“Just relax.”

Ever been told this by a friend, partner (Nick, I’m looking at you) or family member?

It really is the perfect little phrase to lower your stress levels and reach that elusive state of calm… said nobody, literally ever.

This year has been hectic (understatement) and everyone I speak to is fighting their own battle in some shape or form.

For me, 2021 is the year I took the plunge to start my own business venture (read: jumps out of plane) and then in August decided to drop the safety nets and make it my primary source of income (the free-falling bit) while still building a house and navigating working from home (did I… remember to pack that parachute?).

Just to get you up to speed, my partner and I built our NSW south coast house, and shared our process on Instagram.

I went rogue and started making Reels, and people liked them.

Fast forward to now, and I’m freelancing by making Reels full-time, while still working as a Sports Presenter on the weekends, while building a house and navigating all of the above in lockdown.

Try fitting that on the occupation line on your driver’s license renewal.

Trying to keep up with the 10,000 mental tabs I have open in my brain was fairly overwhelming in the beginning. But adding these five ways into my daily routine to bring myself relaxation and calm has been a game-changer for my self-care, and my mental health.

(Well, four are daily; the fifth one is a bit of a treat when I get the chance!).

1. Make your morning coffee sacred.

As the queen of shuffling to my coffee machine in my dressing gown (I look like I’ve stumbled through a wind tunnel each morning), I know how easy it can be to write this glorious part of your day off as unimportant.

But, I need you to trust me on this one. Romanticising my morning coffee has been an absolute turning point for keeping my days calm and relaxing as soon as I roll out of bed.

Get all third-person with me on this for a second:

She wakes up and saunters to the coffee machine. The sound of Australia’s Own Barista Oat Milk steaming cuts through the still morning silence. At the peak of her at-home-barista career, perfection awaits. She curls up on the couch and takes three deep breaths before sipping on her creamy, café-worthy cup of perfection.

See? What a gorgeous way to start the day. I’m serious though: if you’re not prioritising a quiet moment for yourself at the top of your day, are you really living your best life like Oprah taught us?

I do this daily, no compromises.

The feet will be up, I’m sipping the first of many oat milk lattes for the day and I take mental stock of the items I need to plan, email and shoot before the sun disappears. I definitely prefer doing this at home where it’s quiet (bonus points: I can stay in my dressing gown), and can still have café quality coffee in the comfort of my own home.

(I’m a bit of a plant-based milk connoisseur and please believe me when I say Australia’s Own Barista Oat Milk froths SO well, so definitely my favourite for making silky coffee from home. It’s creamy, made from 100% Australian oats and you can pick it up from Coles.)

Which brings me to point two.

2. Switch up your playlist for something smoother.

This secret weapon for slowing down pairs exquisitely with your now-romanticised morning ‘time oat.’ (There was no way I was going to sidestep this pun.)

I love a great podcast or (un)cool music playlist as much as the next person (it’s got to be early noughties boy bands for me) but swapping out your regular playlist for something smoother can chill you out in an instant, and the perfect compliment to taking time out.

So, press play on some of my favourite playlists. These are the ones giving me all the warm and fuzzies right now:

Or just go with the ever-popular ‘meditation music’ and let your stresses melt away.

3. Stretch it out, slowly.

When I say stretch it out, I don’t mean putting on an intense vinyasa flow video and getting sweaty. I mean: take the time to listen to your body and move slowly in a way that releases tension and makes you feel good.

Seriously, you can do this one in bed.

Start by slowly looking from left to right, before moving your left ear to left shoulder and right ear to right shoulder.

Then, chin to chest and chin to the sky.

Repeat this a few times, stretching deeper into anywhere that feels like it needs a longer hold. Invite some movement into your shoulders by shrugging them up and down, before slowly twisting your entire torso around to the left and then to the right.

If you feel up to it, move into some traditional yoga poses like cat/cow (the one where you’re on all fours and rounding your spine toward the ceiling… I’m sure you’re picturing it), downward facing dog or a forward fold. Listen to your body and move any way that feels good to you.

Still need a little guidance? Search for beginner yoga stretches and there is some amazing video content out there to help get you started.

4. Simply, sit.

Do not disturb on, magazine away; just you, your afternoon oat milk cuppa and *gasp* your thoughts.

If this makes you feel a little uneasy, don’t worry, you’re not alone. Easing into stillness can be challenging when you’re new to the game of relaxation.

We’ve all become experts at juggling the highest of mental loads, a million to-dos and at a pace that seems to get faster each year. So much so, that intentionally taking things slower can feel... uncomfortable.

I like to think of myself as a ‘hustler’ in recovery. For a long time my entire self-worth was based around how many productive things I did, and how little I said no to: meaning taking time out to sit and just ~be~ was simply no