How to: build a consistent self care routine in 5 minutes a day with shower aromatherapy

It’s February. If you’re anything like me, the new year new me routine fell by the wayside about two weeks ago.

Cold hard reality is simple; we don’t stick to new routines because they require extra effort, more time or in my case getting out of bed at 5 am to try and do an apple fitness workout.

When things get busy (or the heating breaks) the first thing to go is that new routine.

So what is the solution?

Start with a moment that already exists. 

5 minutes doesn’t seem like a lot, but when you are fighting to find them it may as well be a spa weekend in Italy.

But 5 minutes built into time that is already assigned (like your daily shower) is easy to maintain. It’s actually perfectly designed for aromatherapy and wellness when you think about it; your mind has the chance to settle, no screens, no multitasking, no guilt that you are spending time doing this when you should be doing something else.

So why shouldn't we take those divine 5 minutes of warmth, steam and sanctuary and make them into something even more?

Keep it simple enough to repeat daily

The best and longest lived self care rituals share two key characteristics

1. They work
2. They require little to no effort

If it entails setting up equipment, finding that mislaid yoga mat or measuring and mixing essential oils, I’m sorry to say that the likelihood of it being around in 2 months are minimal.

But if it is effortless, it becomes a part of you and your life without resistance or a herculean effort.

Technology should be a support, not a complication

Despite the name, smart wellness shouldn’t be complicated. Technology should be there to remove friction.

Tools like ScentXpresso that activate with a touch, guide your breathing without thought and deliver aromatherapy cues to shift your state within seconds should be prioritised.

This is what turns chore into calm.

Make it feel good. Straight away. 

When something feels good quickly, we get that dopamine hit. The brain (and the rest of us!) want to repeat it, and quickly!

That is why blending essential oils with warmth and guided breathing is such a powerful experience. You feel the shift instantly and look forward to doing it again.

This is how consistency is built, through ease and sensation not just discipline.

Remember, you don’t need an hour, you just need a moment. 

Five minutes can be the difference between a good day or a bad one, a restful night or tossing and turning. Minutes count more when they restore you.

Our five minute daily self care ritual looks like this:

Minute 1: Choose your Essential oil (never synthetic), insert it into your ScentXpresso smart shower device.

Minute 2: step into the soothing warm water and take a deep breath to start your reset.

Minute 3: Press to start, feel the steam rise carrying soothing essential oils and let your tension fall away.

Minute 4: Match your breathing to SmartHalo. Feel the steady rhythm of 4-4-4-4 box breathing signal to your nervous system that it is time to come out of fight or flight.

Minute 5: Let your mind settle, no meetings, no tasks, just you, scent, steam and shower

When you are ready, close your ritual with a grounding thought “I’m ready for…” the day (or a great sleep).

The best self-care doesn’t need a new routine, it just needs the right moment.

Thankfully this already exists in your day.

If you want to learn more about turning your daily shower into a aromatherapy self care ritual, we’ve got you.