There has been a big focus around mental well-being during the pandemic and as a result there are some great resources available to help you take care of yourself and your loved ones. With so many things to try these are just a few that have worked for me over the last year.
Get moving!
Exercise is key for me; I love walking and pre pandemic I aimed to get out walking every day. It became even more important for me when lockdown restrictions were in place and exercise was limited to once a day for 1 hour. I made sure I was out every morning before starting work, it felt like the fear of missing out!
There are some great studies that show you are more productive if you start your day getting outside. I kept this up on most days but on the odd bad weather day, I’ve been adding online classes “PE with Joe” into my routine, I don’t have any kids but it’s still good fun!
Getting a restful night’s sleep
I have spent many night’s over the last year not being able to get a good night’s sleep, my mind takes over and I start to over think everything! I tried following lots of the standard advice like turning off my tech earlier, reading a book and no caffeine but none of these really worked for me. At Christmas one of my best gifts, was a bottle of Eucalyptus & Peppermint pillow spray. It’s been a total game changer for me, and something I use every night, even sometimes about 4am if I’m awake and my mind goes into overdrive again. It’s so relaxing and smells amazing.
Set a new target
During the pandemic I decided to set myself some new work goals and gain some valuable experience in the process. I found it gave me a focus at the weekends especially when the restrictions were in place and I struggled to fill my days without any structure or social plans in the calendar.
I have managed to fulfil one of my goals and gain a new Salesforce certification and the next one is only a few weeks away, so I will keep working hard with my study and have everything crossed.
Keeping in touch
This has been the most amazing one for me, finding different ways to keep in touch with family and friends, everyone has been so creative!
In my house this ranged from online quizzes, bake-off competitions and many hours of video and group chat making sure we all keep in touch and check-in with each other regularly.
One of my favourite evenings was online Christmas drinks with the girls. We would normally have a night out to celebrate over the festive period, however last year everything was very different so we thought we would make it as fun as possible. We set a challenge back in November to make Christmas decorations and then do a “show and tell” on our call. Everyone made such an effort, as you can see this from the photo! Amazing.
I’ve tried many things over the last year, some haven’t work out, but others have been great. Never be afraid to try something new as you never know – it could be brilliant!
For me it’s not just about one of these techniques… it’s a combination of everything together. It has kept me healthy inside and out!
Jan, CloudSmart™️
