Elaine Longmuir’s Self-Care Routine: “Self-care to me starts from within.”

Elaine Longmuir is the Co-Founder and Creative Director of Mode d’Vie, a resortwear brand for luxury travellers.

What does self-care mean to you?

Self-care to me starts from within. Finding that balance with your emotional, mental and physical well-being is important. I find it also helps shape my day and overall outlook.

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

My energy levels are low. I also feel less focused and sociable. I find it harder to sleep too.

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

Being an insomniac I don’t get the best of sleep but I always find the time to exercise in the morning (usually pilates or Pamela Reif workouts) which helps me to reset and start the day with a positive energetic mode.

I also like to start my day with my ‘green shake’ of Athletics Greens mixed with a collagen booster, followed by an OG coffee which is a great kick-start to the day. Healthy eating is key but it’s also realistic to sometimes treat yourself to the things you crave and give you that feel good factor. 

Externally I always stick to a skin care routine for face & body as finding that internal external balance is key. 

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

When there are too many things going on in your schedule that are pulling you in different directions. It’s important to pull back and prioritise on things that are most important to myself and my family. 

When I have consecutive bad nights of sleep I try to break it with some mediation. I find the Calm app very useful especially breathing techniques and the sleep series.

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

One positive to come from the pandemic is our collective awareness of the importance of self-care which has come from our enforced solitude and separation from our communities. People are genuinely now more consciously taking care of themselves.

We now have a plethora of self-care products and services to address our specific needs via social media, blogs, podcasts and webinars at our fingertips. I love that Meta data directs relevant information to my feed, allowing me to filter through solutions and products to suit my specific health and wellness needs. 

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

What I tell my children, no screen time before bed. It’s a hard habit to break but I do feel it can interfere with the quality of my sleep. Also to remind yourself to appreciate what you have achieved and not to be too hard on yourself. 

Before you go…

Self-Care is a content series exploring the different self-care routines and habits of people from all walks of life. Get in touch with us today if you’d like to talk about your self-care routine.