I often forget to drink water, even though I know it’s good to drink about six glasses a day. So as soon as I wake up, I drink a glass of water with a squeeze of lemon juice in it. It’s a simple habit to form that helps kick-start your hydration. (Mary Carmody, nutritionist and mindset coach)
Many Irish homes suffer from condensation and mould issues. At night when your walls and windows cool, any air carrying moisture will release the water when it hits a cold surface. One culprit is our own breath — when you snooze at night, your warm breath contains moisture droplets and if it hits a cold window it will deposit the liquid there. Improve ventilation by throwing open your windows for a few minutes each morning to allow fresh air in — ideally before your heating comes on. And, wipe condensation away with kitchen paper or a cloth when you see it in the morning so mould does not get a chance to develop. (Denise O’Donoghue, Life Hack columnist).
Get that SPF out on the daily, says the Skin Nerd. Illustration: Sarah Gray
Sun protection is a 365-day-a-year scenario and is needed even when it’s cloudy or cold outside. New evidence suggests that there’s merit in having HEV (High Energy Visible) light protection too (it’s in our Skingredients Skin Shield Moisturising and Priming SPF50 PA +++), which offers protection from light emitted from screens. Reapply every two hours as advised by the Irish Cancer Society. (Jennifer Rock, founder and CEO of The Skin Nerd and Skingredients)
Good quality foods have remarkably few ingredients. We should all be avoiding ultra-processed foods and a good way to do that is to get in the habit of reading the ingredients lists on the foods you buy. Are the ingredients things you recognise? Or does it read like a chemistry paper, with a list of endless additives as long as your arm? If it’s the latter, it’s probably better to put it back on the shelf. (Mary Carmody, nutritionist and mindset coach)
Tracy Gunn, HR expert
Better to spend 15 undistracted minutes with your children or partner, where you’re totally focused and present, than two hours where your attention is divided and you are not really present. Find some short chunks of time where you can fully connect. (Tracy Gunn, co-founder of Platform55, a HR platform to support families at work).
Comedian Julie Jay from Brandon, West Kerry pictured at her home.
When it’s all kicking off at home, sometimes all we need is to open that door for a reset. Get outside in the fresh air. Or, if you’re living in West Kerry and the last dry day happened during the second lockdown, go for a drive. (Julie Jay, comedian and parenting columnist)
It can be expensive to snack well, but if you make it part of your routine to carry snacks with you, you can stop yourself from having those moments of low blood sugar where we’re inclined to make poor food choices. Roasting nuts at home and adding some flavour to them is delicious, and cheaper than buying them. It takes about 15 minutes to roast a batch of almonds with a sprinkling of soy sauce. Then all you need is some handy sized Tupperware containers. Have some in your car, in your handbag or laptop bag and when hunger strikes, you won’t be tempted by the sweet aisle. (Mary Carmody, nutritionist and mindset coach)
Place a large bowl on the kitchen counter while preparing food and throw all the reusable scraps into the bowl as you go. You’d be suprised what you can use in another meal, from potato peelings which can be turned into crisps in the oven or the air fryer, to carrot peelings and broccoli stalks which can be frozen to be used another day to make homemade vegetable stocks or soups. You will reduce your food waste further and eat better as a result. (Caitríona Redmond, food and cost of living columnist)
Place in a prominent place and attach a whiteboard marker by string to the board. The string is a necessity because markers go missing very easily. Encourage all members of the household to write ingredients or items that they want or need on the whiteboard. Take a picture before you go to the shops and work from that list. No more losing scraps of paper because you have the list on your phone and you will be getting what is required, rather than second guessing yourself in the shops. This will save you money. (Caitríona Redmond, food and cost of living columnist)
Nick Charalambous, financial advisor at Alpha Wealth
Consider increasing your pension contributions. For example, if you’re earning over €42,000 annually, adding just €60 more to your pension not only gets a boost to €100 thanks to tax relief, but it also grows tax-free. (Nick Charalambous, financial advisor, Alpha Wealth).
