how to snap out of a sleep deprivation induced style rut

Sleep deprivation is not just for mums with tiny brand new babies.

It is for mums with sick kids. Mums of toilet training toddlers or kids who need to go late at night, several times (and that maybe don’t quite make it). It’s for mums of children with nightmares, HUGE active imaginations or who just. Won’t. Go. To. Sleep.

Sleep deprivation is for women who work nights. Women who study after bedtime. Women who stay up late preparing lunches and dinners for the week ahead. Women who choose spending time with their partners who work long, unsociable or FIFO hours over going to bed.

It is for pregnant women who worry about the baby they are growing. It is for women who are facing a relationship breakdown. It is for those who lie awake stressing about finance, education and job security.

Here at Fox in Flats, we’ve been all of these women. Trust us. We know sleep deprivation.”

We know that 53% of women think they would look better if they ‘simply had more energy to care’ and that 97% of you are not getting the recommended eight hours of sleep a night.

We also know that looking good leads to feeling good. It really does – there is no shame in spending five minutes sorting out your face and hair or choosing to wear something outrageous on the school run just because you can.

Here’s five ways to snap out of your sleep deprivation-induced style rut:

1. Re-assess your wardrobe. What I like to do is pull everything out and re-fold/hang it in some sort of order so you know what you actually own. Trust me, I know how easy it is to grab the same jeans and tees every single day – the mummy uniform ladies, we all know it well. I’ve found that if you can see your options, you’re more likely to wear them. Sometimes I will even ban myself from wearing certain items so I purposely put them up really high or hide them so when I’m choosing clothes to wear in the morning I physically can’t find them. Also don’t discount clothes that are ‘too young’ or ‘too dressy’ or ‘not appropriate for a mum’ – stop making excuses not to wear clothes you presumably thought were awesome when you bought them.

2. Go through your beauty bag/draw/shelf and clean it out, wash your tools and throw away anything you don’t need. I’m not a sentimental person. I sporadically purge things from my life because I find it refreshing – try it! Figure out a simple beauty routine (have a read of our suggestions here and here), and paint that face however you see fit girls – it’s amazing how much better you can feel with a little colour on your cheeks or with a flick of eyeliner.

3. Recognise that those dark circles, those blood-shot eyes or tear streaked cheeks will not last forever. In the interim, do what I did recently and buy an outrageous pair of oversized specs, layer on the concealer and hold your head high! Here I am wearing these gold babies from ASOS. Also have a peep at this post, 12 Ways To Fake Awake.

Just hanging out with my pooch Indy in my golden specs.

4. Give yourself a boost – literally. On days when I’m feeling especially flat I will wear wedges or heeled boots when doing the most menial tasks, sometimes even when I am sitting here at my desk all on my own (I work from home). A few weeks back I wore stilettos on the kinder run just for the hell of it and I felt SEXY! Don’t worry about the ‘why is she wearing them’ stares, why not we say! Just remember, heel-toe, heal-toe.

5. Remember the basics. Shower (hot and quick). Eat (something filling!). Water (and coffee). Moisturise (and use sunscreen!). Dry shampoo (costs like $10 get into it). Concealer (under the eyes/blemishes). Bra (one that FITS). Clothes (pick something different every day). Shoes (mix it up). Sunnies (go BIG or an outrageous shape). Deodorant (because you know why). If you can nail these then as each day goes by you are likely to ‘step it up’ as the process becomes more streamlined.

How do you cope when you’re exhausted?