Get a Bit More Zen for Improved Mental Health

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Being a bit more zen can help you get through the day

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More people than ever are suffering will ill mental health, due to the ongoing covid pandemic and other associated problems. Learning a technique that can help you feel more chilled and more zen can really make a difference. Learning to meditate can reduce stress, decrease anxiety and improve mood. Scientific evidence show that meditation can be helpful in fighting illness, including depression, heart disease and chronic pain.

Trying to reach a state of zen when your messages keep bleeping and someone wants your focus, or kids want your attention is a challenge at the best of times, but with everyone in the house trying to stay busy or keep working is particularly challenging. There are a variety of different meditation styles and finding the right one for you can be a bit of a minefield, so here is a simple guide to help you decide which one is right for you.

History

The far eastern countries are well known for being zen. Of course that is where the word comes from. It literally means meditation. See this article in wikipedia for more information. Meditation was first developed in India possibly since 5000BC. The oldest documented evidence is wall art in the Indian subcontinent from about this time, showing people seated in meditative postures with half-closed eyes. During this time and for centuries before, all learning and knowledge was passed on by word of mouth. Almost all the Hindu religious books talk of meditation in some form or the other. So we can safely assume that meditation was also an integral part of the knowledge that the Gurus were teaching their students, and all this was done via the oral tradition. And because it was oral, it is not documented and hence gets very difficult to tell how old meditation really is.

Meditation is the practice of thinking deeply or focussing ones mind for a period of time.  This can be done in silence or with the help of chanting or other aids. Lets have a look at a few different practices, old and new.

1. Mindfulness

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Mindfullness meditation is very zen and very now! It is all about being aware and present and in the moment. It can be done anywhere. You might prefer to find a quiet spot and sit with your eyes closed, focussing initially on your breath and then just noticing what you notice. Allowing sounds to pass you by without judgement. Perhaps while you are running or walking you find yourself in flow, which is another way of thinking about meditation. (In positive psychology flow or a flow state, or in the zone. Characterised by the complete absorption in what one does, and a resulting transformation in one’s sense of time. Named by by Mihály Csíkszentmihályi in 1975).

A form of mindfulness is involved in most kinds of meditation. Breath awareness encourages you to be aware of your breathing, while progressive relaxation draws attention to areas of tension in your body.

2. Loving-Kindness Meditation

A particularly good one to include to help you be a bit more zen is kindness. The goal of this meditation is to cultivate an attitude of love and kindness toward everything. Cultivating kindness towards oneself is really important for good mental wellbeing. While breathing deeply, open your mind to receiving loving kindness, then send  of loving kindness out to others. You can focus on specific people or situations if you wish. Repeat the message over and over.

It can help dispel feelings of anger, frustration, resentment and conflict and increase positive emotions.

3. Body scan or progressive relaxation

Body scan or progressive relaxation meditation, is where you sit in a relaxed comportable position and can your body for areas of tension. The goal is to notice tension and to allow it to release. It is challenging to instantly obtain relaxation so purposfully tensing the area and then relaxing helps send the right messages to the muslces to relax. Start with your feet and work up the body.

Progressive relaxation can help invoke feelings of calmness and relaxation. It may also help with pain, because it slowly and steadily relaxes the body, some people use this form of meditation to help them sleep.

4. Guided Meditation

Guided meditations can be very helpful in many situations.  Having something to specifically focus on to guide you through can help you relax and focus. It can invoke sounds, textures and images though use of words, music, sounds of nature or bells, chanting and many more.  Guided meditations can also be used to focus on specific issues like improving self confidence, weight loss, general relaxation any many more.  It is just a case of finding the one or ones that appeal to you.  I know quite a few people use the headspace app. This can be a great place to start.

5. Breath awareness meditation

Breath awareness is a type of mindful meditation that encourages mindful breathing. Breathe slowly and deeply, counting your breaths or otherwise focusing on you breath. You can use sspecific sounds repeated in your head as you breathe in and out. So hung works very well and one I use personally. The goal is to focus only on breathing and to ignore other thoughts that enter the mind. A way to do this is acknowlege them and promise to focus on them later so you can move on.

As a form of mindfulness meditation, breath awareness offers many of the same benefits as mindfulness. Those include reduced anxiety, improved concentration, and greater emotional flexibility.

6. Yoga Meditation

The practice of yoga dates back to ancient India. There are a wide variety of classes and styles of yoga, but they all involve performing a series of postures and controlled breathing exercises meant to promote flexibility and calm the mind. The poses require balance and concentration.

it is a physically active form of meditation that blends movements with deep breathing and mantras. People usually learn from a teacher or do a class. However, someone can learn the poses and mantras at home, although best to have a check in with your GP first. It can improve physical strength and reduce pain. It may also improve mental health by reducing anxiety and depression.

7. Zen meditation

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Zen meditation is a form of meditation that can be part of Buddhist practice. Usually studied with the guidance of a teacher because it involves specific steps and postures. The goal is to find a comfortable position, focus on breathing, and mindfully observe one’s thoughts without judgment.

Again, this form of meditation is similar to mindfulness meditation but requires more discipline and practice. People may prefer it if they are seeking both relaxation and a new spiritual path.

8. Chakra Meditation

Chakra is an ancient Sanskrit word that translates to “wheel,” and can be traced back to India. Chakras refer to the centers of energy and spiritual power in the body. There are thought to be seven chakras. Each chakra is located at a different part of the body and each has a corresponding color.

Chakra meditation is made up of relaxation techniques focused on bringing balance and well-being to the chakras. Some of these techniques include visually picturing each chakra in the body and its corresponding color. You may may choose to light incense or use crystals, color coded for each chakra to help you concentrate during the meditation.

