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I’ve always loved the clean-slate vibes of September. This time of year inspires a return to the healthy habits and daily routines that keep me feeling my best. After a summer of travel, late nights, and ice cream dates, I feel the pull to reign it in and get back to my feel-good rituals. To be clear, it’s not about perfection and I will certainly be eating ice cream this month. But I love the “tiny daily habits” approach that helps me discover those micro things that I can bake into my days to spark joy and help me feel vibrant and energized.
To welcome the new season with our partner Haven Well Within, I’m sharing my ultimate list of wellness habits that I always return to because they make me feel good. With soft fabrics, cozy fits, and flattering shapes (not to mention all the wellness and beauty goodies your fall could ever need), Haven Well Within is my go-to for effortless, elegant style—both in my wardrobe and all throughout my home.
Read on for all the wellness habits I’m prioritizing in my daily routine this fall. It’s a long list, and my hope is that you’ll find a few of these that speak to you, inspiring you to nourish your body and soul this fall.
Wake Up With the Sun
PSA: The healthy habits that ensure a good night’s sleep begin right when you wake up. When we prioritize getting natural light first thing, we’re better able to kickstart our body’s sleep-wake cycle. What’s more, waking up with the sun supports a balanced circadian rhythm. As a result, not only is it easier to fall asleep at night, but we wake up feeling refreshed, restored, and ready to take on the day.
I won’t pretend like I’m not tempted to check my phone first thing. If you’re getting more blue light than sunlight in the morning, charge your phone at night outside of the bedroom. And if you rely on your phone as your wake-up call, invest in a sunrise alarm clock like the Hatch Restore 2. Browse other editor-approved alarm clocks that’ll help you kick your smartphone habit.
Drink My Greens in the AM
I’m sure you can relate: I’m a first-thing-in-the-morning coffee girl. My daily routine isn’t complete without it. (And I love pairing a hot cuppa with my morning journaling sesh.) But as cozy as the habit is, I’ve learned that I feel more depleted than energized if I’m not hydrating beforehand. And though water is my go-to elixir of life, I love supercharging my hydration with an extra dose of vitamins and minerals first thing. Enter: AG1.
While I’ve let other wellness trends come and go, my obsession with Athletic Greens is forever. I love mixing up my daily dose of greens and sipping on them while I help my kids get ready for school. It’s an easy, simple way to support gut and immune health, healthy aging, and focused, sustained energy throughout the day. And yes, it tastes delicious.
Use My Tongue Scraper
Disgusting, but true: our tongue is a breeding ground for bacteria. While brushing and flossing my teeth is an obvious habit in my daily routine, I’ve added tongue scraping over the years to promote detoxification. Here’s how it works: all throughout the day—but particularly while we sleep—a white or yellowish film develops on the surface of the tongue. As Dr. Martinna Bertolini, an assistant professor of dental medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine, shared with The New York Times, this is “the result of buildup from food debris, dead skin cells and bacteria.”
TMI, but true. To combat this, I swipe my tongue scraper back to front along the surface of my tongue. While I prioritize it in the morning, doing so twice a day (in the AM and PM) is ideal for best results.
Track My Cycle
While I used to see my time of the month as an ugh-inducing episode filled with mood swings, cravings, and cramps, I’ve since gained a new perspective and tapped into the practice of cycle syncing. Cycle syncing involves shifting your diet, workouts, work habits, skincare, and even socializing based on the phase of your cycle you currently find yourself in. With our cycles come natural fluctuations in our hormones, and as such, we may find ourselves more energized, irritable, sensitive, etc. at different times throughout the month.
I’ve found that by tracking my cycle and tailoring my habits to the phase I’m currently in, I experience a better sense of balance, productivity, and inner peace all throughout the month.
Meditation, Breathwork, and Prayer
You guys know I love my morning routine and it always starts with a few minutes of mindfulness. This may include some deep breathing, guided meditation, and always a moment for prayer. It’s important for me to start the day in a slower-paced, low cortisol state, and I’ve learned to prioritize this time before getting sucked into emails or the other demands of the day.
While this looks different for everyone, identify what brings you a little peace, quiet, and stillness at the start of your day. You’ll find that by taking just a little time to connect with your inner self, you’re able to move throughout the day with more clarity and even compassion.
