When Everyday Life Changes, Wellness Routines Need to Be Rebuilt

Changing jobs affected Hanne-Mari Miskala’s everyday life more than she had anticipated. A Firstbeat Life measurement helped illustrate how the changes caused by the new job affected her overall load. At the same time, it reinforced the idea that recovery is built through small, repeated choices in everyday life. 

Hanne-Mari Miskala has plenty of moving parts in her calendar. She works in human resources in the industrial sector and is a mother of two school-aged children. After work, she drives the children to their hobbies and takes care of other family logistics. In her free time, Hanne-Mari is an active weightlifter and CrossFit enthusiast. Music provides a counterbalance to her active lifestyle; an important outlet and a way for her to recover mentally. 

Hanne-Mari feels that a multifaceted everyday life can be manageable if you are clear about your own values and the foundations that support your well-being. It does, however, require consciously making time to pause. 

“Over the years, I’ve learned to recognize what matters to me in terms of my values and well-being. I need to make room for these things. This often means cutting back on things that might be interesting and enjoyable, to keep the overall balance sustainable.” 

New job caused “invisible” changes to everyday life 

Hanne-Mari has used Firstbeat measurements several times over the years. This time, the measurement coincided with a new phase in her life, as she was changing jobs. The new job did not initially feel like a significant change in her everyday life, but the data highlighted things that might otherwise have gone largely unnoticed. 

Previously, she had a short commute that she could do on her bike. In her new job, the commute is too long for a bike, making a car essential. She also lost weekly walking meetings that had become a regular part of her previous job. 

“When the bike commute and walking meetings disappeared, several hours of everyday movement quietly vanished from my routine. This showed up in the measurements: I wasn’t accumulating daily physical activity points in the same way, even though I was still going to the gym regularly. After a few months, the change also showed up in my fitness test, which finally made me realize what had happened.” 

The measurement also revealed something positive: the onboarding and learning associated with the new job did not increase Hanne-Mari’s physiological stress during the measurement period. The clearest impact was seen in the amount of sleep she was getting. The longer commute meant earlier mornings, but adjusting her bedtime accordingly did not happen overnight. 

The experience reminded her that even small changes can affect well-being when they continue over a longer period of time, and that it is important to recognize their effects early on. Hanne-Mari’s next practical step is to find new opportunities for incorporating physical activity and everyday movement into her days. 

Boundaries and routines support recovery 

One of Hanne-Mari’s most important well-being insights over the years has been the need to reduce evening work. Because she enjoys her work and can easily become immersed in it, it had long felt natural to open her laptop again after the children had gone to bed. It was not so much about pressure from her workplace, but rather a habit that had gradually developed. 

Over time, both her own feelings and the measurements showed that this habit was not supporting her overall well-being. Her energy and sense of playfulness decreased, and her family also noticed the change. Changing the habit took longer than Hanne-Mari had expected. 

“I thought reducing evening work would take a few months, but getting used to the new routine actually took a year and a half. It wasn’t enough to simply restructure my days. I also had to acknowledge that the feeling of pushing myself beyond my limits had, in its own way, been rewarding.” 

Putting her own workouts in her calendar helped her set boundaries around work. When training became a fixed part of the evening, continuing to work was no longer automatic. In the measurements, the change was reflected in periods of lower physiological load (stress) during the day and calmer evenings before bedtime. 

Sleep is an important source of energy for Hanne-Mari. Her measurements typically show good-quality recovery beginning soon after she falls asleep, but getting enough sleep requires conscious choices. As a night owl, winding down does not always happen naturally. She needs to deliberately slow down: her phone stays outside the bedroom, and before going to sleep, Hanne-Mari reads for at least a little while. 

“Good sleep doesn’t happen by accident. My recovery is built on effective evening routines and getting enough sleep. When I get enough sleep, it’s good-quality sleep.” 

Even moments that feel relaxing can cause a stress response 

The measurement also revealed a surprising insight. Hanne-Mari enjoys the Finnish sauna culture, and especially at her summer cabin, taking long, peaceful sauna sessions while enjoying the lake view is an important way for her to relax and recover mentally. 

However, the long sauna sessions resulted in a higher heart rate and poorer recovery during the following night. The finding did not mean giving up taking saunas, but it did make Hanne-Mari reflect on the duration and timing of her sauna sessions. 

“The finding felt contradictory because the sauna is really important to me mentally, and it feels like it helps me recover.” 

 A personal wellness journey feels more meaningful when you can share it 

Hanne-Mari already had experience with CrossFit and weightlifting when she joined the Lift & Lead group. In the midst of family life with children, the group brought much-needed structure and continuity to her training, as well as an opportunity to improve. Her first goal was simple but important: to rediscover the joy of exercise after several years. 

The community has also helped her through injuries and periods of low motivation. Even small milestones, such as her first pull-up or a new personal best, feel more meaningful when she can share them with others, without comparison. 

“We are stronger together. Long-term success comes from having someone to share the journey with.” 

Hanne-Mari’s goals are primarily about maintaining her daily performance and functional capacity and enjoying the things she does. She wants to have enough energy for work, family life, and things that are meaningful to her. Her music hobby – singing and performing – also requires good physical capacity. Exercise helps ensure that her fitness does not let her down when it matters. 

Data teaches you to listen to your body 

Hanne-Mari does not see Firstbeat Life measurement as simply a result or a report, but as a tool for learning. The data helps her connect her own feelings with her body’s physiological responses and recognize which everyday habits genuinely support recovery. 

“The measurement encourages me to pay attention to how I’m feeling. First, I listen to how I feel, and then I look at what the data shows. The long-term goal isn’t to become dependent on data, but to learn to recognize my body’s signals better.” 

Hanne-Mari’s most important advice to others is to identify the foundations that support their own well-being and have the courage to prioritize them. A restorative moment can be a coffee break, a walk with a friend, or something else that is meaningful to you. What matters is that you cannot leave your well-being to chance – to whether there happens to be enough time after everything else in everyday life.  

The key insight: identify the foundations that support your well-being and make room for them—even when life changes.