Novotel Wellness: 5 Habits for Daily Wins in 2026

The Novotel 37 Collective is a group of experts we’ve assembled to turn complicated wellness ideas into things you can actually do every day. Getting these daily wins isn’t about blowing up your whole life. It’s about adding a few low-effort habits that really do improve how you feel, physically and mentally. Here’s a practical guide for getting these tips into your schedule so the changes stick.

1. Establish a Mindful Morning Digital Detox

If you want a more focused day, the first thing to do is stop grabbing your phone the second you wake up. Every expert I talk to points to the same thing: checking your phone immediately torpedoes your morning clarity and jacks up stress. So, before you do anything else, find something to do that doesn’t involve a screen.

Pro Tip: Seriously, charge your phone in another room overnight. When you have to physically get up and walk to get it, you’re much less likely to start scrolling through emails and social media from bed. It’s a physical buffer for your brain.

How to Implement:

1. Set Up Your Phone for Success: The night before, go into your phone’s settings and turn on “Focus” or “Do Not Disturb” mode. On an iPhone, find Settings > Focus, then build a custom schedule or just use “Sleep.” Make sure it stays on for at least 15-30 minutes after your alarm goes off. For Android, it’s usually in Settings under “Digital Wellbeing & parental controls,” where you can set up “Focus mode.” Just make sure you’re silencing all the junk notifications.

2. Pick a Screen-Free Anchor Activity: The second you’re awake, do something that isn’t on a device. It could be five minutes of breathing exercises, reading a chapter in a real book, or just sitting with your coffee and doing nothing. I’ve found that just staring out the window for a couple of minutes and watching the day start can completely change my headspace.

3. Hold Off on the Apps: Make a hard rule not to check email, news, or social media for at least 15 minutes. This gives your brain a chance to actually wake up without being bombarded. The clients I work with who nail this one thing consistently report feeling less reactive and more in control of their day.

Common Mistake: Using your phone’s alarm, then turning it off and immediately opening your email app. That completely cancels out the benefit of the detox. If this is you, get a cheap, separate alarm clock.

2. Integrate a Micro-Movement Break

Sitting at a desk all day is a recipe for stiffness and pain, it’s a problem for almost everyone in a modern office. The experts in the Novotel 37 Collective are big on using short, targeted movement breaks to undo some of that damage. You don’t need a full workout. Just a few minutes of moving with purpose can totally change how your body feels.

How to Implement:

1. Schedule It: Don’t just hope you’ll remember. Put a recurring 5-minute break on your calendar for mid-morning (like 10:30 AM) and mid-afternoon (around 3:00 PM). Treat it like any other appointment.

2. Do Some Targeted Stretches: You want to focus on the spots that get tight from sitting. These are my go-tos:

   • Neck Tilts: Slowly tilt your right ear to your right shoulder and hold for about 20 seconds. Do the same on the left. Go back and forth 2-3 times.

   • Shoulder Rolls: Roll your shoulders forward 5-10 times in a big circle, then roll them backward 5-10 times. Really try to get the full range of motion.

   • Chest Opener: My favorite. Stand in a doorway, put your forearms on the frame with your elbows bent, and lean forward. You’ll feel a great stretch across your chest after being hunched over a keyboard for hours. Hold for 20-30 seconds.

3. Combine Hydration and Movement: Make these breaks your cue to get up and refill your water bottle. Walking to the kitchen gets you some extra steps and gives your eyes a break from the screen.

Pro Tip: Keep a yoga mat rolled up in the corner or just have a spot near your desk that’s always clear. Having a visual cue really helps you stick with it.

Common Mistake: Thinking a “movement break” is just standing up to check your phone. The whole point is to move your body and give your brain a rest from work, not just switch screens.

3. Master the Pomodoro Technique for Focused Work

You only have so much concentration in a day, so you have to be smart about how you use it, a point the Novotel 37 Collective makes all the time. The Pomodoro Technique which comes from Francesco Cirillo, is a simple way to do this. You just use a timer to work in focused 25-minute bursts, with short breaks in between. It’s fantastic for avoiding procrastination and that brain-fried feeling.

How to Implement:

1. Get a Timer: An old-school kitchen timer is fine, but apps give you more control. I usually tell people to check out PomoFocus, which is a free website that lets you change the times and keep score. If you just want something dead simple on your desktop, TomatoTimer is great.

2. Pick One Task: Before you hit start, decide on the *one* thing you’re going to do for the next 25 minutes. No multitasking. Don’t just say “Work on the Q3 report.” Be specific: “Draft section 1.2 of the Q3 report.”

3. Start the Clock and Go: Set the timer for 25 minutes and work on only that task. When a distracting thought pops into your head (and it will), write it down on a notepad, your “thought parking lot”, and get right back to work. Do not check your email.