9. Transcendental Meditation

Transcendental Meditation is a spiritual form of meditation where practitioners remain seated and breathe slowly. The goal is to transcend or rise above you current state of being. You focus on a mantra or a repeated word or series of words determined by your teacher or perhaps you choose your own. This more contemporary version is not technically Transcendental Meditation, though it may look substantially similar. A practitioner might decide to repeat “I am not afraid of public speaking” while meditating.

People who practice Transcendental Meditation report both spiritual experiences and heightened awareness.

In Summary

The various meditative disciplines encourage a focus on heightened awareness, slower breathing, and increased acceptance. Meditation is not a results-focused undertaking. Indeed, fixating too much on the results can provoke anxiety that undermines the benefits of meditation.

Research shows that meditation can work very quickly. Many people who practice meditation report an immediate improvement following a meditation session. During meditation, it is common to feel calmer and less stressed. Over time and with practice, these sensations may continue outside of meditation sessions

There is no right or wrong way to meditate and nothing that says choose just one option. Any meditation is better than no meditation. If your only want to meditate once a week, do so. If you want to try different forms, do that too.

Meditating around the same time each day can make meditation a habit that is easy to incorporate into daily life. If meditation is helpful, it may be beneficial to increase the frequency to twice or more per day or to use it to reduce stress whenever needed.

 

 

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Creative Pastimes to Boost Your Mood

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Boost your mental health with creativity

Today lets take a look at 5 creative pastimes and how they can benefit your mental health and wellbeing.

Many people reading this are under lockdown due to Covid-19, so here are a few ideas to use your extra time to start or restart a hobby, or learn a new skill. Its a smart way to boost your good mental health. Studies show that learning something new creates new neural connections in the brain, which improves memory and performance and makes us feel better.

1. Drawing

Whether is just doodling, colouring in colouring books made for adults, or drawing and painting it does not matter.  Anything that gets your creative juices flowing and gives you time out to relax the mind. If you are new to drawing and dont know where to start I have always found this a great way to get started and would recommend it.

Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards. It is the  is the world s most widely used drawing instruction book. Whether you are a professional, a student or enjoy art as a hobby Betty Edwards practical set-by-step guide to drawing will give you greater confidence in your ability, deepen your artistic perception and provide a new way to appreciate the way you perceive the world around you.

Or perhaps a colouring book is more your speed.  There are loads specifically created for adults and readily available on amazon. I love mixing it up between high quality colouring pencils and fine tip staedler pens. Ah so many choices.

2. Cooking

Cooking can be fun and creative. It is also an ideal way to improve your physical health, learning to cook nutritions but fun new meals.  I think I have yet to cook the same meal twice in the last few months.  We have a regular organic veg order and finding new ways to cook delicious local and seasonal produce has been great fun. Yes it has been ocassionally challenging and there have been some veg we would have never considered buying so it has stretched our adventuresome spirit too. It has also saved money, cooking with what is delivered, rather than designing the recipe and going and buying the ingredients.

Baking is also a great skill to have.  This week and I have been learning to bake bread and scones.  Focaccia this week.  Tasted fabulous.  Now the challenge is to not eat too much of it!!! Luckily a lot of these things can be put in the freezer for a treat another day.

3. Music

Learning a new instrument, learning to read music or learning to sing are all fun things to do. Whether you sign up for Gareth Malone’s virtual weekly choir or decide to learn to play an instrument there are multiple benefits.  Just because we are on lockdown does not mean that these are unachievable. There are so many online resouces available from eLearning to You Tube or many apps.

If you started in your youth but gave it up now is a chance to rekindle your passion. Learning an instrument relieves stress and also improves brain power.

Remember that listening to music can completely change your mood.  Something to make you dance round the room or something to help you relax or meditate, it does not matter. What is important is that we do.

4. Writing

Writing is a great way to be creative, whether it is journalling or creating a novel or poem. It can be with a beautiful book and pen, a structured journal, a typed note or a captured voice message. Journalling as a fabulous way to reducing anxiety by getting thoughts out of your head and on to the page. I personally love to have a special note book around to doodle and write in when the mood takes me, but I also use a structured journal to help think through things or for personal evelopment.  One of my favourites is Daily Greatness.  A structured journal can also be great for thinking about what you are grateful for and what life afirmation can boost your mood.

There is plenty of room to get creative and there any many online resouces to help you. If an app is your preference try Masterclass or if eLearning suits you best try FutureLearn. Of course reading a book on the topic can also be inspiring. Not everything has to be online.

5. Learning a Language

Learn a new language

Where we live is becoming more and more multicultural.  In our small block of 5 houses alone we cover Easern Europe, Asia, West Indies and UK. Whether you want to be able to converse in the language of your neighbours or have your eye on the prize of the next holiday, when allowed, why not prepare and extend your vocabulary beyond what’s required to order food and ask directions. Duolingo seems like a great way to start. It makes games out of learning, and games are always fun right! It is also free if you don’t mind the ads. You can also graduate to having practice sessions with friends with a glass of wine or a virtual coffee via zoom.

 

Makes you just want to do a little happy dance doesn’t it!

 

 

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Simple Stress Busters

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Lets talk about stress

Feeling stress is a natural reaction in the body, that feeling of fight of flight.  However the body is designed to deal with the danger and then reset.  In the modern world we live in though, we rarely get the time to properly destress, and so the stress builds and builds.  It is really important to take the time to help the body reset. Here are some really simple exercises you can do that take just a few minutes.

Try them out and find out which one works best for you.

Firstly is the rescue breath.  This is a deep breathing exercise to help you dissolve stress and restore calm. It helps calm the mind and slow the heart rate.  It is great to use in the moment.

Then there is the reset ritual, to help you release stress and tension and give you a boost.  You will feel relaxed and energised.

Thirdly is Tactical Breathing, which is a technique, taught to the military and emergency services, and another easy method of calming the parasympathetic nervous system.

Lastly we will show you a tapping technique called Through Field Therapy (TFT).  We will show you a specific series of meridian tapping points in a pattern called The Psychological Reversal Triangle (PRT), which can help calm you and reduce stress and anxiety.

