In a post-lockdown world, it’s easy to get lost in a headlong rush back to ‘normality’. Since the easing of restrictions earlier this year, there are increasing pressures to make up for lost time, be it at work, with family or with friends.
Here, BAM Nuttall’s Head of Workplace Health and Wellbeing, Ruth Pott, offers 5 tips for building wellbeing into our daily lives.
Ruth will appear at Rail Wellbeing Live 2021 on 17 and 18 November, over 75 sessions are taking place which cover topics such as fatigue, nutrition, managing stress and many other insightful topics. Find out more about Rail Wellbeing Live and sign up for a free place here.
Life is busy, whether you’re working long hours, commuting, balancing family commitments and childcare, looking after aging parents or running a household. Then add the additional strains of everyday life into the mix, such as Covid-19, work changes and restructures, threats of further lockdowns, fuel shortages and the possibility of empty shelves at Christmas. These all contribute to stress, and anxiety levels are sky high for many at the moment.
It’s important for our wellbeing that we do take time out to put simple measures in place to help balance everyday commitments and stresses, and help us navigate the pandemic by taking some control, while minimising stress and anxiety.
1. Diet
Mindful eating is a great way of increasing calmness and happiness, and this is supported by extensive research. So many of us grab a sandwich or an impulsive snack between MS Teams meetings or while on our way to work without taking the time to appreciate what we’re eating, or in fact whether we’ve made the best food choice to support our energy and concentration requirements for the working day.
Instead of eating while reading emails, walking away from the laptop or putting down mobile phones and focusing on the smell, taste and texture of your food when you chew is proven to enhance your wellbeing and is a simple change each of us can make each day, and taking a moment to give your eyes a break from the screen is also beneficial in helping to prevent headaches which can cause poor mood.
2. Exercise
Exercise is often overlooked, especially with so many people now abandoning the exercise routines they threw themselves into during the first lockdown when it was the only thing most people could do to get out of the house for an hour. Taking a walk each day is not only crucial for fitness but also goes a long way in releasing endorphins that make us feel good and enhance general wellbeing.
Taking just 15/20 minutes each lunch time to go for a brisk walk will help improve energy levels for the afternoon, and walking in fresh air is scientifically proven to help reduce stress and anxiety, and also increases exposure to Vitamin D which helps regulate your mood and makes people feel good. Even looking for opportunities to don your headset and take a MS Teams call using the app while out for a brisk walk offers many benefits which you wouldn’t otherwise get if you took that same call sat down in an office.
Standing for one meeting a day instead of sitting, or walking on the spot for 10-15 minutes during a meeting also goes a long way for physical and mental health. Simple exercises that anyone can do during a call such as raising your arms above your head, doing shoulder rolls, standing on one leg for a few seconds all get those endorphins going and increase your daily steps! These simple exercises will get the blood flowing again, and reduce stress – even if just for a few minutes! And encourage others to join you!
3. Take time to talk
Continuing to take the time to check in with loved ones and friends also goes a long way in improving wellbeing, but many of us don’t realise the positive effect that this can have on us. Oxytocin levels, which are a feel good hormone, rise when we speak to someone face to face, or even over the phone and a simple call to say ‘hello’ can go a long way in making yourself feel good but also making the other person feel good too. And talking to someone, even if to only ask how their day is, can increase feelings of calmness and relaxation.
4. Sleep
Never underestimate the importance of a good night’s sleep, not just for concentration the next day, but for your mood, energy levels and your own safety. Accidents are statistically more likely to happen when you are sleep deprived and many people don’t realise that they should be getting at least 7 hours sleep each night. Poor sleep and insomnia affect many people and these issues can be very difficult to resolve, but setting yourself up for the best night’s sleep is vital for your wellbeing and safety.
Good sleep hygiene can help make the most of your sleep window, and doing things such as getting into a wind down bed time routine, having a relaxing bath, drinking camomile tea or milky drink, ensuring your bedroom is cool, installing black out blinds or curtains, having a comfortable bed and bedding and counting back from 100 can go a long way in helping.
Waking up in the middle of the night is something many of us cannot avoid, but be prepared for this if you have a habit of doing so. By keeping a piece of paper and a pen by the bed and writing down what is on your mind or something you need to remember to do the next day can help with trying to get back to sleep as you’ve not got that constant thought spinning around your head for the rest of the night. By doing this brain dump and putting this all down on paper, you are giving your mind the freedom to move on from worrying or thinking about these things in an unproductive or unhealthy way.
5. Switch off
It’s still challenging to maintain the boundaries between work and home life so that work doesn’t spill over into personal and family time, and this is especially difficult for people who continue to work from home regularly. Switching off at the end of the working day is crucial in helping us feel recharged and refreshed.
Getting into or maintaining a routine each day that signifies the transition from work mode to home mode is hugely important – turning the laptop and work phone off, walking out of the office or study door and closing the door behind you, going for a walk or changing your clothes when you have finished working sends signals to the brain that it is okay to stop thinking about work and will help transition out of the work mode. Being strict with setting boundaries means spending more time with a partner, children or friends, which means improvements to the work life balance and overall wellbeing.
