Micro Habits for everyday energy - by Dr Babb
Back in February, we hosted a Baobab Breakfast Club to celebrate all things baobab, from sustainability to nutrition, and how its high fibre and high vitamin C levels allow us do less and feel better. We invited experts in energy to chat to us about how we can best protect our every day energy, and one of them was Dr Babb.
Dr Roberta Babb, HCPC Registered Clinical Psychologist, says when energy is already depleted, traditional advice around big lifestyle overhauls can feel overwhelming and unrealistic.
“When women feel depleted, the idea of ‘doing more’ can feel overwhelming and even paralysing. Micro habits are small, low-effort actions that fit easily into everyday life and, when done regularly, support change without adding pressure or relying on willpower. Micro habits reduce pressure, restore a sense of control and help rebuild energy gradually. These small changes are far more likely to stick.”
Dr Roberta Babb’s top tips on how to incorporate micro habits into your day
1. Start smaller than you think you need to
“When energy is low, the goal isn’t perfection, focus on consistency. Choose a habit that feels easy and achievable, like drinking one glass of water or adding one piece of fruit to what you eat in a day. Small wins regularly help rebuild confidence and motivation.”
2. Attach new habits to something you already do
“Micro habits are more likely to stick when they’re linked to an existing routine. For example, having a gut health shot after brushing your teeth or adding fibre at lunch rather than trying to remember something new.”
3. Focus on frequency, not intensity
“Doing something briefly every day is more effective than doing it perfectly once or twice a week. Repetition trains the brain and reduces the mental effort needed to keep going.”
4. Remove guilt on low-energy days
“Missing a day is not catastrophic, and doesn’t mean failure, and it does. not mean starting again. Habits stick when people do not treat breaks as failures. Continuity comes from returning, not from being perfect. Habits are also more likely to stick when people feel supported, not judged. Letting go of all-or-nothing thinking makes it easier to return to the habit the next day.”
5. Notice how it makes you feel, not just what you’ve done
“Paying attention to small improvements in mood, digestion or energy helps reinforce the habit. The brain is more likely to repeat behaviours that feel rewarding, even in subtle ways.”
6. Stop waiting to feel motivated
“Motivation usually follows action, not the other way around. Micro habits work because they can be done even when motivation is low. Waiting to ‘feel ready’ often keeps people stuck, while small actions help energy build naturally.”
7. Use the afternoon as a support point, not a test
“The 4–6pm slump is often treated as something to push through. Reframing it as a moment to support yourself, with hydration, nourishment or a pause, helps prevent energy from dipping further. Habits work best when they meet you where you are.”
8. Treat habits as support, not self-improvement
“When habits are framed as another way to fix yourself, they often feel heavy. When they are framed as support, something that helps you get through the day, they feel kinder and more realistic. That mindset makes repetition easier.”
9. Keep habits visible, not buried in good intentions
“Habits are easier to remember when they are in sight. A water bottle on the desk or a piece of fruit on the counter works better than a plan in your head. Visibility reduces effort and removes the need to remember when energy is already stretched.”
10. Anchor habits to how you want the evening to feel
“Thinking about how you want to feel later (for example, calmer, steadier, less depleted), can guide small choices earlier in the day. Habits feel more meaningful when they are linked to easing the evening rather than pushing through it.”
UNROOTED products are all boosted with the African superfruit baobab that naturally high in fibre and vitamin C, so you can do less and feel better.
