Wellness Diaries: Dr Eileen Forrestal, co-founder of Get Up and Go

I wake at… 8am on the weekdays.

The first thing I do every morning is…turn on RTÉ Radio 1 and listen to Morning Ireland. I’m a big fan of politics and current affairs and I love to know what’s going on in the world. On Saturday it’s the Business show and Sundays I don’t get out of bed until after Sunday Miscellany.

My morning routine is… very simple: get up, feed the dog, feed myself, and go about my business. I luxuriate in the flexibility of working from home after so many years being in the operating theatre for 8am! I usually have a Things To Do Today list from the day before, made up of things I didn’t get done yet, and start on that.

I can’t go to work without… a cup of coffee! I used to add lots of sugar just to keep me going, but now, I realise it’s just the caffeine. I don’t take sugar anymore!

The self-care tool I use every day is… Gratitude. For me, my tools are words and phrases, and gratitude is the best of them! Gratitude allows me to appreciate everything else I have in my life.

The best part of my day is… throwing a stick into the lake and watching my cocker spaniel Kellie swimming with delight before she proudly brings it back to me.

The most challenging part of my day is… trying to find paperwork I have put away, either on my desk or my beloved Apple MacBook Pro desktop. I confess I’m very untidy!

I engage with self-care every day by… being aware that caring for myself allows me to care for and about others.

My daily self-care checklist routine includes… spending time on things I love, like writing and reading and conversations with friends, dreaming up stuff and playing around with new ideas.

The quickest, smallest thing I do for myself every day is… pick up the phone to a friend, or cuddle with the dog if she’s not wet from her morning swim.

I know it’s been a good day if… I get almost everything on my Things To Do Today list done!

I switch off from work by… switching on the TV. I enjoy some of the soaps, especially because they’re sometimes indistinguishable from current affairs!

Before I go to bed, I’ll… scroll through my Twitter feed and try and get a feel for the state, and mood, of the world. I like to keep my finger on the pulse, so to speak, so I understand what upsets people. I then try to counterbalance this with uplifting content in the diaries and journals.

After a long work week, I destress by… indulging in my Fireside Friday with Friends. I light the fire, the candles and the fairy lights, and practice on my new piano – with or without friends. It’s often just me and Kellie; she loves the piano… although she is quite deaf.

My go-to comfort meal is… Spaghetti Napoletana from Darina Allen’s Simply Delicious Meals in Minutes! With garlic bread!

When I really need a moment to myself, I always… go to the top of my garden field where I have a 360-degree view of Sligo, from the mountains to the sea. It puts everything into perspective, every time!

Something I try to do for myself every day is… have a good laugh. Having a crazy cocker spaniel in the house helps a lot with this!

The most reflective moment in the day is… as I’m waking up and contemplating getting out of bed. I generally decide each morning that “today is going to be a great day! I wonder what’s going to happen?”

The one person, place or thing guaranteed to give me joy is… Kellie, my best buddy!

My favourite place is… my sun room.

I wish I could do filing more mindfully… I spend a lot of time looking for stuff and usually, I come across something else I completely forgot I had. Everything has its advantages!

Everyone should try everything at least once! Life is short, and full of opportunities!

Eileen Forrestal is the publisher of the Get Up and Go Diary for Busy Women 2023. To learn more, visit getupandgodiary.com.