Visualize Your Highest Self
While we may feel like our dream life is miles down the road, living it can be as simple as identifying the characteristics of your best self and following suit. I like to practice this in the morning—perhaps while I journal—by visualizing how my best self will show up that day. What does her daily routine look like today? What healthy habits will she practice? How can she feel supported and more vibrant in everything she does? Visualize the details of her life and then be her. Sure, it’s easier said than done, but I’ve found that making significant change in my life can often be as simple as identifying the path to growth and following suit.
Walk With My Husband Every Morning
My workout regimen has changed so much through the years, and as I get older it definitely becomes more about how it makes me feel than anything to do with weight or appearance. I’ve also embraced more low-impact and gentle forms of movement like walking, yoga, stretching, and pilates.
One of my favorite parts of my daily routine is my morning walk with Adam. We’re not going for speed and the goal isn’t to break a sweat. Instead, we use this time to check in with one another before jumping into the busyness of our days. I find it’s a great opportunity to move my body while feeling connected with my partner. And because both of our schedules are so go-go-go, I’m happy to set aside that time to hear what he has going on that day and to feel heard by him as well.
Listen to a Podcast While I Get Ready
I’ve always been a reader. I love cozying up with a book and being able to dive deep into a plot or learn something new. And though I still prioritize that time, I’ve found that during my fast-paced days, I love listening to podcasts while getting dressed and moving throughout my daily routine. I’m always met with new information, fascinating conversations, and inspiration to take into my day. Some of my favorite podcasts include:
Drink Water All Day
Every morning, I fill a pitcher or large water bottle with filtered water, then stir in one packet of LMNT electrolytes and one packet of Sunfiber. I stir it up, add ice, and sip on it all day. It’s tastier and more hydrating than plain water, and I find that I drink so much water this way.
Play Music That Calms My Cortisol
While I love an energizing playlist for exercise, throughout the workday, my daily routine benefits from grounding and ambient music. I find that I’m able to focus better and that my attention wanders less when I listen to music without lyrics. Lately, I’ve been tuning into Spotify’s Lofi Morning playlist.
Eat Veggies at Every Meal
It’s a life adage that we’ve heard ever since we were kids—and guess what, your parents were right. Eating the rainbow is key to feeling our best, and when I haven’t had a veggie in a day or two, trust me: I can feel it. Here are a few ways I ensure I get my veggies in at every meal.
Breakfast: I love eggs with some avocado on the side or scrambled with peppers and salsa to top. Or, if I’m in a hurry, this green smoothie packs in all the good stuff with a healthy serving of spinach and cauliflower. (But trust me, going on taste alone, you’ll never know.)
Lunch: This is when a salad comes in clutch. I love pairing a big green salad with a truly addicting dressing (this is my fave). Of course, to make it satiating, I’ll add whatever protein I have prepped in the fridge. Sometimes, this is leftover chicken or salmon from the previous night’s dinner, or I’ll hard-boil a couple of eggs to top my greens.
Dinner: Though I’ve dialed in my breakfast and lunch routines, dinner is when I like to switch it up. As I shared in my recent ‘What I Eat in a Day,’ we try to prioritize family meals several nights a week. Whatever the main dish is that evening, I’ll try to incorporate riced cauliflower as a base, a side salad, or my favorite roasted veggies to make sure I’ve met my veggie quota for the day. (Drizzling a sauce on top never hurts!)
Walk On My Treadmill Desk During Calls
Lately, I’ve been jumping on my treadmill desk during Zoom calls for a ‘walk and talk.’ Overall, I feel more energized and balanced at the end of a marathon day. If you’ve been on the fence about getting the under-desk walking pad, let me confirm: take the plunge. It’s an easy way to work movement into my daily routine.
For Every 45 Minutes of Work, Take a 5-Minute Break
Before I dive into this habit of my daily routine, let me emphasize: it’s still a work in progress. Like many of us, I can get totally wrapped up in a task and before I know it, two hours have gone by without my standing up from my desk. But to combat the mental fog, exhaustion, and creative drain that comes with not taking a break, I’m trying to be more consistent with my time away from the screen. An easy way to make this a habit is to set a timer so that for every 45 minutes I’m working, I step up to take a stroll around the house, make a cup of tea, or simply stretch away from my desk. It’s just a few minutes, but you’ll find that you come back to the task at hand feeling refreshed and ready to dive back in.
