Wellness is something I have been thinking a lot more about. I realised that I quite quickly have fallen into a rut, I’m running on that hamster wheel dictated by the going ons around me. You know, that imposed routine of school, after school activities and designated working hours I feel a lot like I don’t have time for myself. I even find myself saying “I don’t have the time”. In reality I have time I don’t always use it effectively. The Summer Holidays are the perfect opportunity to think about what I want to add into my routine/schedule to make me happier.
4 Things You Can Easily Do To Improve Your Wellbeing :
Exercise:
In April I signed up with my local running club to do the Couch 2 5K programme. I really enjoyed getting out every Tuesday and in June completed my first Park Run. I’ve been trying to get out BUT things keep popping up on a Tuesday night and well the reality is I KEEP making excuses! Running is something I quite like, not so much the actual running part but the feeling after. My head feels clearer, my mood is calmer and those happy endophins are very welcome! (Endorphins are neurochemicals in the brain which effect our mood. It’s suggested that exercise increases physical well-being by increasing our endorphin secretions.) #notetoselfrunmore
Exercise doesn’t have to be hot and sweaty, increasing your heart rate and clearing your mind can be easily achieved through walking. Since I started netwalking I realised that yes it’s 1.5/2 hours out of my day BUT I am far more productive and inspired once I get home than the previous day when I’m literally at the laptop from 9-2. When you work from home it can be really easy to sit (or stand) at your desk all day and not actually move. Fitness trackers are a great way to get you moving and obviously track your exercise. 20 minutes of walking clocks up 1635 steps and 1.2km, walking not only increases your heart rate but reduces stress, it literally is the easiest form of exercise with great benefits. The Healthband fitness tracker from Four Fit allows you to monitor key fitness stats including heart rate and steps. You can see all the stats on the screen rather than having to check your app continuously, which I really like. It’s light to wear meaning that you don’t even know it’s on, I find it encourages me to walk a bit more, even if that is parking the car a little further from school.
Having an outfit to exercise in which is not only comfortable but makes you feel confident is key. My favourite pieces at the moment are these teal green yoga style full length leggings which are not only really soft they have a lovely thick contrasted printed waistband and you don’t get saggy knees those are not cool. I teamed them up with a similar design hoodie from JD Williams. I absolutely love this off centre zip up hoodie it’s stylish, cosy and kept me super warm when I climbed Snowdon. It’s also a nice length if like me you like to cover your bottom when you are wearing leggings (these things are important). I don’t have any photos as the weather was so bad getting up Snowdon and my leggings were soaking meaning I changed them at the summit, I do however have this photo of me surfing on a skateboard, like you do.
Reading:
I’m not going to lie until January I hadn’t sat and read a book from cover to cover in years. Literally. I started to wonder how can I make a living writing if I don’t read? I started off reading business books and after seeing a link to How To Be Happy for a couple £ I thought I’d take a punt on some fiction. I loved it! I forgot how amazing it is to get lost in a book. Not only is reading excellent escapism, but it provides us with me time, down time, time to shut out the world and recuperate. It really is time to put down the phone and pick up a book.
Sit Spots:
I learnt about sit spots when I went Forest Bathing in Blackwood Forest. Sit spots can be anywhere, the beach, park, New Forest, as I work from home and our garden is wildlife friendly meaning I’m surrounded by a diverse ecosystem it’s the perfect place for me. You literally sit and absorb the sounds, smells and sights around you. This time of the year I love sitting under the weeping willow tree, if I listen really carefully I can hear the crunching of the caterpillars much to Daddy Moo’s dismay. Sitting there once a day for 20 minutes with a coffee is good for the soul and clears my mind ready to be productive. Never underestimate how useful silence is.
Bullet Journaling and Colouring in:
Who doesn’t love fancy pens and the promise a new notebook provides? Printkick are a small family business which started up in 2001, primarily selling ceramics like printed mugs to small businesses abut they have expanded their range to include all sorts of stationery. Printkick have also launched a new eco-friendly product range, helping organisations become more aware of their environmental impact and make better choices with their printed items. This is something which was recently raised in my networking group, helping small businesses to reduce their carbon footprint and increase their green credentials.
I was sent a collection of notebooks, pens and a colouring in book which I’ve had to hide from certain small people who keep insisting they need more notebooks for all their stories. The adult colouring set is so handy it’s folds up the size and thickness of a regular notebook making it great for using on the go. I like that the pencils are included as there is nothing worse than sitting down to colour and realising you have no pencils. I love these two notebooks they not only look grown up and stylish, but both the grey fabric and cork are so tactile you just can’t help but stroke them (this is very important). Before the summer I went to a goal setting session with Coastal VAs and it’s going to be a regular, accountable group so after I set myself two goals I needed somewhere to home them. I love being creative with my notebooks so all the planning sheets Syma gave me I cut up and glued in then I wrote down my goals and started to break them down into smaller manageable steps. I’ll of course be adding motivational quotes and super cute stickers, otherwise seriously what is the point! The paper quality is really good and each notebook has a sturdy spine. It’s one of those notebooks you get excited about picking up.
There are of course many other ways in which you can improve your wellbeing but these are my current go to’s. If you have any suggestions or tips do leave a comment below or join the conversation over on Facebook.
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