Category: Mental Health

10 Free Self-Care Tips to Improve Your Mental Health During the Covid-19 Lockdown

Guest blog by Samantha Culshaw-Robinson of the Live Well Practice

Self-care is an important part of feeling good. It can reduce your stress levels and helps maintain a good relationship with ourselves and others. Self-care can also improve your self-esteem and your self-confidence. Overall it is a necessary tool to improve your mental health.

Here are my top ten self-care tips for you. Most of them are no-cost, some of them might be low-cost depending on your approach. But all of them require for you to take a little bit of time for yourself. Do it. You will feel better for it. So, let’s dive right in.

Do a little writing

At the end of the day, write a list of things down that you want to tackle the next day. Writing things down will get them out of your head which will in turn help you to sleep better.

You could also try some journaling. Go over the day in your mind and write down how different events have made you feel. This will help you stop ruminating while you’re trying to go to sleep.

Another idea is first thing in the morning to set a timer for 2 minutes and write longhand, a stream of consciousness writing about anything and everything that crosses your mind– and they are for your eyes only.

Do something you enjoy

If we don’t spend any time doing things we enjoy, we end up irritable and unhappy. So, take some time out every day and do something you love. Whether that’s reading, baking, knitting, tinkering in the shed or garage, gardening, cuddling with your pet, listening to music, playing an instrument – you choose. Watch your overall mood soar. Make sure as Marie Kondo says, to “spark joy!

Connect with people

Don’t try and cope with everything on your own. Find people you can talk to. You can find local Meet Up groups online for all different kinds of interests. Maybe you’re looking for a support group or a social group. Connecting doesn’t have to be in person; it also works well over the phone or via apps such as Skype or Zoom. Who can you call and connect with?

Exercise

Taking time out to exercise is not only great for your physical health but also mentally. Exercising releases endorphins that stabilise your mood. Going for a mindful walk that gets your heart rate up works wonders for many people. The key think here again is joy. Have a look online from Zumba to yoga, find an activity that brings you joy. It could be dancing or cycling!

Practice Mindfulness

Practicing mindfulness means being in the moment and experiencing something will all your senses. There are many different exercises you can do, such as eating a raisin mindfully (about 5 minutes). It doesn’t have to take hours to practice mindfulness, a few minutes here and there can really ground you and bring you out of a mental tailspin by bringing you back to the here and now.

Anthony Tran 8i2fHtStfxk Unsplash

Hygge – relaxing the Danish way

You might have come across the Danish tradition of Hygge. It’s the concept of cosiness. How can you make your surroundings cosy and comfortable? Snuggling up with a book under a cuddly blanket with a lit scented candle is the ultimate form of Hygge. Does this appeal to you? Then go for it. Laura has some great ideas on adapting your surroundings to feel more “you.”

Rest when you can

Ideally, you’ll be getting around 8 hours of sleep. This will go a long way to keeping mentally healthy. If we don’t get enough sleep, it can lead to anxiety, depression and even chronic illnesses. This is because sleep helps to regulate chemicals in the brain that manage our body, mood and emotions.

Taking a power nap during the day (ideally between 1 and 3pm) can help to give you a boost if your energy is waning after lunch. This is also good for preventing dementia.

Personal care

Take time to look and feel your best. Even if this means that you get up a few minutes earlier. Having a refreshing shower can set you up well for the day. Go shopping in your wardrobe and find clothes that make you have (as Lisa Newport Style) advises “comfydence”. Spending an evening giving yourself a manicure and/or pedicure can leave you feeling pampered and relaxed without spending any money. You can even put on some soothing spa music, light some candles and use your fluffiest towels. Spoil yourself!

Meditation

Another activity that you can anywhere and anytime is meditation. And again, you don’t have to do it for hours. When you first start you will probably find it impossible to meditate for more than a few minutes anyway as your mind will take a little while to get the memo that it’s time to relax. You could start with my 3 Minute Breathing Space – a mini meditation you can download.

Cooking from scratch

Cooking your meals from scratch instead of relying on ready meals or even take outs will not only save you tons of money in the long term but also improve your health and wellbeing. You know what goes into your meals, as you’re preparing them. No artificial colours and flavours, tons of sugar or artificial sweeteners – all of which negatively impact your mental health.

