We know that this year has been a rather odd one, with a few bumpy roads and potholes along the way. Not only have businesses taken strain, but so have our bodies. Stress, uncertainty and not being able to predict or plan your next move has more effects on our bodies and mental health than we even realize.
Use this festive season down-time to recharge your body and mind. Spend time with your family, your friends and with yourself, to re-centre and appreciate the more important things in life.
Here are a few ideas on what you can do this festive season to self-improve:
Reading
Reading is a great way to kick back and relax, while still keeping your mind stimulated. Reading is proven to reduce stress, as it takes your mind off of reality. Stress is believed to contribute to around 60% of all human illness and disease and can raise the risk of a stroke and heart disease by 50% and 40% respectively. Of course, day-to-day life makes it impossible to eliminate stress completely, but there are things we can do to reduce and stop it from becoming a serious health issue. Whether it’s a novel, biography or self-improvement book; they will all assist in switching off, and even reduce Dementia in the long term.
Exercise
Exercise is a fantastic way to keep your body and your mind active and healthy. Whether you go for a run, a morning hike or merely a brisk walk around the neighbourhood; any form of exercise has many health benefits. Not only is it superb for your body’s health, but mental health too. During exercise, your body releases chemicals that can improve your mood and make you feel more relaxed. This can further help you deal with stress and reduce your risk of depression.
Exercise helps to keep your thinking, learning, and judgment skills sharp as you age, so don’t only do it when on holiday, but throughout the year. Move to stimulate your body to release proteins and other chemicals that improve the structure and function of your brain.
Family and Friend Time
Spending quality time with your family and friends has various benefits, such as improving mental health. Interacting with a close social network, especially face-to-face communication, as opposed to digital connections, significantly reduces the onset of depression, anxiety and other mental illness. Being physically present with loved ones creates a strong emotional support to take you through life’s challenges and also reduces stress. Those with healthy relationships tend to seek out healthier coping mechanisms for stress, instead of other unhealthy outlets. Establish a habit of talking through and expressing emotions to find effective solutions to any problems you may face. When it comes to business, it’s always great to leverage your ideas off someone else.
Along with healthy activities, time with family can positively impact physical well-being. For example, participating in outdoor activities like sports games, hikes or gardening helps to improve fitness while building relationships. There’s even evidence that time with family can boost the effects of exercise and other healthy habits too.
Use this time to improve your well-being, your mental health and start to plan for your new year goals. 2021 has many opportunities now that we are more familiar with our “new normal”.
If you need a quiet, professional office space to think, without the pressure of being in the office full-time, we have a solution for you. Enquire about our ‘Pay As You Work’ solution and let us assist you take your business to a new level in 2021!
