Staying calm and relaxed during a time when there is so much uncertainty and change occurring can be hugely difficult. To help those who find themselves in isolation, newly working from home or struggling to find time to step back and find some peace in these trying times, here are a few of our top tips for de-stressing, relaxing and focusing on wellbeing while working from home.
First, breathe
Download a breathing or meditation app like Calm, or stream videos online to guide you through relaxation and breathing techniques, giving troubled minds a rest.
Exercise working from home
Well-known as one of the best things to do for mental health and wellbeing, exercise doesn’t have to mean heading to the gym. Online yoga classes or guided home workouts are a great way to keep moving when it feels all too easy to simply flop on the sofa. If working from home, make sure you take regular little breaks to move through some gentle stretches to keep your body moving.
Treat yourself
While people may not be able to head to a fully-equipped spa, make the most of what your home has to offer: run a hot steamy bath, adding essential oils such as lavender, or take some time to paint nails, do a facemask or work through a skincare routine you might not always have the time for. Focusing on little things to make yourself feel better helps boost your wellbeing and is a good way to step back and switch off from the world for a while.
Get creative
Keep engaged in activities other than watching the news. Order a paint-by-numbers, rearrange a, room to quite literally gain a new perspective, read the book that’s been collecting dust on the shelf for ages, have a go at cooking something new. Tasks that require our mind to be elsewhere offer a reprieve from the stress of daily life.
Use tech to combat loneliness
Technology today offers a multitude of ways of staying in touch. Facetime friends, call family, play a board game with people over Skype, join a new exercise community on YouTube. We’re social animals by our nature so keeping in contact with people is vital for maintaining happiness.
Immune system health
Maintain a balanced diet as much as you can - plenty of vitamins, citrus and fish - garlic is good too. Engage in light exercise daily, make sure to get enough sleep, and laugh - it gets the blood flowing and helps you destress, which aids your immune response.
Fresh air while working from home
Where possible as per the latest government advice, head outside for a short walk to stretch your legs, enjoy a change of scenery and get some fresh air. Being in the same space can feel restrictive, so as long as proper advice is followed (for example, to keep socially distant) then popping out for a walk down the road or to the local park can ease that cooped-up feeling and improve your mood.
Switch off properly before bed
Avoid technology and news two hours before heading to bed - opt for watching a film, catching up on a series, reading a book or engaging in a hobby instead. Watching updates and being constantly online before bed can be hugely disruptive to sleep, as our brains will still be trying to absorb new updates and screens disrupt our ability to fall asleep naturally.
Look to the future
Having something to look forward to and focus on can be a great way to stay motivated. Booking a spa day or other experience is an uplifting way to reconnect with loved ones, and provides an escape as you look towards things to be enjoyed in the future. Either decide on a date down the line, or opt for a voucher with a full year to redeem the experience and start planning things you’ll enjoy.
For those who are looking ahead or may have future spa experiences in the diary, Spabreaks.com has also brought in its new ‘Book With Confidence’ promise, which allows customers who have already made bookings to change the date of arrival, without penalty or charge, provided that Spabreaks.com is able to give the spa venues 48-hours notice of the intention to change the booking*. This promise also applies to all new bookings made from the 13th March onwards.
