I'm a Wellness CEO and Mum of 2 – Here’s the Health & Wellness that Works for Me
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Time to read 5 min
Time-poor? Mentally pulled in different directions? Feel like your gym kit gets used for everything but the gym? Welcome to The Recharge —where mums share how they’re navigating health and wellness in motherhood, in their own way.
Meet Anna Cave-Bigley, CEO and founder of skincare and hormonal wellbeing brand The SABI and mum to a two-year-old and a four-year-old. Living a busy life in Botoga, Colombia, she shares how she finds pockets of time to look after her own wellbeing, while running a business and looking after two small boys.
The first thing I do when I wake up
I always have a cold shower in the morning. It is my absolute pick-me-up, wake-me-up, empowering move. It's my checking in time, too. How am I feeling? Am I exhausted? Do I have energy today? What are my stress points? What are the family doing today? Five minutes – that's it.
What my morning looks like
- 5:30am It's survival mode in the mornings. I try to get up an hour before my children, so I can have a shower and get changed on my own.
- 6am I'm obsessive about hydrating in the morning. I drink our Calming Herbata Infusion – it brings your cortisol levels down to calm the mind when it's whirring – for that early reset before I have my coffee.
- 6:30am My kids wake up. It's kisses, chatting and breakfast time. I try and make it super fun. I put on music to get everyone into a nice energy and mood.
- 7:15am A bus picks up both the boys in the morning and takes them to nursery, which they love. Then, I walk to work. We're lucky that mornings are usually sunny here in Colombia.
- 7:30am I arrive at work. I'm five hours behind the UK, so I have to get going quickly.
- 8am I eat breakfast at work, otherwise my kids steal my food! I keep a lot of fruit in the office. I have oats, apple, nuts, dates and dried fruit soaked in a little bit of milk. I prep it the night before because otherwise I get to work undernourished, I'm in meetings and then suddenly it's midday and I haven't eaten.
How I exercise with two kids
Twice a week, I make time to exercise after work—it’s my non-negotiable . But fitting it in? Not always easy. The other day, I literally had to work out in my office clothes because I didn’t have time to change.
I train with a personal trainer, focusing on functional movement —sprints, weights, and muscle building. I love yoga, but at the moment I prioritise strength and mobility, especially as I think ahead to perimenopause.
Most of the time, the kids come down to the park with me, running around while I train. It’s not exactly me time, but I like that they see exercise as part of life—not a chore.
My daily non-negotiables
My skin is my thing. I don't have much time for makeup, but I am obsessed with using natural products on my skin. Our Active Nutrient Serum is the one thing I will always have in my house that I use to reduce all inflammation.
How I boost my energy levels during the day
Hydration is key. I drink lots of filtered water. Out of glass – never plastic – bottles. If I'm really tired, I reduce my coffee intake and instead I reach for ice water with a slice of lemon and a tiny bit of salt.
When I'm feeling a bit sluggish, I get up and do 40 squats. I get everyone in the office to do it with me. It's a really silly trick that makes us laugh and gets the blood flowing in your body!
I listen to a lot of music. What it is depends on the energy needed. Sometimes that's intense focus music, other times it's more chilled.
I'll have a 15-20 minute meditation nap in the afternoon. I've got a little space in my office where I can go. I put the alarm on. Afterwards, I feel revived and I'm able to go again.
My go-to for restoring calm
Walking outside in nature— no headphones, no phone. Just observing, rather than getting lost in my own thoughts. It helps me step outside of myself, even for a moment, and reset.
Sometimes, depending on where I am, I’ll walk barefoot or lift my top to let the sun hit my skin. Other times, I’ll put on ethereal music—something that reminds me how small I am in this vast universe, part of something so much bigger. It shifts my perspective, reminding me that the little things don’t matter as much as they feel in the moment. Tomorrow is always another day.
How I unwind
Every night, when it’s time for my boys to sleep, I put on meditative music . But instead of closing the door and walking away, I stay. I sit—or sometimes lie—on the floor in the dark, in their room. This is my meditation.
Of course, there are giggles. A little head might pop up now and then. But in that moment, I’m just there— processing the day, feeling grateful, soaking it all in. It’s the one time I truly pause.
How I end each day
- 7:15pm – Kids’ bedtime. Meditation music on, lights out. If family’s over? Who knows!In a Latin household, guests can drop by anytime.
- 8pm – Magnesium bath (when I can sneak one in). Maybe a hair or face mask. Usually squeezing in some work—or chatting about our coffee business with my husband in the kitchen.
- 9pm – Dinner. Thankfully, my husband is a very, very good cook. If he wasn’t, I’d survive on avocado, toast, and eggs.
- 10pm – He heads to bed. I keep working.
- 11:30pm – I aim for bed by midnight… but sometimes I push it. No matter how late, I always do my skincare—cooling sticks, five minutes for me, and a layer of Active Nutrient Serum before sleep.
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How my hormones affect my routine
We’re not the same every day. Some phases of my cycle? That email can wait—I need sleep. Other times, I can work until 2am, be up at 6:30am, and still feel unstoppable. I know when my creativity peaks, and I try to work with my cycle, not against it.
When I have lots of time to myself I...
The best thing ever is being in my own home on my own and just pottering around doing nothing. It very rarely happens!
How I prioritise my needs
You can’t do it all. I’ve learned to recognise when I’m at my max—and to protect my energy . If I’ve got plans but need rest, I cancel. I used to be out every night seeing friends, but with two young kids and a business to run, I’ve had to prioritise differently. It’s not selfish—it’s being kind to myself.
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As told to Ellie Walker-Arnott
Ellie is a writer and mum of two. Her work has been published in Time Out, Netmums, CN Traveller, Daily Mail, Metro and more.
