It's the last day of January and all this month we've been talking about making time for yourself, to rest, relax and recharge your batteries. We've looked at the creative ways we try to make Hygge moments at home and we've also shared recipes for our favourite comfort food and drinks, that help us feel cosy and contented. Last week we shared our favourite items from our website, to help you relax and feel comfortable.

However, the need to make time for yourself and a focus on of self-care is essential all through the year. Taking moments to indulge in the things that give you a sense of calm and well-being are key to being the best mother, partner, friend or colleague you can be. To end our theme for this month, we asked a few of our friends and colleagues to share with us, their favourite ways to relax and recharge when life gets a bit too hectic. So along with our own, here are their recommendations for the best kind of 'Me Time' moments.

Joanne Hawker

Our friend Joanne is the very beautiful face behind joannehawker.co.uk and like us, runs her own creative design and illustration business. Follow her at @joannehawker

"I’m often so busy with running my business but when I get any free time away from my to-do list, I like to get outside! A lovely walk by the coast or a tall forest does wonders for calming a busy brain."

Stace Cauldwell

Stace is one of our favourite online mums, her blog 'Rasing Minnie and Olive' follows her experiences as a mum raising two young daughters. She is also incredibly creative and her milestone blanket photos are always among our favourites! Follow her at @stacefacexo

"It’s hard being a mum and if by some miracle my youngest daughter Olive does take a nap in the middle of the day, my favourite way to relax is with a nice hot cup of tea, some biscuits & watching Friends on tv. These moments are definitely a rarity when you have very young children!"

Bethan

Bethan is our very own Studio Supervisor at Sparks and Daughters HQ. She lives at home with husband Rob and their daughter Erin.

"When I have spare time in the evenings, I like to hide away in the dining room with my sewing machine. I have always enjoyed sewing as a hobby and often make things for friends and family, but taking the time to make something for myself like a new item of clothing or a bag, feels extra indulgent. Our dining room is the first room in our home that I decorated when we moved in, so spending some 'me time' in a space that has my own creative stamp all over it, makes it even more wonderful."

Hannah

Hannah looks after all of our social media and marketing and has been a part of the Sparks Team since 2017. She has been married to husband Scott for longer than she can remember and together they live at home with their son Kai.

"My son is now halfway through secondary school, but even when children get older, life doesn't ever seem to slow down. Between my husband, son and our pets, they inevitaibly end up taking over the rest of the house but my bedroom is always a peaceful corner and my go-to spot when I want to relax. Usually, I will have a bath and put on nice clean pyjamas, then pamper myself a bit, whilst catching up on a favourite podcast or Netflix series. They are just small things but they do have a big impact."

Deborah (@nannasparks)

"Inside or outside, taking a moment to appreciate the wildlife that lives in my garden always helps to make me feel calm and relaxed. Even just sitting on my sofa with a coffee watching the birds on the feeders through the window. But if I'm outside, a walk around my garden is equally wonderful. I'll let the chickens and ducks out of their runs, I love to see them free to peck around and for the ducks to splash around in the stream. Just being there in the quiet, being able to observe the changing of the seasons, like discovering new flowers emerging, gives me precious moments of mindfulness and relaxation."

Verity (@mummasparks)

"I recently posted on Instagram about how being a working mum can mean it's hard for me to switch off, so I have a few different tried-and-tested ways to spend some time by myself and relax. One is to have a bit of a home pampering session with my favourite Liz Earl clay mask and a chai latte. Sometimes I will wake up before everyone else early in the day, light an incense stick and enjoy the view from my house. It backs onto open countryside which makes it especially nice in the Spring when the sun is coming up and you can hear the birds singing. Finally, the one thing that has worked for me since I was a child, is taking some time to draw or paint. These days when I do that, I am also listening to my boho playlist on Spotify. It's an absolutely perfect way to make me feel happy and relaxed."

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We hope you’re feeling inspired by this self-care blog. If you are, we’d love you to consider sharing it or saving it to Pinterest using the image below. Thank you!

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