It is so much easier to demonstrate them than to try and explain them so enjoy watching and have fun trying the techniques yourself.

Written by Alison Charles and Reyhana Jano

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Coping with Change

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Do you struggle to cope with the amount of change you experience around? Is change a constant at work?

Change is a fundamental fact of life. You cannot stop the onward march of change, but you can manage how you react to it. There are things you can do to cope with it personally and plenty you can do as a business owner or manager to support people and help the transition.

It is inevitable, change, but you can actually deal with it, and you can actually develop some coping strategies. You can also do some key things to make it less scary.

Dealing with Change on a Practical Level

On a daily basis within the businesses, change can be anything. When we think about change, we think more about the major change, such as restructuring, people buying over businesses, people losing their jobs but there is minor change as well.  For example: going on a training course has an impact in terms of the where and when you’re going to be doing your work. This means you also have to think about change within the work space.

What about change in our personal life and what impact does it have on our daily activities within the work space?

We need to look at at change holistically and not compartmentalise it in terms of work and personal life.

We spend much of our time at work and change here has a major impact, but is change necessary? Businesses have to change to keep up.  We need to juggle changes in technology, requirements of different generations of staff, differing client requirements and staying ahead of the game to stay in business.

The impact of change on the employee wellbeing

Change, for most people, tends to be quite an uncomfortable place to be. It means that there is uncertainty. It could be that there job might change or disappear altogether for example. Employees are likely to be worried about the new role, whether they’ve got the right capabilities in place to be able to deal with it.

Somebody might be worried about whether they’re actually going to have a role with the changes that are coming – there will be a level of uncertainty about what’s going to happen – “am I going to have a job in the future”.

Even if you’re working for yourself there’s still a massive level of uncertainty around change. You’re constantly on the lookout regarding your client base, what’s going to happen tomorrow and I’m going to have enough money to pay the mortgage. You know when you’re working for yourself you tend to get those peaks and troughs so actually responding to all those demands is what makes things worrying.

It doesn’t just impact employees but it impacts sole traders and business people as well.

Are our leaders resilient enough to manage change?

Communication, communication, communication is key. It doesn’t have to be a complicated strategy that you’re putting in place. It can be something simple, but tell employees why change is happening. Explain to them the impact it’s going to have on them.  Much of the worry will be because employees do not feel informed or included.  Make sure to get their input too.  They might think of something you have not. We think we need to come up with the solutions ourselves but often your employees have the answer.

Giving employees the opportunity to ask questions and including them as part of the process helps reduce the stress.  Communication is very important.

Communicating with customers or clients is equally important.  It might be that their needs are driving the change too.  Keep them in the loop and work with them to deliver fit for purpose solutions.

As a small business owner it can be quite isolating and change can feel that much more stressful. You need support around yourself.  You need to think about where can you get that support. Reach out to others and get their input.

If you’re working within a co space environment there will be other people that are sole traders as well or start-ups.  See if you can get a network group going within that environment and how you can help each other.

A coach can also be a great benefit to help manage change.  They are a great sounding board, listener and trusted advisor.

Mindset

Many people worry about what the outcomes might be, and have a tendency to catastrophizing and in their minds that things will be a lot worse than they are. You have to find people around you that you can go and talk to, to actually talk about your fears and worries, and to go through a process that they can help you with, where you are given the space to think about what the worst-case scenario will be.

  • Is that really likely to happen?
  • Have I been in this situation before?
  • Was it as bad as we expected?

Going through this process will help put it into perspective, and nine times out of 10 things are never as bad as you think. Even if it is worst case scenario, and you are working for a company and is facing redundancy; you never know what sort of opportunities are going to come along.

Mindset and how you approach things, looking for the positive can make a massive difference about how you feel internally. Try reframing any negative thoughts and see how you can make it into a positive one.

Find techniques that help you destress, make sure you take time for yourself and do something fun.

For further ideas go to https://www.facebook.com/ProsperThroughPeople/ where you will find a growing number of videos to help you.

It is very easy to keep pushing, which can lead to burn out so self-care and care of your employees is really important.

Making change personal

If you want to make changes on a personal level, one of the key things is to really understand where you’re at. So for any change to happen, you really need to know where your starting point is.

Journaling is really useful to actually be able to look internally and see where you are at and what your mindset is. So start to do things like, say for example, if you find a particular situation stressful, start to make a really short journal. It doesn’t have to be pen and paper we’ve all got smartphones these days, it’s really easy to get an app to do journaling on. It doesn’t matter where you do it you can also record messages there’s apps like mental snap where you can record your mental state.

The important thing is to actually have that inward reflection and start to look at; okay I’ve got a bit anxious about that. What was the trigger? And then start to look at, what was it something external, was it something that I didn’t understand, was it that I didn’t have enough information, was it me reacting to it to somebody else, and just really understand what the triggers are and what makes you feel that the worst is going to happen in the first place.

Once you’ve done that journaling, you’ll start to understand and dig under your own hood a little bit as to what makes you tick, and what actually puts you into that, we like to call it sort  of catastrophizing, where you always think the worst is going to happen. And then you can start taking steps to think about well actually is that really, really the case.

Mahatma Gandhi said: “Be the change you want to see in the world.”

Change is a journey. I hope you enjoy your journey.

Written by Alison Charles and Reyhana Jano

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World Suicide Prevention Day

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World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) is an awareness day observed on 10 September every year, in order to provide worldwide commitment and action to prevent suicides. There are various activities around the world.

What’s the campaign?

The campaign is a joint collaboration between the World Health Organisation, the World Federation for Mental Health and the International Association for Suicide Prevention.
Working Together to Prevent Suicide is the theme this year, which will be retained for WSPD in 2019 and 2020. The theme was chosen as it “highlights the most essential ingredient for effective global suicide prevention – collaboration”.