Also stay away from pre-cut, pre-peeled fruit and veg. Chopping your own will cut down on your food waste as the pre-packaged varieties go off much quicker. It is also cheaper as you don’t pay someone else to do it for you. You can make chopping and prepping your raw ingredients part of your mindfulness practice. If you are short on time during the week, cook double the amount on the weekends and freeze, so you have your own ready meals. Susan Hart Nutrition Coach has some great ideas.

 

How the Live Well Practice can help

If you would like any help with getting your life in balance, mindfulness or meditation, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Samantha runs one-to-one online sessions, and a regular Tuesday night Mindfulness, Resilience and chat zoom group.

You can reach me via email sam@livewellpractice.co.uk or phone  +44 (0)7522 277722.

Samantha Culshaw-Robinson Live Well Practice

Five reasons you find it difficult to clear clutter and what you can do

When I tell people what I do, they ask me all sorts of questions about my work but this has to be the one subject that comes up the most.

Why do I find it so difficult to release my possessions and what can I do about it?

If you find yourself distracted by your possessions when you want to relax with a cup of tea, your wardrobe overflows making it difficult to decide what to wear, or, your surfaces need to be cleared before you can clean or prepare a meal, then you are affected by clutter.

Clutter is the stuff that gets in your way. The items may be treasured possessions, or paperwork and other disorganised debris, that has gathered on surfaces like it has a mind of it’s own.

Why is it we find it difficult to release some items?

A number of researchers have considered this question and further research is needed, but here are some of the reasons it’s not so is easy to tackle your possessions and clear clutter.

Perhaps the item:

  1. reflects something about you
  2. is part of your personal history, triggers memories, or has associations with family history
  3. relates to an experience or a gift received from a valued friend (even if you dislike it)
  4. is personified or has become familiar over time and you've come to believe it’s unique (perhaps you've given it a name)
  5. enabled a transition, such as a child's toy or blanket that helped them become more independent

Feelings about objects are complicated but they often change over time and as we change as individuals. We may be affected by memories associated with the items or fear of losing the item. Some people experience grief when releasing items.

So how might you manage this?

For some, the practical considerations are enough to enable them to clear clutter and release things they no longer need or love. It may make decisions easier to think about their lives with greater space and freedom, the physical, financial or emotional costs of keeping items in the home, or the benefits that others will derive from receiving donations.

Other approaches to try:

  • Acknowledge the emotions you are feeling, give yourself time to deal with them. Perhaps journaling or talking will support you but do get help if you need it. You don’t have to do it alone!

  • Think about where you are now and what’s important. Give thanks for the past but begin to focus on a positive present and future

  • Think about how you can keep the memory or sense of who you are without keeping the item (would taking photos or keeping a small part of the item be helpful? If you have lots of items, could you select a few to keep?)

  • Give it time – take your time. Start with the easy items, keep items you aren’t ready to part with and come back to these later when you may feel differently

'Time is the wisest counsellor of all' - Pericles

You may need to give it time, but the very process of sorting through our possessions and removing the easier items brings focus and awareness. As we work on the task, we change and grow. And over time it becomes easier to release things that had felt meaningful but that no longer serve us.

Ready to clear clutter?

If you have questions or need sensitive support to work through your things, I'm here for you. Feel free to contact me on 07970 989955, or via any of the options on my contact page.

 

 

Spring Clearing Week

APDO members are focusing on clearing our closet this Spring Clearing Week so I’ll be sharing wardrobe clearing ideas and my experience of the Six-item Challenge on Facebook and Instagram all week – join me and watch out for a guest appearance by Helen, The Wardrobe Fairy, from 16th March!

Spring Clearing Week 2020-logo

Focus on what you can control, forget the rest!

If you didn't quite get to everything you wanted to do in January, don't fret. We have the advantage of being at the start of a new month and every day brings a fresh opportunity to renew your focus and begin something.

You may know of this concept but I think it's amazing and wanted to share it with you in case you've not come across it before. It's an amazing mindset trick that puts you thoroughly in control of your goals.

Have you found you get stressed out by all sorts of things? Maybe some of these:

  • the jobs you didn't get done around the house last year
  • what will happen now that we've left the EU
  • the mounds of paperwork taking over your kitchen counters
  • your environmental impact
  • your partner's messy bedside table
  • the state of the economy
  • how you never have enough clean shirts on a Friday

Don't stress - use your zone of control!

