The Yoga App Entrepreneur Courtney Adamo Swears by for Daily Self Care
Welcome to Bedtime Stories, an interview series where we ask inspiring individuals to share their nighttime routine and sleep secrets – from the beauty products they can’t live without to the tricks they swear by when they’re too tired to function (no coffee needed). For this instalment, Courtney Adamo shares the morning routine that helps support her life as a lifestyle blogger, influencer, and mother.
Having your own business is no mean feat, but combining those demands with being the mother of five children and juggling a high energy household is undeniably impressive. This is the reality for Courtney Adamo who masterfully splits her time between the two roles.
Previously, we spoke to the Byron Bay-based entrepreneur, whose Bangalow home we toured in our The Makers series, about the bedtime routine that helps her juggle life with five children and a business. Now, Courtney has shared with the Bed Threads Journal how her morning routine has changed over the years and her top tips for finding time for self-care.
Given her busy schedule, you'd be correct in assuming that she has little time for this. But for Courtney, it’s all about finding small moments throughout her day to be present and mindful, be it walking barefoot on the beach or taking a moment to stretch while you wait for your coffee to brew. Over the years she has also become highly attuned to how her body feels and makes moves to ensure she is getting adequate rest.
Courtney Adamo's Morning and Night Routine
What motivates you to get up each day?
I actually love mornings! I’ve always been a morning person, so I don’t find it too difficult to get up each day. I love the fresh start, the promise of coffee and breakfast (my favourite meal), and I love well-rested kids sitting at the island bench with their sweet, sleepy faces.
How has your morning routine changed over the last few years?
We’ve almost always had the same morning routine in our home. My husband, Michael, and I divide and conquer in terms of the morning tasks — I empty the dishwasher while he starts preparing all the lunchboxes for the kids. I usually grind the coffee beans and make us coffee while he slices fruit for breakfast.
Sometimes I sneak over to the laundry room to put a load of laundry on, then I come back and make porridge for breakfast. The kids run in and out of the kitchen while getting ready for school. It’s a busy hive of activity, but but I suppose it’s organised chaos.
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How important is having a morning and nighttime routine for you?
I’ve always been big on routines. I feel like it really sets you up for healthy rhythms and balance throughout your day. For example, I’m not someone who sleeps in late in the mornings or skips meals. I don’t really even snack between meals. I really love the consistency of routine throughout my day and feel like my body relies on it too.
How do you maintain your energy levels as a mother of five and businesswoman?
I love sleep, and really try to get at least 8 hours every night. We also eat really healthily, which I think helps. I try to eat foods that keep my energy levels up for a long period of time — things like nuts on my porridge and avocados on my toast, etc.
I’ve also been learning to listen to my body, especially the differences throughout my monthly cycle. It’s okay if we feel more tired and require more rest at certain times throughout our cycle. I’ve never been very good at sitting still or resting, but I do think it’s really important and I’m trying to prioritise this more.
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What are your top tips for finding time for self-care?
When you’re a busy mother, I think self-care often looks different than what typical ‘self-care’ might look like, and that’s okay. I really think it’s more about the small moments throughout your day than about carving out a specific activity. For example, taking a moment to stretch while you wait for your coffee to brew, or leaving your phone in your bag while you walk to the bus so you can really observe the sounds and smells around you, just even walking barefoot on a beach or standing in the grass, practicing mindfulness while you hang laundry on the line, massaging oil onto your face before hopping into bed, etc.
These are little moments throughout your day where you can really be present and mindful. I also love the ‘Down Dog’ yoga app — it’s so easy to do 10 or 20 minutes or even half an hour of yoga whenever you can squeeze in the time. And of course surfing is my favourite activity, both for the meditation as well as for the exercise. My mind always feels so clear when I come out of the surf.
How do you wind down at the end of a busy day?
Michael and I often make a herbal tea and sit down on the sofa together. I like to dim the lights after dinner to create a cosier nighttime vibe in our home. Sometimes we watch something on Netflix, sometimes we read our books, or sometimes Michael does a 15 minute meditation while I do some simple stretches.
I always find I sleep better if I’ve stretched my body just a little during the day. Our wifi goes off automatically in our home at 10pm. We set this up to keep the teenagers off their phones and to encourage good sleep habits, but it’s had a positive effect on everyone because it really just forces you off a screen in time to get a good night of rest.
For more from Courtney, follow her Instagram @courtneyadamo and at courtneyadamo.com
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