Every 90 minutes a life is lost to suicide in the UK. Globally a person dies every 40 seconds by suicide and up to 25 times as many make a suicide attempt. Therefore many have been bereaved by suicide or have been close to someone who has attempted suicide.

It touches the lives of people in every corner of society – from builders to doctors, actors to the unemployed and homeless. It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35 and men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.

“It’s rarely talked about, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice”.

Unfortunately, my own cousin committed suicide 28 years ago.  I still feel sad when I remember him. I still feel said when I think of him. He was a gentle soul, taken from life too early. The aftershock on family, friends, colleagues is very traumatic.  What could we have done differently we wonder.  It is just as important to get help and support of you have suffered a loss and are struggling.  It is important for you to talk to someone too and also ask for help.

There are a number of different organisations that can help from your GP and local charities with qualified professionals.

How can you help?

When stress, depression and anxiety hit so hard that someone feels suicidal, reaching out and asking for help can be the hardest thing in the world to do. So we have to continually reach in. Just reaching out to someone and offering a helping hand and some comfort can make a difference. So many people worry about what to say or that they may say something that makes the situation worse.  However, in reality, the listening ear of someone with compassion, empathy and a lack of judgement can help restore hope.

Taking a minute to reach out to someone in your community could change the course of another’s life. A family member, a friend or a stranger, just reach out.

What to look out for

We need to look out for those who are not coping. Individuals in distress are often not looking for specific advice. Warning signs of suicide include: hopelessness, rage, uncontrolled anger, seeking revenge, acting reckless or engaging in risky activities – seemingly without thinking, feeling trapped like there’s no way out, increased alcohol or drug use, withdrawing from friends, family &  society, anxiety, agitation, unable to sleep or sleeping all the time and dramatic mood changes.

What can companies do to help?

Today is a great day to remind people of what help and support is already available to employees. So perhaps an Employee Assistance Programme, a chat with HR or their line manager or a wellbeing programme. Think about what can help the most. Have a variety of options available.

These are all ongoing activities, not just ones that are focussed on for Mental Health Awareness, Stress Awareness and Suicide Prevention Day. Remember to focus on it all year round.  While the focus is on suicide prevention, in social media and on the news, it is a good time to raise awareness.

I would love to connect and discuss the topic further. Perhaps you have a particular issues you wish to discuss.

Here’s my calendar link to make finding time easy.

 

 

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Is Your To-Do List a Challenge?

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Is Your To-Do List a Challenge?  According to a recent study commissioned by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) you are likely to have an average 33 tasks to complete each week.  Is this manageable?

According to the survey, about 60% feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of tasks.  Sorting finances feature quite strongly but day to day tasks like looking after pets and taking care of the household chores are also on the list.

Two-thirds of the people surveyed feel like they are operating on autopilot, meaning to-do lists left as to-do and a never-ending list of tasks just get added to the bottom while others are there so long they fall off altogether.

Many people are planning to use the long bank holiday weekend to tick things off their job lists.  I have to admit, I will be too. My to-do list includes a lot of fun things as well as some household chores. It is really important that you get a balance and remember to schedule some rest and relaxation time.

Is Your To-Do List a Challenge? Here are some simple tips to help get that list sorted.

  1. Categorise the tasks into Urgent, Important, Waiting on someone else, delegate, decision
  2. Focus on the urgent ones first.  Put them in order of urgency.
  3. If the task itself feels large and overwhelming then break it down into a series of smaller, manageable tasks.
  4. Regardless of how long the task takes, do them in the category order.
  5. The more urgent ones you tick off the better you will feel
  6. If you are waiting on someone else, go give them a nudge now
  7. If you can delegate do so

Good luck with your list.

If you are interested in finding out more about how to overcome stress then I would love to connect.

Here’s my calendar link to make finding time easy.

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Stress at Work Rises

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Shocking number of people work while ill; stress at work rises. A new report carried out by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) was released today, just in time for Mental Health Awareness Month.  The statistics are shocking.

People working while ill has tripled since 2010

The Health and Wellbeing at Work Survey was carried out at the beginning of 2018. Respondents to the survey said they had they had observed presenteeism (people working while ill) in their organisation over the last 12 months, compared with 72% in 2016 and just 26% in 2010.  This is their 18th Survey, so there is now a wealth of data to compare with.

Fewer Companies are Challenging “Presenteeism” and “Leavism” than in 2016

Even despite these shocking figures, only a very small number of firms are taking steps to tackle the issue.  In fact 50% fewer companies are taking steps to tackle the issue in 2018 than in 2016.

As well as “Presenteeism” being a problem, the new buzzword is “Leaveism”.  This is when people use their annual leave to work.  This is also highlighted in the report with only 27% of companies that see this behaviour, doing something to discourage it.

Working while ill bad for the individual

Shocking number of people work while ill; stress at work rises. Neither Presenteeism nor Leaveism is good for the individual or the company.  Everyone needs downtime and some R&R.  If staff are using their annual leave to get work done that is bad news.

Work is more pressured than ever and so many people are worried about job security. They show up because they want to be seen and want to give no reason to be first in line for redundancy.  In the longer term this can lead to more serious illness and a lot longer on sick leave.

Bad for Business

As well as impacting the wellbeing of the individual, it will also have a disastrous result for your company productivity.  People who are struggling are not working at their best or fullest capacity.  In fact, they are probably operating well below par. The longer this goes on the less productive they will be.

What Can You Do About It?

There is a direct link between presenteeism/leaveism and increases in stress-related absence and other mental health related illnesses like depression and anxiety.  These are still among the top causes of long-term sickness absence.

If you recognise this behaviour in your company, that people are working when ill in particular, then a focus on employee wellbeing as a whole can reduce unhealthy workplace practices.

Senior leaders are key influencers and must support wellbeing.  They also need to act as role models within the company.  Managers within the company, at all levels, need the training to support employees and often themselves.