Be Mindful of Alcohol
I love to sip a glass of wine, but definitely notice its effect on my sleep and energy levels. Lately, I reserve wine for the weekends so I’m actively choosing the occasional drink, and throughout the week lean into kombucha, mocktails, and tea. If you still want to sip on something fun and bubbly after the workday, I love these zero-proof drinks.
Lymphatic Drainage
Lymphatic drainage is everywhere these days—but trust me, it’s more than a trend. It’s a type of gentle massage that supports the drainage of lymph nodes and fluids around the body. In practice, this looks like everything from dry brushing to foam rolling to gua sha and making it a habit of walking after meals. By prioritizing these habits in my daily routine, I’ve noticed that I feel much less puffy and have experienced reduced swelling in my face, abdomen, and legs. If you haven’t yet hopped on the hype train, now’s the time.
“Everything” Shower or Bath to Relax
My day is almost always capped off with a luxurious bath or shower that feels like a treat to myself—and a transition from the busyness of the day into a slower, gentler time before sleep. Indulge in a few high-quality products (a loofah or bath sponge, body oil, wash, and shower steamer) that’ll lend your soak time a relaxing, hotel feel. Think of it as a time where you can enjoy the moment, completely undisturbed. You’re not just cleaning your body and hair—you’re cleansing your entire mind.
Stretch Before I Get In Bed
A simple couple of minutes dedicated to running through an easy stretch routine not only keeps me flexible but helps me wind down before I get into bed. And before you worry that you have to be a yogi to implement this habit into your daily routine, take heart: the simpler you make it, the better. I like to reach for my toes, do downward dog, cat/cow, and relax in child’s pose for a few moments. Every stretch feels so juicy and good, you’ll find that you look forward to it every evening.
Put Away My Phone at 8 PM
I know, I know: this one is hard. For many of us (myself included), our phones are an extension of who we are. It’s our main mode of communication, our calendar, and our connection to all the work and personal tasks that need to be accomplished throughout the day. But when the clock strikes 8 p.m., I’ve become disciplined about either putting my phone on ‘Do Not Disturb’ or turning it off completely—and setting it to charge in a separate room for the night.
This helps me physically and mentally disconnect from all the tasks and to-do’s of my day and makes it much less tempting to respond to just… one… more… email before hitting the hay. (Which, if I’m being honest, inevitably sets my bedtime back way further than I’d like.) If you find this difficult, try replacing the habit of checking your phone with something just as gratifying. Be it an evening bath, quality time with your book, or an uninterrupted binge of your go-to show, know this: there’s life beyond your phone.
And if you’d like to extend this healthy daily routine on the weekend, I even like doing a bigger social media detox on Saturdays and Sundays. More tuning in, less zoning out.
Evening Journaling
While I’ve always been a morning journal writer, it wasn’t until a few years ago that I saw the power and benefit of nighttime journaling as well. If you ever get into bed and your head hits the pillow with a million thoughts mulling about, journaling is a great way to externalize these thoughts, feelings, and emotions and make it so they don’t keep up all night. Personally, I find evening journaling is one of the best ways to release nighttime anxiety and fall asleep with a greater sense of mental calm.
I practice this by jotting down a few things from my day—reflecting on wins, challenges, or anything notable. By doing so, I’m also able to get organized for the day ahead. Journaling provides me with the clarity to better see what I’d like to get done and helps me move the needle forward.
7-8 Hours of Sleep
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a bit sleep-obsessed, and that’s because I believe it is the true foundation of good health and vibrancy. As someone who’s experienced insomnia in the past, I know the challenge of trying to function and running a business on little sleep. If I don’t get enough sleep, I’m more likely to be tired and irritable—in other words, not my best self. While the number varies for everyone, I personally need 7-8 hours to feel good.
To promote restful sleep, I’m adamant about incorporating all of the healthy habits above into my daily routine. I find that it’s all interwoven, and by viewing these practices as non-negotiables, I’m able to function optimally and feel my best. All day, every day.
