read on for how I have personally struggled as a full-time blogger and digital influencer to navigate this balance, and some of my top tips and daily reminders to keep me motivated.

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…and yes, it´s been a struggle. It has somehow become expected to be digitally connected at all times. And for such a long time, I was obsessed. From an outsider, I was so intrigued with all the constant impressions, inspiration (because yes, much of it is super inspiring), and innocently stalking celebrities and other digital influencers. But it came to a point, when it became too much for me personally. Too many impressions, too much inspiration (the inspiration, quickly turned into envy and self-comparison), and too much looking into other peoples “real-life”. Because, how much of it is actually real-life, or in fact, created to portray a certain persona or perfect life style? I am not condemning any of it by the way (especially as I am guilty of this as well!) – Instagram in particular, is a wonderful tool for inspiration – and of course, I work hard on fine-tuning my own personal brand and style to hopefully inspire others myself! But the danger is getting so caught up in it, when one finds one self capturing an entire holiday behind a camera lens, instead of actually taking it all in – and when you can´t go anywhere without actually feeling lost if you don´t have your iPhone in your hand…

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So my goal personally, has been to take a step back from it all. Not slow down, but just focus on what I am doing, not anyones else´s life, content, feed, style… And for me luckily, it has been quite an easy and quick fix. I had dug myself so deep down, combined with going through something so much bigger on a personal level – it really hit me hard – but it also made it so easy to quickly pull myself up – re-set, re-evaluate and get some real perspective. So what does this really mean? Well, I am focusing on ME, more than ever. That´s not to say I am doing loads more social media and blogging – this has and will as always, stay consistent and true to my style. But I am dedicating more down-time for myself, so I in turn have more energy, clarity and inspiration, to continue to create (hopefully) fun and exciting content for you guys! I am also appreciating more of my free spare time and precious evenings with my husband, friends or family –  when I would usually just hibernate in front of the TV. Don´t get me wrong, I still have some guilty pleasures that I indulge in watching, but I just make sure I balance it out (i.e one programme, instead of 4). And I will of course still go on holidays (many of which are work related) and continue to capture lots of amazing moments and content – but not because I have to share that moment at that specific time, but rather because I want to share it at some stage with you guys, and also create unforgettable memories to keep for the future!

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As you can maybe sense, this transformation, for me personally, has mainly been just a switch of a mindset. I am a firm believer that you can transform so much of your life, by simply seeing it differently, or going into something with a certain energy or mood… So when ELEMIS introduced their new LIFE ELIXIRS range to me (a beautiful collection of products, all designed to restore, revive and harmonise your body and mind), and asked me to share how I personally like to unwind – I jumped at the chance of sharing my personal journey, along with some of my go-to tips and tricks…


1. START AS YOU MEAN TO GO ON

Everyone is different, let´s face it. But one thing we should all have in common, is starting every day as a new day, a new start to make a difference, a new adventure. Sure, some days I am more excited than others, but I do truly believe in starting your day as you mean to go on. As in, what you do in the first hour of waking, will inevitably set a presence for your day (good or bad). Now let´s not focus on the latter, and rather look at some good things to do upon waking…

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Personally, I start my morning ritual by making our bed, having a cup of hot water and lemon, followed by a 20-minute meditation or yoga session. Nothing too strenuous, but just a soothing and nice thing to set me up for the day. I then jump in the shower, and use ELEMIS´s Fortitude Bath & Shower Elixir, which I particularly love using morning – containing up to 19 essential oils including Geranium, Cedarwood and YlangYlang – to really help ground me throughout the day, adding strength and focus.

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2. SETTING CLEAR INTENTIONS FOR THE DAY 

Once I step into office mode (as in for me – I go into my study at home, shut the door and sit down at my desk) – I start making clear intentions and goals for the day. This might not work for everyone, but for me personally, and to really help clear my mind, it´s essential to have real structure and plans for the day. This means I will look at everything that needs to be done, and then I split it out by what needs to be completed today, tomorrow or by the end of the week/month.

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By splitting it up, I don´t get so overwhelmed, and I can really focus on each, individual task. I also set timings for my day; i.e 1-2 hours on e-mails, 3-4 hours on writing and shooting content, 1 hour on research, 1 hour on meetings, etc. By setting time goals, I also get so much more done and I find myself much more effective. Throughout the day, I make sure I hydrate with lots of water to ensure I am fully concentrated, hourly boosts of face mists, and continuously apply ELEMIS´s Clarity Perfume Oil, which contains 6 pure essential oils, including energising Bitter Orange, Cardamom and Ginger – to help clear the mind, and sharpen my concentration.

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3. REALLY SWITCHING OFF 

Once I am finished with work (which granted, being self-employed never really stops), I try my best to really switch off. I aim to finish up by 6-7pm during my home office days, and do this by turning off my computer, shutting the door to my office and head down to the kitchen. I now fully enter evening/relaxation mode, and do what I love the most. Cooking food! It´s totally a form of escapism for me; I love nothing more than planning and preparing wholesome and delicious dishes for Sam and I – it´s never a chore, and I often find myself doing it without any TV/music on, and just spend this time bathing in my own thoughts and reflections from the day just gone.

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After dinner, I might watch one of my favourite TV shows with Sam (we both love travel programmes and documentaries). We fill the room with candles to create the perfect ambiance, and then as I have started reading again (I used to be the ultimate book worm when I was a kid) I´ll pick up my book, and dive into the latest story I am reading for the rest of the evening.

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4. CREATE A SLEEP RITUAL WHICH WORKS FOR YOU

I am all about rituals and consistency in my life, but this doesn’t mean something has to be repeated every single day, at the same time. But instead, just focus on creating some weekly rituals that you really love, which more realistically ensures that you actually do them every week! For me, sleep is essential. For someone who has struggled with over-thinking and wondering thoughts (most often during nighttime) – creating that special sleep time ritual, has been key to improving the quality of my life.

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First of all, I aim to switch off all electronical devices by 8-9pm the latest, moving over to other forms of entertainment, be it via an evening yoga session, walk around the block, a long read, or my favourite: a soothing soak in the bath to simply stop, breathe and be still. I dim the lights, fill up a warm tub with lots of Epsom salts and ELEMIS´s Sleep Bath & Shower Elixir – whilst listening to my favourite meditative podcasts (I love Good Life Project, The Melissa Ambrosini Show, Zencast and The Meditation Podcast) or some relaxing tunes from my Spotify, if I simple want to drift off. The perfect way to end any day.

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Created in collaboration with ELEMIS. All words, opinions, styling & creative direction are, of course, my own.

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6 Comments

  1. Florence Sandberg
    May 4, 2017 / 16:51

    Can I ask where your framed horse print is from? It’s absolutely beautiful.

    Thank you x

    • Anneli Bush
      Author
      May 13, 2017 / 16:07

      It´s from Etsy! x

  2. Henrietta
    May 6, 2017 / 20:12

    Thank you for sharing this xx

    • Anneli Bush
      Author
      May 13, 2017 / 16:07

      Pleasure :)

  3. Sophia
    May 7, 2017 / 14:36

    Love this post!

    • Anneli Bush
      Author
      May 13, 2017 / 16:06

      Thanks Sophia!

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