Focusing on our wellbeing has never been so important, there are so many articles and links offering advice and tips on how we can best look after ourselves during this strange time that even that can become overwhelming! What should I do for the best? Should I do what this person or that person is doing? As well as the many other thoughts that are running through our minds at the moment. Well, the simple answer is, you need to do what’s best for YOU.
Ultimately, we want to feel good about ourselves, our life and feel connected to other people. However, at the moment we have little control over anything externally so we need to focus on what we can control. ‘Wellbeing’ is more than just feeling happy and confident, it means feeling able to cope when things get tough in our lives or when our physical health suffer. Never have we had more time to think about what works for us in this aspect, our lives have ‘slowed down’ – in a way that we have never experienced and probably never will again, therefore let’s take this opportunity to fully understand ourselves and what works for our wellbeing.
Our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing are so intrinsically linked that we need to make sure we don’t neglect any of these areas as the impact will soon become apparent.
Here's some helpful tips:
- Physical activity is paramount for the body and mind, especially during these testing times. Try and keep active while on lockdown for at least 30 minutes every day and it will make a huge difference. Go outside and breathe fresh air if you can, but if you don’t know where to start, there are thousands of workouts on YouTube that are fun and simple to follow.
- There will be extra time available if you’re not commuting and can’t go out much, so try to make the best possible use of this in ways that will help meet your innate needs. Nobody ‘enjoys’ the commute really, especially when stuck in a traffic jam or on crowded public transport when the only seat available is next to that dude who doesn’t know the meaning of hygiene! So, let’s make use of that commute time to do things we love; be that an extra 30 mins sleep in the morning, yoga, exercise, dog walking, breakfast with your loved ones. Whatever it is, be grateful for it as it’s rare.
- Treat the situation like an opportunity to do all kinds tasks that you just couldn’t previously face doing on the weekends, things you know you need to do (i.e sorting your kitchen cupboards, sorting old clothes or even your office drawers!) because not only will they keep you busy, but they will stop you thinking of the negatives and will most definitely make you feel a sense of achievement once you’ve completed them, plus when life goes back to ‘normal’ we won’t need to think about doing them then!
- Learn something new, like a language, an instrument, painting, practicing some new recipes, or get your creative side going by writing a poem/short stoty or any learning any new skill really that you might not have set time aside for previously – we’d love to hear about these in the ‘rise’ slack channel or feature them in the newsletter.
- Dig out those books that you have always promised yourself you would read when you have time, or download some new ones to the Kindle and take the time during your lunch break or after work as the nights are lighter to read outdoors. When the sun is shining it’s great to take a seat in the garden and delve in to a good read, it really is good for the soul.
- Start working on some digital photo albums, your future self will appreciate this 100%. Use this time to sort through the thousands and thousands of photo’s you have either on your phone or laptop and choose your favourites from each season of each year, then create some amazing photobooks full of all your memories from over the years – there’s not a single family member or friends that won’t enjoy seeing these in the future. Some fantastic websites to do this on are www.snapfish.co.uk and www.photobox.co.uk
- These trying times have us stressed out and over thinking, concentrating on the what ifs, the when’s and the how’s, but the healthiest approach is concentrating on the now! If you are not aware of what mindfulness is, put simply it is focusing on the moment without distraction or judgement. Thousands of studies have shown that mindfulness reduces stress, anxiety and depression while improving the immune system and the cognitive skills that are key to high performance. Mindfulness is not a quick fix and takes dedication but can quickly decrease stress and overthinking. Look for mindfulness meditation and tips online; there is loads of information available.
- Don’t let isolation and social distancing cause a lack of connection. We can still connect, just in different ways. Zoom, WhatsApp, FaceTime, Houseparty, Skype – you name it there are so many options. Don’t forget to teach your family members and friends that aren’t so tech savvy how to use these tools too (and be patient! J). Give people a call, especially friends and relatives who might be feeling more isolated than you. Never under estimate the power of connection and shared experience. You will feel better and you will definitely make others feel better and now more than ever, this is what we need.
- Think hard about what works and what doesn’t in this strange new life; what is better and what is worse? Above all, plan what you will do when the world goes back to ‘normal’ – where will you go, who will you see? This will help you appreciate everything we once took for granted. Practicing gratitude is known to have a significant positive impact on our mental health – you don’t need to use a notebook with a cheesy inspirational comment on the front “You’ve got this” “Happy thoughts only” blah blah blah (though if you do, that’s ok!) just keep a log on a draft email, a plain word doc, a notebook or talk to a friend or family member regularly about what you’re grateful for – it may not feel like a lot at the moment but dig deep and find any positive you can, it will really help you.
- If anyone has any other ideas on how to stay well then please feel free to share. It takes time to adjust to a new way or working and living but we’ll do it and it will only make our lives richer in the future as we become more grateful for what we hold dear, plus we’ll have majorly clean houses! Happy days!