“In order to tackle these unhealthy practices within your company, it is vitally important that you invest in a health and wellbeing strategy, and that the strategy is at the core of your values.  I am in no doubt that if you do invest in a health and wellbeing strategy you will absolutely see the benefits.” Pam Whelan, Director of Corporate, Simply Health

I will be taking a deeper dive into different aspects of the report in future blogs.

Need Help?

If you need support in implementing your wellbeing strategy or changing behaviour in your company, or perhaps you are interested in finding out more about how to support your employees then I would love to connect.

Here’s my calendar link to make finding time easy.

 

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Employee Wellbeing

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Employee wellbeing is a hot topic at the moment, but do you really understand how to look after your own wellbeing when you work in a high-stress environment?

Any role that is customer facing is stressful. The Service Desk Institute realise how difficult it can be for Service Desk staff to know how to cope with stress and how critical it is to have the right support in place.

I joined us as one of our leading breakout speakers at The Conference for Service Desk Leaders 2018 to discuss the importance of wellbeing in the workplace.

What are the 5 Pillars of Wellbeing?

I particularly like the phraseology of Dr. Rangan Chaterjee in his book “The 4 Pillar Plan.  How to relax, eat, move and sleep. Your way to a longer, healthier life”.  The art of wellbeing or being well is to have all of these four elements in balance.  The one extra I would add is mindset.

As well as the stress of dealing with people we live in an age where we are overwhelmed by data and deadlines and we are on fully connected overdrive.  How many of you get up in the morning and the first thing you do is reach for your phone, check your social media and your emails?

Our adrenal glands get overstrained. The adrenal glands secrete adrenaline to help your body respond to stress, but they also regulate many vital processes in your body, such as metabolism.  Constant stress is like putting your foot on the accelerator all the time, at some point you are going to run out of petrol. It is also like overloading a PC with different processes.

It is absolutely critical to give the body a chance to reset and engage the parasympathetic nervous system, which is the equivalent of putting your foot on the brake, or if you think more in PC terms, a reboot.

Here are some ways to consider that might help you look after your employee wellbeing. Always check with your GP or other suitably qualified medical professionals about a lifestyle change or before embarking on exercise.

Relax

Every person is different so everyone will find different activities relaxing. The important thing is that you do take some time for self-care.  This allows the body to do that essential reboot. A morning meditation session, where everyone knows not to disturb you, might be your relaxation.  Maybe it’s that hot bath with a good book, last thing at night.  Perhaps you have a particular hobby or interest that is your “YOU” time.  If not, learning something new is a great stress buster and has numerous other benefits for the brain too.

If you are at work and you have a particularly difficult customer, then how about resetting right after the call.  I personally love the Hayo’u Method.  Try this reset ritual:

https://www.hayoumethod.com/the-rituals/reset-ritual/

If you can’t leave your desk then some slow deep breaths can really help.  Put your elbows on the desk and cover your eyes with your hands and block out the light.  Leave a gap between your hands and eyeballs, like a cup. Breathe in 4 counts.  Hold 4 counts. Out 4 counts. Hold 4 counts. Repeat. If 4 does not suit then find your own rhythm.

Eat

Eating a healthy diet is critical to overall wellbeing.  However, I am not about to prescribe a particular eating regime.  Your GP or a qualified nutritionist is the best person to approach.  They can help you find what works best for your lifestyle and body type.

The tendency, when we are stressed, tired and busy, is to choose convenience foods, alcohol and sugary foods.  All of these actually put more stress on the adrenals and therefore make the body more stressed.  Make sensible choices but be kind to yourself, an occasional reward is also good for you. It keeps you motivated and keeps levels of enjoyment high.

Make sure you encourage your employees to take a proper break at lunchtime and eat appropriately!

Move

Exercise is a great way to relax and de-stress so it might be your choice of relaxation too. It releases endorphins, which gives a feeling of wellbeing.  The key is to find out what you enjoy.  If it is fun then you will keep doing it.  Whether it is pumping iron at the gym or taking a class.  Following a High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) programme, running with a group in the park or doing a dance class it all helps.  If that all sound a bit energetic then slower exercises are also great.  Try Tai Chi, Pilates or Yoga.  There are some great online resources if you don’t want to go to a gym.  If you are embarking on exercise for the first time do check with your GP.

If you don’t have much time then there is a lot of research about short workouts with maximum benefits.  Watch “Trust me I’m a Doctor” on BBC for some ideas.

What about taking your employees on a walking meeting. Encouraging people to walk round the block if they are working from home.

Sleep

A good nights sleep is so critical for feeling energetic and healthy.  Stress can mean you spend the night lying awake trying to sleep and watching the minutes tick by, then waking up in the morning feeling tired and grumpy.  If you suffer the occasional night of bad sleep this might help.  If it is more prolonged then do have a chat with a qualified medical professional.

Choose your preferred relaxation method to help you switch off.  Leave any phones, tablets, TV’s off and preferably out of the room altogether.  Even reading can hinder more than help.  If you do find yourself running through things then get up and write them all down and then go back to bed.  Getting them on paper can help clear the mind.  If you wake up several times in the night, then try going to bed slightly later and getting up slightly earlier. It can help reset the body clock.

Mindset

Above all be kind to yourself. Think about how you would talk to a loved one and treat yourself with the same respect.  Keeping a journal or diary can help uncover unhelpful behaviour.  Half the battle is recognising it, then you can do something to change it.  Look for times when you are stressed and you have no control of the situation.

Perhaps you are driving and there is a traffic jam.  Can you change it? “No”.  What you can do is take the time to do some deep breathing exercises, listen to your favourite music and enjoy the scenery. Well that feels so much better, right?  Keeping a journal of instances like that can help you notice patterns and stress triggers.

