I accept that we can’t all just disappear on a wellness & yoga retreat. I live on a wellness retreat and still can’t find the time to go on a wellness retreat … would Alannis Morriset find that ironic? I’ll add it to my list of things to ponder on.

Lately, I’ve been pushing the boundaries on what is humanly possible. My body, brain, soul and most irritatingly, my eyeballs are being pushed to their limits. They are about to host a strike that would make the teachers union proud.

But here’s the problem - I can’t stop. I have 6 weeks left to wrap up my studies including a thesis (this one is the major source of stress right now). I have a wildlife shelter with some animals requiring 3 hourly feeds and medications (this is not helping) plus I have animals who urgently need to be released, yet with the Victorian government increasing the number of areas open to commercial kangaroo shooting, I have nowhere left to release them (insert *indignation and angst*). I have two young children - one of whom seems to be headed into the most Mum intensive bits of puberty right now (aaarrgggg), and yeah - I have a labour & finance heavy business to run with loans up to those long suffering eyeballs, due to the legacy of COVID-19 lockdowns. The Q1 BAS is also over due. My parents are not doing great and live 90 minutes away. There’s more but you don’t really wanna know all that. Phew! Thanks for letting me get it all off my chest.

In summary: I need to keep coaxing & cajoling this dead horse (that’s me btw) to make it to the October finish line of my studies - where I will finally get to drop some seriously heavy baggage. So how do “I” do this?

That’s the part you opened this for - not me whining about how tired I am, while living on a property most people would die for, designed to facilitate all things wellness… yeah poor me. So here it is - my top 3 tips for when you have no time, you’re out of gas, but you HAVE to keep going:

1. Purchase the best quality bedding you can afford: Sleep is now your most precious commodity. You need it to reset your hormone levels, your metabolism, your brain chemistry, the receptor cells in your eyeballs and even the fluid in your vertebral discs. Also, how good does it feel to collapse into a nice bed at the end of a long day? So good.

2. Have regular Infrared sauna sessions - even just 10 minutes for a mini hit at full heat. Yes, I realise that not everyone has one at home. But if you have access to one, or you’ve been thinking about it, GET ONTO IT (ask us which one we recommend - smaller is better!). There are multiple health benefits of sauna use and they are pretty major. Ideally try it right before bed, with evidence showing that this improves REM sleep, helping you wake up feeling more refreshed. It also aids physical recovery, boosts your immune system and as a bonus learned material may be retained better from all that good sleep. Unproven yet, but counterintuitively, sauna use might even help with the symptoms of menopause. Watch this space…

3. Get into some Red Light Therapy OR Floatation Therapy - I have to choose because of time limitations. I set a task that must be done (ie finish your bloody thesis jill!) and work in ~3 hour blocks with quick pitstop for coffee & sunshine in the middle. If I achieve my goal, I reward myself with a float or RLT before entering the next task. Why these? Because unlike a massage, a nap, chocolate or alcohol, they work at a much deeper level to undo some of the damage I’m inflicting. I can switch off all my sensory systems, and RLT allows my cellular energy systems to kick into hyperdrive which in turn helps keep my immune and endocrine systems healthier. For that window in time I am literally in rest and recover mode - even if my brain can’t switch off. In terms of an investment of funds - that’s much better value than getting my hair or eyebrows styled (I think).
   

There you have it - and I know what you are thinking. Nice for some. But here’s the kicker - you probably have access to these things too and they are cheaper than a massage, beauty treatment, cigarettes or takeaway food. In metropolitan centres and most regional centres, there are floatation centres with memberships that give you multiple floats AND infrared sauna sessions per week. You just have to use them. Infrared sauna’s are getting smaller, more energy efficient and you can purchase one on interest free finance that fits in an apartment. They will do way more for your health in the long term than a trip to Bali or Byron (or dare I say it, even Benalla?!).

Red Light Therapy is also on the rise with mounting evidence that this sh*t is magical - you can experience it either with an at home panel (do your research!) or in wellness centres. You can even add a red light therapy lamp to your sauna (though I admit these lamps are stupidly expensive). Prioritise and invest in your wellness, find a place that you feel comfortable going and give it a go for a few weeks - focussing on how you feel when you micro-dose your life with wellness. Take notice of the effects on your sleep, recovery and ability to push through when you need to dig deep.

I literally swear by these things. And since at the moment I swear so much, that must mean it’s good!?