6 Self Care Tips for Autumn

This time of year can take a lot of adjusting and that can drain us of our energy and make us feel run down if we’re not looking after ourselves. It’s common to get colds, sore throats and to feel quite sluggish when moving into Autumn, but it doesn’t have to be like that. There are a few simple things we can do to avoid going down that negative spiral. Instead, we can turn the season into a really positive one full of fresh new goals, focus and enjoying a bit more time to ourselves. Here are my top tips for staying well this Autumn.

1. Stay hydrated

As the days get cooler, drinking water might not be on your mind so much, but it’s just as important to stay hydrated, especially when spending a lot of time inside with central heating and technology all around us. Make sure to drink water as soon as you get up before your tea/coffee or breakfast and keep a water bottle on your desk to remind you to drink throughout the day.

2. Don’t hit the snooze button!

I know it’s hard with the darker mornings but just get those feet on the floor as soon as your alarm goes off, you’ll never regret getting up too early, but when we get up late it can ruin our whole day. Extra tip - use a old school alarm clock on the other side of your room!

3. Slow down and listen to your body

It’s important to keep moving throughout Autumn as we all know the many benefits of exercise, but particularly this time of year staying active can help keep our immune system strong. But it’s ok to slow down a little, sometimes doing lower intensity exercise like walking and yoga is actually better for us and less stressful on the body. So tune in to what your body needs and move in a way that you enjoy.

Extra tip - If you can, try to get out for a walk/run/cycle in the morning to get some sunlight before work. This will help you to feel more energised during the day and sleep better at night.

4. Eat in season & start batch cooking

Some vegetables that are in season in Autumn are:

Butternut squash
Carrot
Celery
Parsnip
Kale
Leek
Pumpkin

Some fruit that are in season are:

Apples
Pears
Blackberries

Batch cooking might sound time consuming but by spending a couple of hours prepping and cooking a big soup or stew (hydrating foods) at the weekend will save you so much time in the week. It will also help you to get those nutrients in when things get busy or on those evenings when you feel too exhausted to cook! If you need some inspiration, join my free Facebook group where I post recipes every week, I have some autumnal dinner recipes coming up soon!

5. De-clutter

I don’t know about you, but theres something about this time of year that always makes me want to change things up in my home - whether it’s rearranging the furniture, decluttering my drawers, sorting my wardrobe out (I’ve just got my autumn clothes out and I can’t wait to wear all my cosy knitwear that i’d forgotten I had!) or just sorting my kitchen cupboards. De-cluttering is so beneficial for our mental health, I’m sure most of us have experienced that satisfied feeling after a spring clean. I think an autumn clean might even be better!

6. Reflect & set new goals

This is my favourite time of year to reflect, check in with myself, think about the direction i’m going in and make positive changes in my life before the end of the year approaches. To me, January always feels a lot more pressured and seems to go by in a flash, but somehow in Autumn I find it more realistic to work on projects and goals and stay focused. So ask yourself what do you want to get out of this year? This is the time to set those intensions and go for it!

I really hope these tips help you to stay healthy this Autumn and inspire you to make some changes.

If you’d like some 1-to-1 help with your wellbeing to create long term positive changes in your life, I’m currently offering 25% off my Flourish programme until 18th October 2020. Flourish is an in depth 3 month wellness coaching programme that will give you the knowledge, confidence and tools to take control of your health and happiness and finally break those negative habits and mindset patterns once and for all.. You can find out more and book your space here