There is something about November that always feels like it arrives a little too quickly. The days get warmer, the calendar gets busier, and suddenly everyone around me seems to be rushing. As a mum of three and someone running a business, I really feel that shift. It’s like the whole month is slightly tilted forward and I am bracing myself for the rush leading into December. I honestly feel like I just packed away the Christmas decorations, and here we are again, already talking about end-of-year concerts and Secret Santa and who’s bringing what to the family lunch. The whole year feels like one long fast-forward button.

While Christmas is lovely and fun and exciting, there’s also this quiet bit inside me that braces for the rush. The school events, the social things, the lists, the pressure we put on ourselves. November always seems to be the month where I look up and realise I’m already tired, and the biggest sprint of the year hasn’t even begun.

So this year, I’ve been really intentional about carving out little moments of quiet. Not big resolutions or full lifestyle overhauls. Just tiny evening rituals that make me feel calm and human again when everything around me is moving a bit too fast.

In bed at 9.30 pm

One thing that helps is going to bed on time. I’m not perfect at it (I admit as I am typing this blog-post at 10 pm), but when I actually put myself to bed instead of working late, the next day feels completely different. It’s such a simple thing, but also the hardest thing for me to do consistently.

Night time tea / magnesium / hot choc

I’ve also become a bit obsessed with my night-time magnesium chocolate from Krumbled Foods. It’s warm, it’s calming, it signals to my body that the day is ending. Sometimes it feels like a hug in a cup.

Nose tape

And yes, I wear the GOAT nose tape to bed. I know it looks funny, but honestly it’s one of the best things I’ve done for my sleep. I breathe better, wake up calmer, and it feels like such an easy way to support my nervous system.

Infrared sauna

I’m lucky enough to have a sauna, and sitting in there for 45 minutes 2-3 times per week has become a non-negotiable for me. It’s one of the few places where no one can ask me a question, I can’t check my emails, and my thoughts actually get quiet. I come out feeling like someone pressed a reset button on my brain.

Read

As much as I'd love to consider myself a bookworm, it is sometime I don't set aside enough time for. Trying to encourage my kids to read too, so Lumi  (my eldest) and I have an agreement to each read 5 pages out of our books. Five pages is doable. It doesn’t feel overwhelming. Sometimes I end up reading more, but even if I don’t, it’s still this gentle moment that slows me down before sleep.

All of these things are tiny. None of them are fancy. But they help me soften into November instead of fighting it. They help me feel more grounded as we slide toward Christmas again. They make the days feel less frantic and more like something I can actually enjoy.

If you’re feeling the rush too, maybe try adding one small ritual into your day. Something calming, something just for you. I’m learning that slowing down doesn’t require big changes. It’s more like a collection of tiny choices that keep the world from spinning too fast.

And honestly… we all deserve that.