A journal can help you make changes that will lead to a more resilient you.  Greater resilience means greater capacity to cope with stress and with change. It means you are more likely to do something that you are fearful of and try it anyway.  This in turn builds confidence, self-esteem and resilience.  It directly impacts your ability to feeling and being well.

Now over to you

What changes are you going to make to improve your own wellbeing?  What are your goals?  Go write them down.  Now create an action plan made up of small steps to achieve your goals. Small steps lead to constant wins and are the most sustainable.  Remember your wellbeing, your way.  Be Well!

If you are interested in finding out more about how to manage stress then I would love to connect.

Here’s my calendar link to make finding time easy.

 

 

 

 

 

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Tactical Breathing for Stress Reduction

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Do you find speaking in public stressful?

Do you need to step up and speak in front of audiences to promote your business and showcase your expertise?  Or perhaps you are seeking promotion of have been recently promoted and now need to talk confidently in front of an audience.  Do you feel confident or do you feel stressed?  Do you love it or hate it?

I was a painfully shy child and speaking on a one to one basis was often painful but speaking to a group was horrible, let alone speaking in public, even to a really small audience. Some of you might already know that I am ex Army.  For those that don’t it might come as a bit of a surprise, being only 5 feet 2 ish!!  I was tidying up the other day and came across some old photos of me in uniform and started to think about my military service.

Speaking in public is one of the biggest phobias

It was during my time in the military that I had to overcome my fear of speaking in public.  Of course speaking in public can be one of the most painful stressors for so many people.  In some countries even being ranked as the highest fear, even greater than the fear of dying, spider or snakes.

In the Army there was no room to be a shrinking violet, but I was naturally shy, but at some point I became ok at public speaking and got my fear under control.  Seeing the photo made me think about that time and I started to get curious about when exactly it was that my reaction to speaking from the front of the room changed.  Then it dawned on me that learning a skill in one area actually helped me in the other.  That skill was tactical breathing.  We were being taught this technique to help ensure that we could calm ourselves when we needed to.

Tactical breathing is taught to military personnel, police, and others in highly stress intensive roles and it really works.  I was naturally applying the technique before speaking in front of a large group or before taking drill where I had to project my voice across the parade square.  While I was not at the stage yet where I actually enjoyed being in front of an audience, that came much later, it got me to the point that I could actually do what I needed to do with a level of comfort.  It calmed my mind and stopped the jangling nerves.  Interestingly I had never made the connection until recently because I just naturally did it without thinking.

Tactical breathing

Tactical breathing requires you to consciously regulate the amount of airflow your body is receiving over a set interval. Most commonly is a count of 4 but experiment and see what works for you.  You could find 3 is better or maybe 6. While it can be a difficult technique to master under extreme stress, the principle of the breathing is simple.

Breathing is as follows:

  1. Slowly and deeply inhale through the nose for 4 seconds.
  2. Hold the breath in for 4 seconds being sure to keep the rest of the body relaxed. (This can take practice as the tendency can be to hold tension and draw up the shoulders so the techniques needs regular practice)
  3. Slowly exhale through the mouth for 4 seconds.
  4. Hold the empty breath for 4 seconds.
  5. Repeat until your breathing is under control.

Repeat the entire process four times.

It can be applied to any stressful situation

The really great thing about this technique is that it can be applied to any situation that you feel stressed, not just speaking in public. Your body has multiple responses but we are specifically concerned with what happens when you are stressed, the fight or flight response. Any situation in which you feel stress your body will automatically pump adrenalin and other hormones into your body to either give you an extra spurt of speed to run or numb any injury and clot the blood flow.  Not really how you want to feel when you want to feel at your best and showcase your expertise.

Now do the tactical breathing and you will find that you calm down and your head clears.  Your pulse rate will slow.  Your sweaty palms will dry and any shaking will cease.  Now you are ready to move forwards.  Of course the trick is to practice this when you are calm so that when you need it, it is second nature and you don’t have to think about it.  With Tactical Breathing you will have the mental strength and inner calm to achieve peak performance.

If you would like to receive a free copy of my MP3 recording on tactical breathing and relaxation then please fill in the contact form with “Tactical Breathing” in the subject.

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Can Physical Exercise Support Good Mental Health?

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May Mental Health

Why do we focus on mental health?

In the UK we have a whole month focussed on Mental Health, but last week was specifically in the focus of Mental Health Awareness week. There have been a multitude of programmes, articles and blogs.

Why do we focus on Mental Health? Well that is because, like physical health, we can have good health or bad and like physical health, there is plenty we can do to improve. In fact many of the things you can do to improve physical health will also improve mental health. This was particularly well highlighted on the BBC programme, Mind Over Marathon, following a group of ten people with different mental health issues to be encouraged and trained to run the London Marathon.

Running is a great coping mechanism

While I am not a runner myself, I can completely identify with the messages from the programme. Exercise, not just running, can really help improve both physical and mental health. It has certainly been my personal experience.

Here are the great messages from the programme that I really liked, but starting with a phase that I thought was a gem and my absolute favourite “Fall in love with moving forward”. What a great motivational phrase with so many interpretations. So here are my top 5 with my spin on what was said.

1.  Running is a great coping mechanism. Running and mental health are really good companions. It releases endorphins, which make you feel better. If you run as part of a group then you also get community for support and structure from the trainers.

However if this seems a little too intense right now start with something gentle like walking. If you prefer a group and want the sense of community then joining a local rambler group, U3A or similar can be a great way to get some exercise. A lot of WI and Rotary clubs have walking groups too.

© Wong Hock Weng John | Dreamstime.com

What about swimming?

Swimming is also great. (One of my personal favourites!). Many local council pools have very reasonably priced classes if you feel you want help getting back into a routine. They key is that any exercise really helps.

2.  People assume that if you are diagnosed with a mental illness that you are really ill and that there is something really wrong with you. This is the stigma that, unfortunately, so many people have to go through. Here is the reality. The reality is that you yourself or someone close too you will suffer from bad mental health at some point. Just like a physical illness, the person needs TLC, rest and recuperation. They are just like you and me.

