Yesterday, we shared our video with Leaf TV laying out a few of our morning non-negotiables, namely all the wellness drinks we can get our hands on, and a good dry-brushing from head-to-toe. 

Now we’re on to the topic of afternoon energy and the evening wind-down. Join our Editorial Director, Suzanne Hall in these two short videos that outline a few of the habits we’re relying on for balance, energy and all the healthy feels.

LIVING WELl in the afternoon: 3 DAILY HABITS IN OUR pm ROUTINE

ONE: Diffuse Essential Oils

Essential oils are a great way to lift the mood, purify the air and balance the energy of a room. Pick your favorite scent based on aromatherapy and herbal properties. We love frankincense, rose, grapefruit and lavender at the moment!

Simply add a couple drops of your choice of essential oils to a steam diffuser and enjoy the benefits.

Two: Get Up And Move

Every day. Period. Some form of movement is necessary to help us stay fit, energized and stress free. Apart from our regular workouts, we also love the surprisingly effective practice of Qigong which uses a simple series of movement to get our energy profoundly balanced. This is the perfect way to tackle 3pm energy – and get yourself out of your comfort zone. Because Qigong won’t get you breaking a sweat, we say it’s kosher for the office. It may get you just as many sideways looks as you’d get doing downward dogs, but the energy, stress relief and emotional balance you’ll cultivate are probably worth it.

Three: Sun Potion Energy Tonic

For a coffee-free, energizing pick-me-up, we turn to the masters at Sun Potion and a few of our nutritive go-to powders to give us a true boost of lasting energy. Loaded with hemp seeds for those essential omega 3’s and complete protein, cacao powder for energy, ashwagandha for immunity, stress relief and mental focus, this makes a great alternative to a smoothie or afternoon coffee. Serve cold or warmed. Get the recipe below. 

LIVING WELL In The Evening: 3 DAILY HABITS IN OUR Nightly ROUTINE

One: spiralized veggies for dinner

If you’ve never made spiralized veggie noodles before, scratch everything off your 2016 list of resolutions and make this your goal instead. Spiralized zucchini pasta, served cold or cooked as you would an al dente pasta, makes an incredible base for a dinner that fills us up without weighing us down. The possibilities are endless, but at the moment we’re eating them up with chopped cherry tomatoes, pesto and a crunch of pine nuts. See some of our favorite spiralized pasta recipes here. 

Two: decompress + Set the mood

With work, workouts, and going out behind us, shut the door to the world and set the tone for the evening with a little incense. We love palo santo sticks for scent that’s deeply grounding without being cloying. Light incense as a ritual to remind your body to decompress and unwind. Change the whole energy of the room and feel cleansed daily.

Three: set aside time to Meditate

Spend the last 20 minutes a day before bed in a restful position, but not asleep. Let your mind process the day, take some mindfully deep breaths, and allow yourself to indulge your heart a bit. Evening meditation is a great opportunity for daily micro-evaluations that, when done regularly, will help you make more thoughtful choices and stay in a calmer state of mind.

What are your afternoon and evening non-negotiables? Tell us what wellness routines are keeping you balanced and well.
Be sure to check out our guide for morning wellness.