4. Take a Real Break: When the timer goes off, you stop. Immediately. Take a 5-minute break to stand up, stretch, get water, or stare out the window. Don’t do anything work-related.

5. Take a Longer Break Later: After you’ve done four of these “pomodoros,” take a longer 15-30 minute break. This is where your brain really gets to recover. Go for a walk, have a real snack, make a personal call.

Pro Tip: Don’t be afraid to play with the timing. The 25/5 minute split is standard, but you might find a 45/10 split fits your brain better. The only thing that matters is that you’re totally focused during the work sprint.

Common Mistake: Letting your work bleed into the break time or using the 5-minute break to “quickly check” your messages. The breaks are just as important as the work sprints if you want to stay focused all day.

4. Prioritize Outdoor Exposure Daily

Getting outside for some natural light and fresh air does a lot more than just make you feel a little better. There’s a 2020 study from the American Psychological Association that backs this up, showing that time in nature actually reduces stress and helps you think more clearly. You have to make outdoor time a non-negotiable part of your day, because even a short walk pays off big for your overall well-being.

How to Implement:

1. Schedule Your “Green Break”: Put a 20-30 minute walk on your calendar and protect that time like you would a client meeting. The best time is usually midday or during lunch, when you can get the most sunlight.

2. Find Your Spot: Figure out where you can go. A park, a quiet street with trees, or even a courtyard will work. If you’re in downtown Atlanta, for example, a quick walk in Piedmont Park is an amazing reset. But don’t overthink it, a lap around the block is better than nothing.

3. Pay Attention: When you’re out there, actually be out there. Don’t listen to a podcast or take a call. Feel the breeze, look at the trees, listen for birds. This is what actually recharges your brain, not just changing your location.

4. Dress for It: A little rain or chill shouldn’t be an excuse. Keep a light jacket or an umbrella handy so you can stick to your habit no matter what the weather app says.

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Common Mistake: Thinking of outdoor time as a “nice-to-have” instead of a necessity. The benefits of getting out into a natural environment, even for a short time, add up quickly and are well worth the time you invest.

5. Implement an End-of-Day Review and Reset

How you end your workday matters just as much as how you start it. The Novotel 37 Collective experts talk a lot about having a “shutdown” routine, which is basically a structured way to close out the day so you can actually disconnect and not carry work stress home with you.

How to Implement:

1. Block Off 10 Minutes: Schedule the last 10 minutes of your workday for this. No new emails, no new tasks. This is shutdown time.

2. Review What You Did: Take a quick look at your to-do list or calendar and see what you actually got done. Acknowledge the wins, no matter how small, to give yourself a sense of completion.

3. Plan Tomorrow’s Big 3: What are the 1-3 most important things you need to do tomorrow? Write them down. Use a bullet journal, a note in Evernote, or a sticky note on your monitor. This means you won’t waste energy in the morning trying to figure out where to start.

4. Tidy Your Workspace: Close all the extra browser tabs. Straighten up the papers on your desk. A clean space gives your brain a clear signal that the day is done.

5. Declare the Day Over: As you shut your laptop or walk away from your desk, literally say to yourself, “The workday is finished.” Creating that mental boundary is how you successfully switch from work mode to home mode without carrying all that stress with you.

Pro Tip: Pair the shutdown with a physical act, like turning off your monitor and putting your work phone in a drawer. Little rituals like this make the transition from work time to personal time feel more real.

Common Mistake: Skipping the shutdown because you’re “too busy.” I promise you, the 10 minutes you spend doing this will save you so much more time and mental energy tomorrow, not to mention helping you sleep better tonight.

Bringing these low-maintenance habits into your life will have a ripple effect on your focus, stress, and general sense of well-being. The key is to start small and be consistent. You’ll see how these small adjustments lead to a much more balanced and effective routine.

What is the Novotel 37 Collective?

It’s a group of wellness experts brought together to create practical, actionable tips for daily well-being, with a big focus on small habits that you can actually stick with.

How long should a digital detox last in the morning?

Experts recommend a minimum of 15-30 minutes right after you wake up. The idea is to let your brain come online without being immediately flooded by notifications and emails from your phone.

Can I do the Pomodoro Technique with a different time interval?

Absolutely. The 25-minute work and 5-minute break is the classic formula, but you should experiment to see what works for your own attention span. The important part is the discipline of focused work followed by a genuine break.

What if I don’t have access to a park for outdoor exposure?

Any exposure to natural light and fresh air helps. A quick walk around the block, stepping out onto a balcony, or even just opening a window and sitting by it for a few minutes is far better than staying glued to your desk.

Why is an end-of-day review important?

It provides a clear boundary that helps you mentally sign off from work, which reduces evening stress. It also lets you define your priorities for the next morning, so you can start the day with focus instead of confusion.