3.  If you are suffering ill mental health yourself, you might have coping strategies, you might not. Acceptance of where you are is crucial. Having a support group to turn to will help. Logic does not work however you try and rationalise the feelings. Just know you will get better. It can feel a bit like a rollercoaster at times. Remember to take each day as it comes and be gentle with yourself in the dips.

4.  If you know someone who is suffering then learn to listen, encourage them to talk if they want to and be open minded.

5.  Having goals is key, and being able to visualise them even more so. There is a lot of scientific study proving that using your imagination improves performance. If we can imagine something our brains can do it more efficiently. Setting small manageable goals is setting you up for success. Spend time each day visualising that small goal. What does it look like? What can you see, hear and feel around you?

Links between physical activity and good mental health

Last week I also attended Elevate at Excel. While it was predominantly about the physical health industry there were dedicated session all day on both days dedicated to physical activity for health and wellbeing, focussing on the links between physical activity and good mental health.

One fact that was particularly interesting from medical studies carried out was the findings that people suffering from a major depressive disorder (MDD) were 68% more likely to be physically inactive. If anyone is a lover of reading the source material the studies used were Lawlor and Hopkins (2001), Blumenthal et al. (2007), Cochrane review (2012) and Schuch F. et al. (2016). Whilst the studies and statistics were largely around MDD they hold equally true for less severe mental health issues like stress.

© Goinyk Volodymyr | Dreamstime Stock Photos

Benefits of exercise

The comparisons carried out MDD sufferers benefitted more from intervention using exercise. The best results were from high intensity exercise but quite honestly if you are currently sedentary or suffering from ill health high intensity training is likely to be such a shock to the body as to cause more stress that it reduces.

It was a key factor in my own recovery when I was off with a mental breakdown in 2011.  I would recommend starting easy with something that you really enjoy doing and focus on the fun rather than the fact that it is exercise. For my Mum it is walking her dogs. For me it is gardening, although I do enjoy the gym too, especially Pilates. Being part of a group class is also very helpful as it gives greater distraction from a bad day or other issues and you get the social inclusion too, which is really important. It is very easy to want to go home and be isolated and resisting that temptation can be hard. They key is if you don’t get there one day then get there the day after. Go with a friend or family member as you will keep each other motivated.

 

 

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A Month on Juice: 28 Days Later

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What is the verdict about 28 days of juice?

This is a personal journey of a month of only drinking home made juices and smoothies. Of course plenty of healthy avocado,  spinach and other nutritionally balanced ingredients Juicemaster style. 28 days later and how do I feel?

A key component of mental wellbeing is physical wellbeing and nutrition plays a key role.  Keeping yourself and your staff healthy is a vital element of a healthy and productive business.  Just how much of a part does nutrition play though?

What I noticed in my own body is that nutrition and exercise have a massive part to play, so this year, by way of self-experimentation I want to see exactly how I feel when changing gear to a new level of care of my physical health.  I want to see exactly how that effects my mental health and my overall wellbeing.

It has been a month since I did my 28 days on juice.  The whole point of this experiment was to be able to see what effect diet had on health generally, stress levels and mental acuity.  I noticed a massive difference in energy when I was juicing and this is still true.  My energy levels continue to be pretty good.

Was 28 days on juice worth it?

After 28 days of juicing I was very happy to be eating again and the transition to food was great.  I focussed on smaller portions, less coffee, limiting myself to just 2 cups a day, healthy soups and salads and very little alcohol.  As time has passed and my diary has been really busy and lots of lunches and dinners, at least 4 per week sometimes more, I have made some sensible choices and some unhealthy ones.  It is very much about balance for me.

Whilst the juicing might have stopped, regular visits to the gym continued, combining Pilates, cardio and some classes at our local gym, Third Space.

What I learned from 28 days

What has been really interesting is that I am much more clued in to what my body has to tell me about what I am eating. I am able to feel exactly what my body wants and what it considers to be unhealthy.  Some things I eat and feel great, others I eat and I can feel the effects. I had scampi and chips one day and the chips were floured before cooking to make them crisper.  The following day my knees were really achy and rheumatic.

This last week I have been eating a larger than usual amount of bread.  I do feel bloated and heavy.  Also, being away, I have not been to the gym.  Did the change of diet really make the difference or was it the reduced exercise?  Don’t know is the honest answer, but probably a little of both.

I also note that a little bit of sugar as in chocolate or dessert seems to be ok but a couple of days in a row and the sugar cravings start to come back really quickly.  I also notice that if I overindulge then I feel quite tired and struggle to wake up the following morning.

Craving some healthy juice

Interestingly, I do find that I am craving healthy juice, so I have planned in 3 days of juicing next week.  Perhaps I should do a quick top up of home made vegetable juice.

I am experimenting with my diet to see what longer term changes work for me.  I am seeing how different foods affect me.  Not only how do they affect my mood but what other changes do I notice like motivation, focus and energy. It is going to be a journey over the next 12 months and I will be mentioning progress periodically.

All of this, at the end of the day is to see how food and nutrition plays a vital part of overall wellness, both physical and mental.  Its all about balance and finding what is right for you.

Certainly my conclusion so far is that good nutrition plays a critical role in mental health as much as physical health.  Just from the differences I have noticed within myself when I have no stress, it is clear that food plays a key part in both mood and energy.  If you are stressed the temptation can be to comfort eat, which actually will make you feel worse.  If ever there is a time to have a good healthy diet to support yourself, it is in times of stress and difficulty.

I have kept the weight off, but more importantly the health benefits have continued.

 

 

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A Month on Juice: Week 4 – Juiced

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This is a personal journey of a month of only drinking home made juices and smoothies. Of course plenty of healthy avocado,  spinach and other nutritionally balanced ingredients Juicemaster style. I have to say, I feel juiced!

