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The Mothershift Edit.

Low Effort, High Impact: Five Small Things That Make The Week Feel Better

Apr 3
2 min read

If you having one of those weeks where everything just feels like a lot, a full reset isn't the answer. But a few things that work slightly better? Now that could work.

At this stage of life, it’s rarely about making big changes or suddenly having more time. More often, it’s the smaller adjustments - the ones that slot into what you’re already doing, that make the biggest difference.

This is a shortlist of those kinds of things. Nothing time-consuming or unrealistic, just a few small shifts that can make the week feel a bit easier, a bit lighter, or a bit more like your own.

A latte in a speckled gray cup sits on a matching saucer with a spoon, placed on a wooden table against a rustic brick wall.

1. Put a 'default outfit' on rotation

Having one outfit you know works, that’s comfortable, easy, and just pulled together enough, removes more decision-making than you realise.

It doesn’t need to be anything new, just something reliable you can reach for without thinking. One less thing to solve in the morning tends to set the tone for the rest of the day.

2. Change one part of your usual routine

Changing one small part of your day can make the (sometimes long!) maternity leave days feel less repetitive.

That might be:

walking a slightly different route
stopping somewhere new for a coffee
shifting the timing of something you usually rush

It might be a small change, but it’s often enough to break that 'same day on repeat' feeling.

Baby asleep in a stroller with a gray canopy. Background shows a long gravel path flanked by stone walls and greenery on a cloudy day.

3. Upgrade something you use every day

A better coffee, a decent hand cream, a water bottle you actually like using - small upgrades tend to have a bigger impact than expected because they’re repeated daily.

It’s less about treating yourself, and more about making the everyday feel slightly better.

4. Do one thing slightly slower

Not everything needs to be optimised. Taking a bit more time over something you’d usually rush, whether that’s getting ready, making lunch or just sitting with a coffee, can shift the pace of the whole day without changing much else around it.

5. Make one small plan (and keep it simple)

A loose plan, whether that’s meeting someone for coffee, going somewhere new, or even just deciding to leave the house at a certain time, can give the day a bit more structure and something to move towards.

The key is keeping it manageable so it actually happens. We’ve all made plans that fall through because they ask too much, and that tends to have the opposite effect.