I’ve been curling up on my couch after pulling myself out of bed, at a too-early hour. After I’ve brushed my teeth and put in my contacts, I settle in the middle of the couch with my iPad, journal, notebook, and Kindle. I spend the next hour or so in my nook: meditating, journaling and planning my day, reading while sipping the coffee my husband made for me before his workout, and writing. At 6:26 am on Wednesday morning, I’m writing this very paragraph (only for my writing session to end 6 minutes later, with the boys awake and very ready to start the day).
I must reiterate that my husband’s coffee delivery is the only reason I wake up this early. But sitting in our dim family room, with lofi music softly playing and flameless candles adding a bit of warmth, is a really lovely way to begin my day.
I wrote about ‘cruise’ being my theme this month, and trying tiny tweaks so my habits are increasingly on autopilot. I have a lot of business travel in October and November—critical meetings with our partners, advisors, and vendors to prep for our biggest milestone and some speaking engagements. It’s a callback to my Hitha On The Go days, a time when I traveled back-to-back weeks and made multi-city stops during these trips. When I am home, I’ll be filming season 2 of That Desi Spark while juggling family time, keeping things running smoothly at work, and doing my best to stay well.
This particular tweak to my morning routine has made a big difference in that last section. I feel like I’ve notched a work win before jumping into mom mode, and that has made for a more present, less stressful morning.
Here are some of the other tiny tweaks that have helped me:
Before I go to bed, I plug in my phone on my desk and charge it there. My Hatch wakes me up at 5:15, and I use my iPad for the Peloton app and morning writing session. My work email is the only account I’ve logged into (and that’s because I usually have emails from Europe and India waiting for me, some requiring a quick response). I use the Peloton app for my workout as well, and don’t touch my phone until around 9:30, when I’m at my desk to start the day. It’s made a huge difference, which I find slightly annoying.
Every Sunday, I clean my phone screens, wash my makeup brushes, meal plan and place a Wegmans order for delivery, and refill my pill box for the week. I’ve also begun to plan my outfits for the week, and steam any wrinkled items before hanging them on a butler’s rod in my closet. I loop the right bra over the hanger hooks for each day as well (because there’s nothing worse than tearing through your underwear drawer for the one bra that works for that day’s top when you’re running late).
Side note—these bras are the best. I live in these bralettes on casual days (camera off, in a cozier outfit), and this one when I need more lift and seamless lines.
I tweaked the home and second screens on my phone. My goal with the home screen is to help me lock into focus mode, with just a handful of widgets (Google Calendar, the Forest app, my habit tracker, Spotify, and Libro.fm). I moved all my apps in folders to the second screen, in color coded folders (I learned this from Eliza Orlins).
For the past few weeks, we’ve hosted (or been hosted by) another family for a dinner play date. We order in whatever sounds appetizing, the kids play and we catch up, and everyone is happily tired by the time we get home and in bed. I tend to withdraw from friends during stressful times (which eventually leaves me feeling worse), so this helps me stay connected to friends and stay mentally well.
What are some tiny tweaks that made a big difference for you?
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Catch up on the latest Substack posts:
What I bought this week: no-drill towel rings, refills for my go-to Outset products (HITHA20 gets you 20% off your first order), a rapid egg cooker (which also makes an excellent omelette), and two more shoe bins (they).
I’ve seen creators I really admire slip into MAHA conspiracy land. This piece explains how (and how to escape this rabbit hole as well).
In defense of slower, quieter summers filled with little wins. Towards the end of August, I questioned my choices to hunker down and prioritize family time and rest. After our first full week of the school year, I couldn’t be more grateful for my slow summer. Sabrina Molu’s essay reads like an entry in a gratitude journal, and has me appreciating my own little wins.
I’m going to be using this phrase with the boys more, and added many of these books to their library holds list and TBR.
On that note, it makes me sad that we’re reading less. Something that we do as a family is curl up on the couch and read as a family (either reading our own books, or me reading to the kids). It’s one of my favorite rituals.
I’m currently reading Human Rites (the third book in the Her Majesty’s Royal Coven series, which is just excellent)—Juno is a brilliant writer, and this series is right up there with A Discovery of Witches as one of my favorite witchy series. I’m nearly finished with I Just Wish I Had A Bigger Kitchen, which has me deeply appreciative of the beautiful, messy moments in my life that I had been judging myself for. I picked up the book after listening to Jo Piazza’s interview with Kate Strickler—listen to it here.
If you enjoyed this weekend’s letter, please consider:
tapping the ❤️ icon below
tapping the 💬 and share a little tweak that’s made a noticeable impact in your life.
upgrading your subscription, if budget permits (I’m currently running a 50% off sale).
Wishing you a wonderful Sunday.
xo,
HPN