A key component of mental health is physical wellbeing and nutrition plays a key role.  Keeping yourself and your staff healthy is a vital element of a healthy and productive business.  Just how much of a part does nutrition play though? Can you get juiced too?

What I noticed in my own body is that nutrition and exercise have a massive part to play, so this year, by way of self-experimentation I want to see exactly how I feel when changing gear to a new level of care of my physical health.  I want to see exactly how that effects my mental health and my overall wellbeing.

What can I say I am physically and mentally juiced. I feel great.

I did actually have a small meal part way through the week. Being out at a business meeting early and there all day, I had not taken the time to plan properly. I had my breakfast smoothie and then ran out thinking I would find something for lunch that was suitable. I didn’t, it was an important lesson in planning! Good health, like everything else, takes time, effort and planning. I am beginning to realise that when I plan my business week and my personal dairy that meals and exercise are an integral part of that plan. I am going to start doing a meal plan that can be flexible to suit my business diary, and keep me moving forward with my health goals. Still feeling juiced though.

This week also highlighted that life is about choices. Having a goal is great. Sticking to that goal needs commitment, and that may require a little more effort than is desired at a particular moment in time. Taking the easy choice might mean that your goal takes a little longer. It is up to you which option you take, but which ever choice that is, live with it. Complaining you did not achieve that particular milestone that week when you made choices that could have made a difference, will not help. Take it as a lesson and move on and do it differently next time. Juiced will have to wait!

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A Month on Juice: Week 3 – Energy Buzz

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This is a personal journey of a month of only drinking home made juices and smoothies. Of course plenty of healthy avocado,  spinach and other nutritionally balanced ingredients Juicemaster style.

A key component of mental wellbeing is physical wellbeing and nutrition plays a key role.  Keeping yourself and your staff healthy is a vital element of a healthy and productive business.  Just how much of a part does nutrition play though?

What I noticed in my own body is that nutrition and exercise have a massive part to play, so this year, by way of self-experimentation I want to see exactly how I feel when changing gear to a new level of care of my physical health.  I want to see exactly how that effects my mental health and my overall wellbeing.

I am really feeling the difference now. After the Pilates class on Monday I really felt that endorphin rush, I felt completely invincible and ready for anything. I can’t actually remember the last time I felt this good. Still sticking with just juices and smoothies, four a day in total. I can honestly say I have not had a single hunger pang so far, having sat though business lunches dinners, happily drinking my smoothie of juice and hydrating with water. I am beginning to realise that I really do not drink anywhere near as much water as I should. After a day of juice I am thirsty so I am ensuring that I am now including more water. I feel that as my body is more hydrated it is more able to absorb the water.

I am beginning to notice some really interesting side effect now. When I sit down to write everything seems easier. Words seem to flow and I feel really calm. Writing has sometimes been a bit of a chore, but it would seem that good health means I am much more in flow and therefore in touch with my creativity. How wonderfully unexpected!

I also have a great bonus that I really look healthy on the outside too. I am not seeing the usual ravages of winter weather and indoor heating. My skin is really glowing and looks nourished. It feels softer too.

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A Month on Juice: Week 2 – Wellbeing is Flying High

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A key component of mental health is physical wellbeing. Nutrition plays a key role.  Keeping yourself and your staff healthy is a vital element of a healthy and productive business.  Just how much of a part does nutrition play though?

What I noticed in my own body is that nutrition and exercise have a massive part to play, so this year, by way of self-experimentation I want to see exactly how I feel when changing gear to a new level of care of my physical health.  I want to see exactly how that effects my mental health and my overall wellbeing.

Well the fact that I have lost 10lbs already is awesome, but what is truly amazing is how differently I feel. My brain is more awake. I am not a morning person but I am now getting up with out issue. I feel more focussed, more energised and lighter. No I am not referring back to the weight but it is a sense of emotional lightness of being and a sense of freedom.

It was time to start working out at the gym this week too. That was a bit of a shock to the system. First week was hard. Started with Pilates on Monday in the studio, using the Pilates machines. That was great. Tuesday tried the Pilates mat class. That was considerably more challenging, and the fact that I had trained the day before made it more so. Wednesday was some gentle cardio and Thursday was a circuit training class. Wellbeing on track!

After I left the Army I truly would have laughed at anyone that said I would voluntarily do another circuit class. I have to say thought that it was really fun. Well who would have thought it? Mind you, today is Sunday and I am still hurting. Onward and upward!! My own wellbeing is worth the effort.

 

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A Month on Juice: Week 1 – Healthy choices

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This is a personal journey of a month of only drinking home made juics and smoothies. Of course plenty of healthy avocado,  spinach and other nutritionally balanced ingredients Juicemaster style.

A key component of mental wellbeing is physical wellbeing and nutrition plays a key role.  Keeping yourself and your staff healthy is a vital element of a healthy and productive business.  Just how much of a part does nutrition play though? Could juice be the answer?

What I noticed in my own body is that nutrition and exercise have a massive part to play, so this year, by way of self-experimentation I want to see exactly how I feel when changing gear to a new level of care of my physical health.  I want to see exactly how that effects my mental health and my overall wellbeing.

Started the year with a 28 day detox “Juice master” style.  I am one week in and doing ok.  Actually it is a lot easier than I expected.  The first few days detox headache were pretty nasty but they went soon enough.  I made sure I hydrated and exercised and kepth healthy.  I did have rather a lot of over indulgence towards the end of last year to make up for too and had particularly noticed that I was feeling sluggish, was suffering a lot of indigestion and had put on a few pounds.

I should mention at this point I am not doing this with the intention of then suggesting this to clients.  I am not a nutritionist and would advise anyone wanting specific help to see someone qualified.  However, if this blog inspires you to take action in your own life or maybe change your direction then great.  Do let me know.

 

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