By contributing €5,000 or more to qualifying Irish companies, you could receive up to 50 percent back in tax relief over four to five years. This scheme not only supports Irish companies but also enhances your investment portfolio. This tweak not only helps in diversifying your investments but also supports Irish startups and established businesses, all while offering significant tax benefits. (Nick Charalambous, financial advisor, Alpha Wealth).
Marianne Heaphy, The Revamp Tramp
You can brighten up your home without embarking on big, expensive projects. A small tin of primer and a tin of clear varnish are must-haves for upcycling small items in your house. Old picture frames are transformed by priming, painting and varnishing. You can use leftover paint or buy small paint testers in DIY shops for a pop of cheap or free designer colour. The time and money costs are tiny, but the sense of achievement is huge. (Marianne Heaphy, The Revamp Tramp).
Aoife Drury, Psychosexual and Relationship Therapist
Bring a toy into your sex life, one that you and your partner feel comfortable using. It could be as simple as massage oil, a vibrator, or a blindfold. (Aoife Drury, psychosexual and relationship therapist)
Most people spend 10 seconds washing their face. Instead, spend between 60-90 seconds. This will allow the ingredients in your cleanser to penetrate the skin and give the product enough time to break down and dissolve oils, dirt and impurities. Your skin will thank you, you’ll see your cheekbones again and you’ll wonder why you were ever in such a hurry before. (Kate Demolder, beauty columnist).
Jennifer Rock, The Skin Nerd
Retinol has been scientifically proven to create long term changes in the skin, namely lines/ wrinkles/pores/ texture/ pigmentation and sun damage. Ideally opt for a 0.6 % and move toward a 1% for seasoned users for this clinically proven skincare product. Use in the evening only, always with SPF by day. (Jennifer Rock, founder and CEO of The Skin Nerd and Skingredients)
This is as easy as talking to a co-parent or sibling of the child about how proud or happy you were when your child did something well or without being prompted to do so. There is something powerful in a child overhearing you singing their praises. Sometimes they believe it more than when you say it to them in the moment (Laura Erskine, founder of The Parenting Experts)
I don’t normally have the time to do hours of meal prep and cooking on Sunday evenings, but I prep a big container of salad, which doesn’t take long: I wash a load of lettuce and slice things like cucumber, radish and white cabbage (other veg like tomatoes and avocados don’t last well when cut). I store my salad in the fridge, with dressing kept separate so it doesn’t go soggy, and I find I end up having salad with all my meals until mid-week, with minimal effort. (Ellie O’Byrne, journalist).
Make the most of digital quite time. Illustration: Sarah Gray
Both IOS and Android phones have been putting effort into improving our digital well-being by introducing ‘Focus Modes’, a feature that helps you reduce distractions and set boundaries. The idea is to keep you “in the moment” by filtering out apps or notifications that you don’t want popping up during specific times, like work apps after you clock off. (Anna O’Donoghue, social media editor).
Everytime you get an email from somewhere you shopped once, or an app you didn’t even realise had your email address, scroll to the bottom of the email and hit unsubscribe. It’ll take a few more seconds than hitting delete, but save so much more time (and annoyance) in the long run. (Nicole Glennon, Weekend assistant editor)
The HSE’s Physical Activity Guidelines recommended adults should be moderate to vigorously physically active for at least 30-minutes per day, five days a week. To those just beginning their fitness journey this figure can seem impossible. Try splitting 30-min across the day by adding five-minute exercise snacks to your day. This could look like five minutes of stretching/flexibility exercises first thing in the morning and just before bed, doing 10-squats during the ad breaks of your television show or completing a five minute circuit around the house by climbing the stairs, doing some wall press ups, chair squats and high knees. (Grace Connell, Personal Trainer)
The two cleaning tools I reach for most in my home are the humble combo of vinegar and bicarbonate of soda. This pairing can be used for cleaning drains (tip some bicarbonate of soda down the pipe followed by vinegar, which fizzes up on contact and helps to dislodge blockages and ollow with some boiling water for a perfect finish), but these items are also cleaning powerhouses in their own right. Vinegar contains acetic acid, which helps it break down dirt, oil, bacteria and more. Mix it with water (a 50/50 concentration) and spray on surfaces like windows, countertops, floors and sinks to clean and refresh them. Bicarbonate of soda is great for dealing with tricky stains and is super absorbent. Leave a small open pot of it anywhere with a strong smell, like your fridge, to soak up the scent. You can also mix it with water to create a paste and use this to scrub areas like countertops, sinks, and microwaves.
