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Okay, let’s talk habits. The other night I caught myself doomscrolling in the dark again… after a full day of chasing a two-year-old, tidying toys on repeat, and reheating my tea four times (five, if we’re including the one I forgot in the microwave entirely). There I was, absolutely shattered, lying in bed scrolling through a stranger’s kitchen makeover and a heated debate about toddler snack cups, instead of, you know, sleeping.
And honestly? I’ve been feeling it lately.
That constant state of fight-or-flight, like my body’s stuck on high alert even when the house is finally quiet. Never fully relaxed. Never properly switching off. Just this background hum of tension that makes everything feel harder than it needs to be.
It’s not a dramatic “my life is falling apart” situation, it’s more of a “this shouldn’t feel this exhausting, but it does, and something needs to give” moment.
I don’t need a massive reinvention. I’m not about to sign myself up for a 4am miracle morning or a 37-step self-care routine. What I do want is a handful of grounded, doable habits that actually help me feel human again, calmer, more centred, more in my body instead of constantly braced for impact.
So heading into the New Year, I’m keeping it real. No “New Year, New Me” nonsense. No perfection. Just five habits that genuinely help me function better and feel good in my own skin.
Let’s get into them.
- 1. No Phone an Hour Before Bed (Because Doomscrolling Is Not a Personality Trait)
- 2. Electrolytes First Thing (Before Coffee, Even Though It Feels Like Betrayal)
- 3. 10,000 Steps a Day (Because Motherhood Made Me Weirdly Sedentary)
- 4. A High-Protein, High-Fibre, Healthy-Fat Breakfast (Within an Hour of Waking)
- 5. 30 Minutes of Raised Heartrate Movement (Enter: The 12-3-30 Treadmill Plan)
- Final Thoughts (AKA: My “I’m Doing My Best” Era)
1. No Phone an Hour Before Bed (Because Doomscrolling Is Not a Personality Trait)
Right. Confession time: I have a terrible habit of falling into a post-toddler-bedtime doomscroll.
You know the drill, I finally sit down, the house is quiet, and suddenly I’m 45 minutes deep into someone’s kitchen renovation, a random parenting debate, and a woman air-frying a sandwich she absolutely shouldn’t have air-fried.
Meanwhile, my brain is more wired than the Blackpool illuminations.
And here’s the part that really gets me: in 2021, before having my baby, I read 150 books in a year. One hundred and fifty. This year? I’ve read two. Two books.
And not because I’ve suddenly stopped loving reading, but because by the end of the day my brain feels completely frazzled. Scrolling is the only thing it seems capable of.
I want to read. I want to colour, journal, be creative, just… exist without a screen. But my poor nervous system is so overstimulated it’s practically begging for mercy.
And surprise surprise: I sleep terribly. I wake up groggy. My cortisol is throwing a tantrum. And I start the next day feeling like a zombie with a nappy bag.
So this year, the phone goes away an hour before bed. No more overstimulating nonsense. No more comparing myself to some influencer who claims her toddler “never tantrums” (sure, babe). Instead, I’m switching to calm, screen-free things:
- A book – because I miss reading so much
- A warm drink
- A quick tidy so I don’t step on a rogue toy dinosaur at 6am
- Magnesium
- Maybe even some colouring or stretching if I’m feeling wild
Science says: Screen use before bed increases “pre-sleep arousal,” worsens sleep quality, and overstimulates the brain, basically the opposite of what exhausted mums need.
- Study: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7010281/
- Additional evidence: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8776263/
I’m ending the day with my life, not everyone else’s highlight reel.
If evenings feel chaotic and your nervous system is doing the absolute most, I’ve shared my full cortisol-regulating morning-and-night routine here, perfect if you want calmer nights and smoother mornings.
2. Electrolytes First Thing (Before Coffee, Even Though It Feels Like Betrayal)
I already do this one and I’m sticking with it because it genuinely changes how my morning feels. Before I touch my coffee, and yes, that first sip used to be my entire personality, I drink electrolytes.
It hydrates me properly, wakes up my body gently, and stops that jittery “why am I shaking and snapping at everyone?” morning vibe.
It also helps balance that natural cortisol rise we get in the morning (cheers, hormones), and stops coffee on an empty stomach turning me into a gremlin.
Science says: Hydration first thing supports cellular function, cognition, and helps regulate the cortisol awakening response, and starting the day with electrolytes helps you rehydrate more effectively than water alone.
Not a specific “electrolytes study,” but the hydration research is solid, and the benefits align with stress regulation + morning energy.
Honestly? It’s the easiest win of my whole routine.
One bottle. One sachet. Ten seconds.
Instantly makes me feel like someone who has her life together… at least until the toddler flings a yoghurt at the wall.
3. 10,000 Steps a Day (Because Motherhood Made Me Weirdly Sedentary)
Before I had my son, I walked everywhere. After I had him? I walk in frantic toddler-chasing bursts, usually involving sprinting to the park, stopping for snacks, carrying him home when he suddenly decides pavements are “too spicy,” and collapsing on the sofa.
