9 Simple Ways to Use Essential Oils to Support Your Business Day
If you run your own business, your day probably doesn't have a neat start and finish. It's school run, inbox, client call, invoices, social media, often all before lunch.
The tasks aren't always the hardest part. Switching between them is. Every time you change hats, your brain has to catch up. Do that twenty times a day and it's no wonder we feel frazzled by 3pm.
One simple tool that can help is scent. Smell is processed very close to the parts of the brain involved in memory and emotion, which is why a familiar aroma can take you straight back to a moment or a feeling. You can use that on purpose, making a particular aroma your personal cue for "right, now we're doing this".
I explored this on the podcast this week with business coach Paige from Millmead Business, who is also an independent doTERRA Wellness Advocate. Here are the practical tips I've taken away that you can start using tomorrow.
1. Give yourself a "shift ritual" for transitions
The moments between roles are where we lose the most time and energy, like walking back through the door after the school run and trying to sit straight down to work.
Paige describes it as shifting gear in a car, but in your mind. Rather than forcing the switch, build a tiny ritual that marks it.
Try this: Choose one aroma for your "start work" moment. Put a drop (or a roll of a diluted roller) on your palms, rub them together, cup them over your nose and take three slow, deep breaths. Then sit down and open your to-do list. Same aroma, same moment, every day.
2. Clear your head before you plan
Sometimes you need to shake off the morning chaos before you can even think about work. Paige uses peppermint here. It's so strong and fresh that it pulls you out of whatever state you were in. We ended up calling it a palate cleanser for the mind!
Try this: Use a quick hit of peppermint, then immediately write down your top three priorities for the day. The scent clears the decks and the list tells you where to point your focus.
3. Set the tone for your workspace, not just yourself
If you work from home, the atmosphere of your home is your office. A diffuser does a lot of the work for you.
Try this: Pop a bright, clean aroma like lemon in the diffuser while you plan your day, or even at breakfast so it greets you when you get back. It becomes a background signal that the house is in "work mode".
4. Match your aroma to the type of work
Not all focus is the same. There's the "gather my thoughts" focus you need for admin and planning, and the "shut the world out" focus you need for writing, strategy or creating.
Try this: Time-block your deep work and give it its own aroma so it becomes a cue your brain recognises. Paige uses blends like InTune or Motivate for this. Pair it with the practical stuff too: phone in another room, notifications off, one task only.
5. Plan for the afternoon slump before it hits
We all know it's coming, so make a plan instead of reaching for the biscuit tin (or maybe as well as!).
Try this: Set a mid-afternoon reminder to step away from your screen, have a glass of water and enjoy an uplifting aroma. Paige's go-to is Wild Orange, which she calls "sunshine in a bottle", or peppermint for a cooler, crisper wake-up.
6. Create a "reset button" for overwhelm moments
Some days everything lands at once. When your brain feels too full to choose what to do next, pausing for a minute is the most productive thing you can do.
Try this: Keep one calming aroma as your reset. Paige's absolute favourite is Adaptiv, a layered blend with spearmint, wild orange and lavender notes. Take your three deep breaths, do a quick brain dump onto paper, then pick one next action.
7. Use scent to settle networking nerves
Walking into a room full of people you don't know can feel daunting, even for seasoned business owners.
Try this: Apply a diluted roller of a calming aroma on your wrists before you head into an event, and take a few slow breaths in the car. Paige does this with Adaptiv before every WIN event, and I can confirm she always smells amazing when I hug her! It's a nice little moment to ground yourself before you walk in.
8. Close your working day on purpose
When you work for yourself, work leaks into the evening far too easily. A clear "shutdown" signal helps you actually stop.
Try this: At the end of your working day, write tomorrow's top three, close the laptop and switch to a softer, grounding aroma. Paige chooses between Balance (woody and earthy), Serenity (a restful blend with lavender, cedarwood and vetiver notes) or Shinrin-Yoku (a "forest bathing" blend). If you find pure lavender too strong, a layered blend is worth a try.
9. Make it effortless
The best routine is the one you'll actually do. Paige's biggest tip: don't keep your oils in a box. Create little "stations" where you'll use them, like your desk, your handbag, the car or by the front door. Mine is the car door, which is why Wild Orange became my school-run oil!
Try this: Start with just two or three aromas for your key moments of the day. Use them consistently for a few weeks. The more often you repeat the ritual, the stronger the link gets. And trust your nose: if you're drawn to a particular aroma at a particular time, go with it.
Using oils safely
Dilute most oils with a carrier such as fractionated coconut oil, especially for sensitive skin, and patch test first.
Children need much weaker dilutions, so always check guidance first.
Citrus oils (like lemon and wild orange) can make skin more sensitive to sunlight. Diffuse them, or apply only where skin won't see the sun.
If you're pregnant, breastfeeding, have a medical condition or take medication, speak to a healthcare professional first.
Buy from a reputable source and speak to a Wellness Advocate about what suits you. Paige only speaks about doTERRA oils, as she can't vouch for other brands.
Want support putting this into practice?
Paige is a business coach who works with the whole person, blending strategy with mindset and wellbeing, and she helps clients build routines exactly like these. She has also just certified in a new Breakthrough Session, a coaching process that uses the aromatic side of oils to help you explore and let go of things like self-doubt and limiting beliefs.
As she reminded us on the podcast, asking for support isn't a weakness. It's what makes you stronger.
🎧 Hear the full conversation
🎙️ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0DM7Ooc5nLezg4u91OklYo
📺 YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDVCZqf8LiBs92aTeEHZsWrtoNRJEVCXn
Find Paige at Millmead Business
🌐 https://millmeadbusiness.co.uk/
📸 https://www.instagram.com/millmead.business/
👤 https://www.facebook.com/millmead.business
Come and connect with WIN
🌐 Events: https://www.womeninspirednetwork.com/events
📸 Instagram: @women_inspired_network
👤 Facebook: Women Inspired Network: Networking For Women In Business
Disclosure & disclaimer: Paige is an independent doTERRA Wellness Advocate. This blog shares personal experiences and general information about aromatic use. It is not medical advice, and essential oils are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any condition. Always follow product label guidance and speak to a healthcare professional if you have any concerns.