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13 January 2023
Courier Weekly provides inspiration and tools to help you work better and live smarter.
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Your weekly round-up of briefings, trends and news.
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Routine remix
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Last year, it wasn't enough to just have a nine-to-five job. You also needed a five-to-nine. That's the routine that comes before or after work and bookends a productive and successful day – going to the gym, prepping a healthy meal, doing a skincare routine – preferably filmed and shared on social media (the hashtag #5to9 has more than 80 million views on TikTok).
The quest for perfectionism and optimization hasn't been confined to morning routines – consider the 75 Hard Challenge and the rise of 10-step skincare routines. It's also provided a boost for brands that can align with these aspirational routines – think organizational tools and activewear sets.
While the underlying trends that had people clamoring for a routine aren't set to change, there's an increasing backlash against the perfectionism that dominated last year – and, for brands that want to stay linked to those hard-earned habits, it means a shift is necessary.
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Back to reality
While people have long been obsessed with the idea of the perfect routine, it hit new heights as people sought to have a little bit of control in an uncertain world. ‘We live at a time when institutional trust is really low,’ says Helen Jambunathan, associate insight director at insights agency Canvas8. ‘Societies are more polarized and more fragmented than ever. People feel quite isolated. And anything that provides a vision of order in the everyday is really, really attractive.’
However, if last year was the year where people sought to escape reality through carefully controlled days, this is the year when reality will sink in, Helen says. Consider the related ‘that girl ’ trend – a TikTok vlogging style that shows off a perfectly organized life – which bubbled up in popularity earlier this year but has since been replaced by more realistic routines. It rang hollow with those who recognized it as a lifestyle construct, rather than an attainable reality. But that doesn't mean there's no way to reach this audience – Helen points to podcast and meme account Sea Moss Girlies for having a more grounded approach to self-care; and breakfast bar brand Perkier, which recently poked fun at over-the-top wellness routines like cold-water plunges and juice cleanses.
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Brands built differently
For brands in the routine space, it means a pared-back approach. June Tess Van Veer co-founded habits app Peppl in response to the post-Covid mental-health crisis and inspired by her journey trying to build a routine that created a positive impact, rather than promoting an unattainable lifestyle: ‘There are so many techniques out there – how can we make [it] quick and easy and snackable, but in a way that people would still be working on their mental wellbeing?’
With Peppl's platform, users get a QR code sticker that they can place somewhere connected to a pre-existing routine (such as a skincare product) and scan to start a short behavioral-science-backed audio exercise. It's up to the user to decide when they want to fit these short practices into their routine – a feature that was purposefully designed to counteract trends like five-to-nine and ‘a day in the life’.
‘These can be very demotivating because it seems like everyone is doing it perfectly [and that] everyone has a great routine every day. That's something we don't want to emphasize,’ says June. ‘It's something we want to work on during the exercises, that maybe you're not as productive every day and maybe you're not doing it the same way every day… It's not about being that perfect person; it's more about being the best you can.’
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Our top five stories online
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Inspiration for the home, plus things to eat, drink and wear.
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New year, new habits
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These four things could inspire small shifts that result in big changes.
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We all know that drinking enough water is essential to start and finish your day feeling good. Keep this water jug and glass from Egyptian cotton brand Malaika on your bedside table to remind you each morning and night to drink as many glasses as you can. The set is made in Egypt from hand-blown, hand-painted glass – so no two are the same. |
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Trying to figure out how your to-do list can realistically be achieved? Use a daily planning notepad from stationery brand Mishmash and work out each task hour by hour. It's designed to be filled out and torn off so once your day is done, it can be forgotten. |
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Improving your health may be on your list of resolutions this year, but why not combine pleasure and wellness with chocolate that's packed full of supplements? FX Chocolate makes products for issues ranging from sleep to focus. |
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Want to leave your old routine behind completely? Pick a place from one of travel magazine Fare's editions and you'll have a good head start on finding out where the locals eat, drink and hang out. |
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Is there a brand you love that you want to share?
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Tips and tools to become better at life and work.
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Your new year check-in
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The new year can be a heady time, full of resolutions and lofty ambitions. To give yourself the best chance of staying on track with this year's goals – without sacrificing your mental wellbeing – it's worth checking in on yourself. We asked Jodie Cariss, a therapist and founder of high-street therapy service Self Space, how she advises her clients to keep mental wellbeing top of mind beyond January.
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01. Be honest with yourself. ‘Be honest about when you're in survival mode and when you're thriving so that you can properly tend to your needs. Denial will not serve you, but getting curious and reflective with where you're at will help you prioritize what you need and move forwards in an aligned and compassionate way.’
Jodie says these are some of the warning signs that you're in survival mode:
- Feeling overwhelmed.
- Stress and tension in the body.
- Procrastination.
- Constantly fatigued.
Characteristics of when you're thriving:
- Excitement and motivation.
- Relaxed and at ease.
- Confidence.
- Empathy.
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02. Decompress daily. ‘This is a biggie if you're going to be able to keep going. Being a founder is all about playing the long game, so you need to make sure you're looking after yourself. If you don't look after yourself, you'll end up in a cycle of burnout. Decompression doesn't have to be big, but doing something daily will keep you buoyant.’
Jodie's tips on how to decompress:
- Deep belly breaths.
- Moving your body, like exercise, yoga or stretching.
- Getting outside.
- Playing with pets.
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03. Cultivate community. ‘We're all messy, vulnerable human beings trying our best to hold it together. When we let others into a part of our reality, we feel less alone and give them permission to also not have it all together. Connect with your people, let them in. Chances are they'll feel less alone, too. Win-win.’
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04. Recognize your limitations. ‘You're one person with a limited amount of resources. When we accept our limits with mindful recognition and self-compassion, we can start to live with more ease and less strain.’
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05. Give yourself credit. ‘How often do you stop and recognize a job well done (for yourself and others)? Or how quickly do you move on to the next job? Being a founder is tough at times, excellent at times and everything in between. Celebrating successes does wonders for our energy, mindset and sustainability in business.’
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Want more tips and tools on working effectively and living smarter?
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Other great stuff we loved this week.
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