But intentional walking? Actual consistent movement? That’s been… lacking.
And I can feel it. My back aches more. My mood dips faster. I feel a bit sluggish, and not in the cute cosy-winter way, more like my body is whispering, “Please move me before we seize up entirely.”
So 10k steps it is. Not as a perfection rule, I will not be pacing my hallway at 10:59pm like a FitBit-obsessed maniac, but as a gentle goal.
My plan:
- More pram walks
- A quick loop after nursery drop-off
- Extra laps of the park while my son repeatedly goes down the same slide
- An audiobook walk whenever I need to clear my head
Science says: Walking further and faster reduces risk of heart disease, stroke, heart failure, and improves overall metabolic health.
- Study: https://www.escardio.org/The-ESC/Press-Office/Press-releases/Walking-further-and-faster-is-linked-to-a-reduced-risk-of-heart-attacks-heart-failure-and-stroke-in-people-with-high-blood-pressure
- Even 7k steps daily shows significant health benefits: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/jul/23/7000-steps-a-day-could-be-enough-to-improve-health-say-researchers
I want movement to be part of my life again, not something I only notice when it’s missing.
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4. A High-Protein, High-Fibre, Healthy-Fat Breakfast (Within an Hour of Waking)
This one is non-negotiable for me now. I need at least 30g of protein in the morning or my entire day goes sideways faster than you can say “where’s the toddler’s other shoe?”
Here’s the truth: fasting might work for some people, but most women? Especially women juggling stress, toddlers, hormones, and life? It can absolutely wreck you.
When you skip breakfast:
- Cortisol spikes
- Blood sugar swings
- Cravings hit
- Mood tanks
- You’re one minor inconvenience away from tears
And when you actually feed yourself properly?
Protein, fibre, healthy fats?
You stabilise your hormones, feel fuller for longer, keep cravings in check, and actually have energy to parent without wanting to collapse by 11am.
Some of my easy breakfasts:
- High-protein yoghurt bowl with chia and berries
- Eggs + high-protein toast
- Smoothies with protein powder and nut butter
- Overnight oats boosted with protein
Science says: A balanced breakfast with sufficient protein stabilises blood sugar, improves satiety, supports metabolic health, and helps regulate cortisol levels for the rest of the day.
(General metabolic research supports this pattern, especially in women.)
Simple, quick, toddler-approved… and stops me turning into a hangry dragon.
5. 30 Minutes of Raised Heartrate Movement (Enter: The 12-3-30 Treadmill Plan)
I want to feel strong again, but with my back doing its usual “absolutely not” routine, I need something low impact, structured, and friendly to a body that has carried a toddler for two years straight.
So I’ve decided to commit to 30 minutes of movement a day where my heart rate goes up, but my spine doesn’t file a complaint.
Enter: the 12-3-30 treadmill routine.
If you haven’t heard of it, the backstory is actually quite fun. The method was created by fitness trainer and YouTuber Lauren Giraldo, who wanted a workout she could actually stick to, something simple, low-impact, but still spicy enough to really make a difference.
She experimented with different combinations of speed and incline until she found her sweet spot:
- 3 mph
- 12% incline
- 30 minutes
And suddenly the 12-3-30 routine went viral because women everywhere realised:
“Oh… I can actually do this.”
It’s approachable. It’s joint-friendly. But the incline will get your heartrate up. It works when you’re rebuilding fitness after having a baby. And crucially, it doesn’t involve burpees, mountain climbers, or any exercise invented purely to cause emotional distress.
For me, it’s perfect. It feels like something I can consistently stick to in mum-life. Throw on an audiobook, walk with purpose, finish feeling smug and slightly sweaty. Job done.
Science says: Moderate-intensity exercise, like this routine, improves cardiovascular health, reduces chronic disease risk, supports mental wellbeing, and boosts resilience.
Study: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3098122
Low impact. No jumping. No chaos. Just a doable workout that makes me feel like I’ve chosen myself for half an hour.
If you’re also dealing with back issues or just want something gentle-but-effective, I’ve put together a whole list of low-impact workouts that still deliver results, perfect for days when the treadmill feels like a personal attack.
Final Thoughts (AKA: My “I’m Doing My Best” Era)
These habits aren’t about perfection. They’re not a punishment. They’re not a dramatic New Year overhaul.
These are simply the things that help me feel more energised, calmer, healthier, and more like the woman I actually want to be, not the frazzled version crawling into bed with her phone every night.
I’m embracing the gentle reset. The realistic habits. The messy, toddler-interrupted attempts.
And if you’re bringing new habits into the New Year too? I’m right there with you, cheering you on, cuppa in hand, doing my absolute best not to doomscroll tonight.
If you’re working on seeing yourself as the kind of person who actually sticks to habits (instead of the ‘new year, same chaos’ vibe), this post dives into the identity shift that changes everything or if you want some small-but-mighty habits to add to your own routine, I’ve rounded up ten tiny changes that actually stick, no overwhelm, no 4am miracle morning required.
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