So… we’re properly back.
Back to school runs. Back to lunchboxes. Back to meetings, deadlines, and a calendar that suddenly feels twice as full as I remembered. By Thursday, the holiday already feels weirdly far away, doesn’t it?
This week is a little nod to that — the return to real life, and the small things that hold it all together when the pace picks back up.
🌤️ The Everyday Load
The bits that make up a normal week for me right now.
The school run, in all its sweaty-handed, where-are-the-shoes glory. Heading into London for meetings, which always involves at least one Tube journey where I regret my outfit choice. Recording podcasts under studio lights that are hotter than they look. Events and the occasional red carpet, which sounds glamorous and is — but also involves standing in heat in something tight, smiling, and trying not to think about my perimenopause induced hot flush.
Then school pickup, after-school clubs, dinner, the bedtime stretch. Repeat.
It’s a lot. And don’t we all just get on with it.
But it does make you appreciate the small things that help hold it all together — the routines, the habits, the products that help you through.
🥤 The Small Things That Help
A handful of things doing quiet work across the chaos:
- A proper water bottle on me, not the kids one, a grown up thermal one. Genuinely changes my mood.
- A backup outfit option in the bag for big days. There’s always a reason.
- Cold water on the wrists between meetings. Slightly out there, weirdly effective.
- A morning walk before the day starts, even ten minutes. Resets everything.
- Eating something proper at lunch. Not a bar, not crisps. A real lunch.
- A shared calendar, full of reminders that actually beep at me.
None of it is revolutionary. It’s just the small stuff that stops the wheels coming off.
🌿 The Triangle Trick
Someone shared this with me a while back, and it’s properly stuck.
The idea is this. If you’ve got three things on your list for the evening — say, tidy the house, cook a proper dinner, and read with the kids before bed, instead of trying to do all three, you let one go. You pick the two that matter most that day, and you give yourself permission to drop the third.
It sounds small. But there’s something about seeing it as a triangle, with one corner you’re allowed to let go of, that genuinely takes the pressure off.
Some nights it’s the cooking. Some nights it’s the tidying. Some nights it’s the reading. And the world keeps turning.
We’re not meant to hold it all. We never were. Give it a try!
🕶️ Discount Alert! Leosun Kids’ Sunglasses
I’ve snagged you a new discount this week.
Code MAMA15 gets you 15% off Leosun — British, award-winning kids’ sunglasses founded by Kirsten, a mum of two and former fashion buyer based in Bath.
Properly thought-through too. UV400 polarised lenses for protection from harmful rays. Flexi-hinge frames that bend beyond 90 degrees rather than snapping. Made from G850 renew, an eco-friendly material derived from castor seeds.
And here’s the bit that sold me, a lifetime damage replacement guarantee. Broken, scratched, sat on by a sibling… they’ll replace them. Which is a small revolution when it comes to kids’ sunglasses.
A lovely one for the sunnier days ahead.
💛 Small Business Shout Out – ANJNA
This week’s small business is one I’ve recently worn, and the beauty of it really deserved a shout out!
ANJNA is a jewellery brand founded by Anjna Kaur, and the story behind it is gorgeous. She grew up between two worlds — her Indian roots, where jewellery is deeply symbolic and worn with intention, and her Thai heritage, with its love of craftsmanship and natural gemstones. Both of those threads come together in pieces designed to mean something, not just sit in a box.
Every stone is chosen for the energy it carries. Every piece is made to feel personal, a small reminder of clarity, strength, or whatever you’re carrying with you that day.
I wore a pair of their earrings to the King’s Trust 50th anniversary recently, and they gave me that feel-good vibe that great jewellery does — beautiful, but with a story behind them.
A lovely one to know about, especially if you’re after something with a bit more meaning than the usual, or need a little pick-me-up!
Whatever this week looks like for you — back to reality, easing in, or still mid-chaos, you’ve got this. And remember the triangle. Drop the corner that needs to go.
Louise x
*Affiliated links used for some products and brand partnerships.