Alexandra Mills’ Self-Care Routine: “Reassuring myself it’s ok to switch off.”

Alexandra Mills is the co-founder and director of Biztech Lawyers, a company on a mission to offer legal services to tech companies.

What does self-care mean to you?

Reassuring myself it’s ok to switch off and think about/do other things apart from work or family. “Self care” for me is about exercise, sleep, nutrition and avoiding non-productive stress.

How do you know when you’re feeling stressed or burnt out?

I find it hard to sleep and I feel less social.

Do you have a regular self-care routine? If so, what does it look like?

I used to drop exercise when I got busy, as I thought I didn’t have enough time for it. Now I view exercise as an essential part of my day, just as important as brushing my teeth. I do outdoor group training 3 times a week, and yoga once a week, and rarely miss this.

I also view eating nutritious food in this way – I have to make time for it. As long as I’m exercising and eating well, I feel good and sleep better. But when one of these things slips, it’s a downward journey in all areas of my physical and mental wellbeing.

What bumps you off your self-care routine and how do you get back on course?

Sickness – when the kids get sick and then I catch it, it is often a week of being extremely tired and it takes time to recover from that and get back into the routine. Travel can also do this, and as we start travelling more, I am worried about how I will manage this. I don’t let work commitments get in the way of my routine anymore!

Where do you go for inspiration, ideas or tools for self-care?

I love finding new plant-based recipes on Instagram and I find cooking so relaxing – it nourishes the soul and body for me!

What do you think you need to improve in terms of your self-care practice?

Meditation. I really need to bring this into my routine. I have some good stress management tools, but I don’t use meditation regularly, and I hear it can be life changing!