With many of us working from home at the moment, things are changing rapidly every day and life is becoming a little more complicated. While many working parents are challenged with juggling work responsibilities, entertaining children or home schooling, it’s important to keep some level of ‘routine’ to help keep things running smoothly.
Nutritionist, Kathleen Alleaume shares her tips on creating a healthy morning routine...
First up – start your day off on the right foot.
The best morning routines actually start the night before. The more you do in the P.M can go a long
way in making your mornings run smoother. If I’m making a salad with dinner, I cut up or grate extra veg for sandwich fillings or veggie sticks, which I store in snack-sized containers in the fridge. I defrost any bulk leftovers for dinner the following night and lay out lunch boxes and cereal boxes and bowls to ensure we eat breakfast together and the kids can help themselves to snacks at similar times to what they would do at school.
Skip the snooze
While life at home means no commute or spending time curating a decent work attire, it may be tempting to catch some extra zzz’s. We know that getting very little sleep impacts our mood, productivity, eating habits, and suppresses our immunity. However, too much sleep can be equally bad.
According to the Sleep Health Foundation, dipping in-and-out of sleep may actually screw up your entire day, leaving you feeling tired and groggy. You’ll feel much more rested and alert if you get up with your first alarm. And while it’s not always possible, get into the habit of practicing good sleep hygiene by hitting the hay the same time each night. Set up your bedroom for optimal comfort by keeping it cool and free of disrupting noises, including devices.
Take the guess work out of breakfast
Making breakfast for yourself, partner, your kids (and your dog!) can rack up precious time, which is why I aim to keep it simple. To make the ‘most important meal of the day’ seamless, I tend to limit weekday breakfast to two options: nutritious pantry-staples, such as high-fibre cereal or wholegrain toast with boiled eggs, fruit or yoghurt. I then save the creativity for the weekend when I get the kids involved in cooking pancakes or baking muffins or slices.
Choosing a breakfast with both fibre and protein is key because these nutrients keep rumbling tummies at bay, preventing mid-morning munchies.
If we are short on time or looking for something quick and easy, we’re also loving Uncle Tobys Oats Breakfast Bakes, a convenient baked oat bite, that has become a pantry staple in our household. It has the same amount of oats as a bowl of porridge (compared to a 34g sachet of quick oats) and coupled with yoghurt, fruit and a glass of water, makes a super-quick and wholesome morning starter.
When you're properly nourished and fed, you're much more resilient to tackle the stresses throughout the day.
Move your body
Exercise is vital for our mental and physical health and is arguably more important than ever during periods of self-isolation. To ensure consistency, I get my exercise done and dusted in the A.M before the house begins to stir and my inbox becomes a distraction. Regular morning exercise stimulates feel-good brain chemicals, which is great for setting a more positive tone for the day and boosting productivity while working remotely – it’s also the only time I actually get to myself.
This time alone helps me to prioritise my day.
About Kathleen
Kathleen Alleaume is a trusted health expert in the field of nutrition and fitness. She is an Exercise Physiologist and Nutritionist, Author, founder of The Right Balance, and mum of three.
Having dedicated almost 20 years to running her company, Kathleen has established herself as a leading figure among health and fitness experts in Australia, where she continues to develop and deliver fresh, cutting edge health content to millions via her publications and as a spokesperson across print, broadcast and online media. She is honest, credible and not afraid to expose paradigms that are false or misleading.
Her unique ability to translate complex scientific detail into unbiased and easy-to-understand language empowers people to make sense of the increasingly confusing and conflicting health messages we read and hear.
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