This year, we’ve said goodbye to Blue Monday and hello to Motivation Monday. We’re swapping the gloom for a dose of positivity - celebrating the small wins, sharing healthy habits, and kickstarting the week with momentum. 

Hugh Ainsworth, Head of Marketplaces at Myprotein and Senior Sponsor of THG's Health & Wellbeing Network, shares his top tips on staying consistent with healthy habits, his non-negotiables for a busy week, and how he keeps focused and productive. 

What are the non-negotiable habits that help you feel your best during a busy week? 

One of the biggest non-negotiables for me is walking my dog without my phone. It sounds simple, but it’s one of the only times in the day where I’m completely focused on one thing. No emails, no Teams, no background just a proper mental reset. Even a short walk like that helps clear my head and creates some space when things feel busy. 

The other big one is planning my training properly. I train 3–4 times a week, run twice a week, and try to fit everything around work - which only works if I know exactly what I’m doing ahead of time. If I’ve only got 30 minutes at lunch, that’s fine, but I need to know whether that’s meant to be a steady recovery run or a short interval session. Removing that decision in the moment makes it much easier to start, stick to the plan, and respect the time I’ve set aside to train. 

Do you have any simple nutrition habits that support focus and productivity? 

I’ll be honest, my diet in general isn’t always great - chocolate digestive biscuits are my Achilles’ heel. I love them, and if they’re around, they will get eaten. I also find it incredibly easy to just graze and snack in the office without really thinking about it. 

One simple habit that’s helped is swapping impulse snacks for flavoured teas. When I feel “hungry” mid-morning or mid-afternoon, I’ll make a tea first. Most of the time I quickly realise I’m not actually hungry at all - I just needed a break, something warm, or a moment away from my screen. It’s not about being perfect with nutrition but putting small barriers in place so I’m not constantly defaulting to snacks. 

What keeps you consistent with healthy habits over the long term? 

I think the biggest thing is accepting that nothing you’re trying to improve is linear - whether that’s your career, training, or building new habits. There are plenty of periods where it feels like you’re treading water or not making much progress at all. 

What’s helped me is zooming out. If you can stick with good habits for long enough, they tend to add up over time, even if it doesn’t feel obvious week to week. More often than not, that consistency eventually tips the scales in your favour. Progress usually shows up quietly, not all at once. 

Why do you think it’s important for leaders to role-model healthy behaviours? 

For me, it’s about showing that there isn’t just one “right” way to be healthy. Seeing what other people do can be really motivating, but not everyone has the same goals, time, equipment, or starting point - and that’s fine. 

I think leaders can help by being open about what works for them, while also making it clear that people should choose what’s right for them, not just copy someone else. The more options people have and see, the easier it is for them to find something that fits their own life - rather than feeling like they must follow a single version of what “healthy” looks like.