Hi ,

I'm writing to you from my new apartment in Zurich. The past week has been a whirlwind of unpacking, setting up, and tackling a mountain of onboarding documents at the new job (read my latest post on LinkedIn for an update).

Through all of this, I’ve found the key to maintaining some kind of daily routine to manage my sanity - physically and mentally has been to:

1. Continue with the healthy habits, BUT!
2. …SIMPLIFY as much as possible.

Put into practice, here are 5 Good Things I've found helpful in maintaining balance during this hectic time, perhaps some reminders or different approaches for you too?

• Keep up some kind of daily movement. But do short(er) sessions.
• Try an app that serves you daily/ weekly sessions so you don’t waste energy trying to figure out “what’s today’s workout” (also a great way to procrastinate).
• An app or online session cuts down on travel time to the gym/ studio, so if you’re in a pinch for time - squeeze in a movement session from wherever you are.

I’ve been enjoying this Barre Definition app. There’s a monthly focus (eg. arms/ legs/ core) and daily 20-40 minute barre/ pilates workouts, all you need to do is show up and press play for each daily session.

After a 7-day free trial - Action Jacquelyn’s got an amazing $99/year subscription deal with daily workout sessions.

Alternatively, a free app I’ve enjoyed for a long time is Nike Training Club (NTC).

Simple, fast meals are lifesavers when your kitchen's not fully set up yet:

• Cobble together bits and pieces from supermarket pre-packed ready meals.

*This isn’t something I’d recommend as a regular thing since many of these pre-packed meals tend to contain overly-processed food.

Combine together supermarket pre-packed foods to make quick “Buddha bowls” with items like: 

• Guacamole: Packed with healthy fats and fiber, it keeps you full and energized.
• Hummus: Rich in protein and fiber, it's a quick, satisfying snack that fuels your body.
• Quinoa: A complete protein with all nine essential amino acids, it provides sustained energy.
• Kimchi: Loaded with probiotics, it aids digestion and boosts your immune system.
• Salad Leaves: High in vitamins and antioxidants, they support overall health and well-being.
• Smoked Fish (salmon/ mackerel/ herring): Full of omega-3 fatty acids, it promotes brain health and reduces inflammation.

It’s not just about getting “enough” sleep but also getting good quality sleep.

I’ve been struggling with this one. I’ve got no problem falling asleep, but staying asleep has been a lifelong challenge.

I notice the nights where I’ve been up anywhere between 2am - 5am with overthinking and anxiety in overdrive (yup, it still happens)… the next day just feels rough and horrible, my patience is thin and I’m generally not nice to be around. 😅

This is one of the reasons I got into yoga nidra so many years ago - it started off as a way to help me get back to sleep. 

At the moment, I can’t deal with words in guided meditations - my mind’s already too overstimulated - so I’ve just been using sounds to sense and feel my way back to sleep.

Eg. ocean waves, Tibetan bells… I’ve got a go-to playlist on the Insight Timer app of just sounds only - perhaps you’ll find this helpful?

Making time to wind down in the evenings has become crucial (and no, doom-scrolling doesn’t count).

Perhaps it’s related to the previous point on getting good quality sleep - but at the moment I’ve been feeling too agitated for evening meditations, so I’ve been doing Face Yoga. 😂

It’s basically face massage. And even though it’s touted as something to help “rejuvenate your face” and make you look younger, it’s really been helping me relax.

Through the exercises, I realise HOW. MUCH. TENSION I hold in my cheeks/ jaw/ neck/ shoulders. At the moment I’ve been enjoying these 10-minute sessions as part of my pre-bedtime routine.

This Luvly app has been phenomenal - I like that there’s a real person actually doing the exercises at the same time as you so you can check that you’re doing it right. You take daily photos to see your “progress” but in my case, it looks like a regression and I can totally see how a terrible night’s sleep affects my face.

To be honest - it’s not really helping me look younger, but the face massage is definitely helping me relax - so I’ll take it! 😂

Feel like you have “no time” to meditate? Then reduce the time you sit.

5 minutes, 10 minutes… it all works. I make 12 minutes my minimum time commitment. And there are days now when even this is HARD (and this is STILL after having years of practice).

Through all of the thought bombardments of what else is left on my to-do list… there are some moments where I’m reminded of that bigger, deeper presence within… that part of me that’s infinite, whole, complete… even as I’m running through what else needs to be done.

It’s a great moment of stepping back for just those fleeting moments that essential nature shines through. It puts all these other inconsequential-in-the-bigger-scheme-of-things in perspective. Even if it’s only for a split-second.

So keep practicing. 

Here are some of my meditations on the Insight Timer app you might enjoy. 

Here are some journalling prompts to help you find balance when life seems a little out of control:

If it helps keep you accountable, you're welcome to hit reply and share what you're working on. I reply to every email!

"Balance" is a continuum - it's rare that anyone is ever even-keeled and fully aligned in every aspect of their lives (and if you are, please let me know what your secret is!) 

So have a little grace and compassion with yourself as you try to figure out what works for you and what doesn't.