'How I avoid burnout and spend self-care Sunday sipping coffee and browsing pretty books in Waterstones Derby'
As we approach one of the busiest times of year, I think it is important to slow down, take a breath, take stock and just be.
It can sometimes feel difficult to switch off if you have a lot going on.
There is always something to be done, from topping up that shopping list, to updating a meal plan and household chores that you always meant to do, but never got around to doing.
Successfully juggling work, home life and everything else in between is no mean feat.
To avoid feeling overwhelmed - something I used to experience quite often when I was at uni - I now ring-fence time and do chilled out things I love.
Over the years what I do to relax my mind has changed.
In my twenties and thirties I loved going out and checking out pretty bars.
Now in my forties, cooking, sipping coffee, reading and writing relaxes me.
I try to pencil in at least one hour of self-care every week.
As temperatures dip and nights seem blacker than a pot of coal tar, hunkering down with a good book and a cup of steaming coffee is my ideal pastime.
I feel books and coffee go hand in hand, which is why I think a visit to a bookshop, which is already an amazing feeling, gets perfect when you add the magical elixir of coffee.
Although I wish there were more bookshops in Derby - there are two in the city centre - I am very grateful for their existence.
A bookshop that has a sweeping spiral staircase and three floors of books is seriously the stuff of dreams.
It feels a real treat even just stepping foot in Waterstones on the corner of St Peters Street.
It is one of my favourite spots in Derby and it is easy to see why.
Each season their book displays make me want to buy all their books, because beautiful book jackets are shown off to great effect on stunning wallpaper displays.
I know some branches of Waterstones such as Bolton and Sheffield have a cafe on-site, and I really wish Derby did too.
As I was craving coffee and a good book, I bought a coffee from the new coffee shop in town.
I then took it along to Waterstones where I browsed books to my heart’s content.
Of course I checked with Waterstones if this was allowed, and was told during a telephone conversation that this would be ‘OK as long the coffee doesn’t spill.’
If you are going to take drinks inside Waterstones, I think it’s common courtesy to check on the day if this is OK.