I’m a firm believer in trying new experiences when I travel – I like to do at least one thing I wouldn’t do at home! It is always best to have something booked in advance, because once you get relaxed on that sun lounger, it can be hard to motivate yourself to move. Top attractions can get booked out or have lengthy queues, so having pre-paid tickets will guarantee entry. Tour companies like Viator and Get Your Guide offer a wide range of excursions and most have a free cancellation policy. (Sarah Slattery, founder of thetravelexpert.ie).
Angela Burke, career consultant
Every time you do something you’re proud of, no matter how small or significant, add it to your ‘success bank’. During moments of self-doubt in your career, reading through this list will remind you of just how capable you are. (Angela Burke, career consultant)
Derval O’Rourke. Photo: Joleen Cronin.
There’s nothing more stressful than the feeling of unfinished tasks building up and the knowledge that people are waiting on your calls and unanswered emails. It’s better to be realistic about what you are able to achieve and be clear about this with others. I divide my day down into tasks, and assign time to each task. I prioritise what has to be done and if it’s clear there are certain tasks that aren’t possible, I park them and contact whoever may be impacted by it being parked. (Derval O’Rourke, Olympic Athlete and co-founder of the SAOL workplace wellbeing platform)
It’s stressful to go through a series of back-to-back work meetings, and it’s counter-productive too: the brain needs time to adjust to new sets of information and so your focus is likely to be off for the first few minutes of a meeting. (Derval O’Rourke, Olympic Athlete and co-founder of the SAOL workplace wellbeing platform)
Yoga Maura Rath
For a seated cat cow, push your chest forward on the inhale and then on the exhale you draw your navel in to your spine. You can do it sitting on a chair or on the couch. It’s great for your posture and it releases your shoulders which is where we hold all our tension. (Maura Rath, founder of Yoga with Maura).
Sarah Gray illustration for Weekend. Seated Cat Cow
For stress-free airport experiences, invest in the best lightweight 10kg cabin baggage you can, for all members of the family. I have a Samsonite lite shock. They are expensive but they will last, and save you plenty of money in baggage charges in the long run. Mine have travelled all over the world with me and are still in perfect condition. They hold much more than a regular 10kg suitcase, which can mean the difference between paying for checked in luggage or bringing a case on board. (Sarah Slattery, founder of thetravelexpert.ie).
The humble plank works your core, back, hips, arms, and shoulders, making it a great all-round exercise. Try adding a plank to your daily routine. Start off by trying to hold one for just 10 seconds, adding 5-10 seconds each day until you can hold it for two minutes. (Grace Connell, Personal Trainer).
Before downing tools on a Friday, plan your Monday. Identify the three most important tasks you need to complete and carve out time in your calendar to do so. You know exactly what you’re facing Monday morning, which can help alleviate the Sunday night scaries. (Angela Burke, career consultant)
Not only will this stop you mindlessly scrolling before bed, but having the alarm go off just outside my bedroom door means I’ve to get out of the bed to turn it off. Once I am up, I am much less likely to get back into bed, which means I get up when I need to and I am not starting the day running late after multiple hits of the snooze button. (Nicole Glennon, Weekend assistant editor)
Modern life is a constant bombardment of music and auditory information: music in shops, car radios, TV blaring in the pub. I used to think I was keeping myself entertained on long drives or while doing household chores by listening to podcasts or radio: this year, I’ve started deliberately opting for silence. It’s amazing the things the mind will mull over and process while it’s not constantly semi-distracted. (Ellie O’Byrne, journalist).