Often we experience stress when we lack control, so the key to reducing your stress is to focus on what you can control.

Think of these three elements:

  1. Zone of control (blue) - the things going on here are within your control to change
  2. Zone of influence (white) - you can influence the elements within this area but you cannot personally control what happens here
  3. Zone of concern (green) - you cannot control or influence what happens within this area
Zone of control diagram

You can reduce your stress levels by focusing your energy on the elements within your Zone of Control, those things that you can personally change. For example, you can make sustainable purchases, recycle and reduce your energy consumption to lower your impact on the environment. You might go further and change to renewable energy sources, choose to walk more often rather than use your car and so on.

How can we use this mindset at home?

When it comes to our homes, we are busy, have other things to focus on and often live with other people (or pets) who create mess too.

If you are getting frustrated with the state of your home, you could try taking action on the things that are within your control, such as:

  • decluttering and organising your side of the bedroom (often when we get organised this rubs off on others as they notice the benefits of our efforts)
  • organising your paperwork and start to manage it regularly so that it doesn't pile up
  • adding a weekly 'light load' diary reminder to ensure that you have shirts
  • helping your child practice tidying and giving away toys they no longer use (important skills for the future!)
  • create zones with accessible storage so that things can be tidied away easily when finished with

What other things can you do to organise the things within your control?

So the next time you feel stressed...

Train your mind to focus on what you can control. Ask yourself "Where can I take control?"

And remember ... let go of the things that you can't control!

(Yes it takes practice but it's worth it!) ;o)

Can Decluttering be Good for Your Mental Health?

If you’ve ever found yourself getting frustrated at the possessions lying around your home, been unable to concentrate on a task when surrounded by stuff piled on surfaces, or if you’ve tried to read a book, mediate or have a quiet cup of tea but couldn’t relax until you’d zipped round and tidied up everything first, then you’ve been affected by clutter. I share why I believe that removing clutter from your home is good for your mental health.

I believe that removing clutter from your home is good for your mental health, even if you don’t have that much.

What is Clutter?

Google says clutter is ‘a collection of things lying about in an untidy state’. Interestingly we’ve used this term increasingly over the last fifty years.

If you’ve ever found yourself getting frustrated at the possessions lying around your home, been unable to concentrate on a task when surrounded by stuff piled on surfaces, or if you’ve tried to read a book, mediate or have a quiet cup of tea but couldn’t relax until you’d zipped round and tidied up everything first, then you’ve been affected by clutter.

Research published in 2011 in the Journal of Neuroscience found that clutter means we have too many stimuli in our environment, which can make it hard to focus.

Humans are innately organised but we all have different styles that determine how we feel about clutter. Clutter can cause stress and lower self-image. It can cause anxiety about how and when we will be able to regain control or how others will perceive us. It can also take us longer to finish simple tasks making us feel incompetent.

According to a Lovespace survey:

a whopping 80% of people in the UK admit their mood is influenced by the state of their house with a less cluttered living space making people much happier!

The good news is, we can maintain a less cluttered home by sorting our things regularly and being more conscious of what we bring into our home.

How can Decluttering Improve your Mental Health?

  1. It creates a sense of confidence as we use our decision-making and problem-solving skills
  2. It creates order and control – we only keep the things we need and have the space to organise them
  3. It gives you feelings of gratitude and abundance – you might find lost things, forgotten treasures, things you can sell or give away. All of which makes you feel that you’ve gained or can benefit others
  4. It can lift the weight of guilt, the feeling that things are left incomplete, makes us feel lighter, freer, calmer and leaves us with a renewed sense of ‘home’

Read about other benefits of decluttering and organising your home here.

Five Ideas for Creating a Clutter-Free Home

  1. Keep a bag in the boot of your car for charity donations. As you come across something that is no longer needed, pop it in the bag. When it’s full, drop it off at your nearest charity shop
  2. Practice the 1 in 1 out rule – anything new coming into the home has to be exchanged from something that you no longer need or love
  3. Treat pending school holidays, birthdays and Christmas as good opportunities to sort out possessions that can be passed on for others to enjoy
  4. Engage the rest of the household in the benefits of decluttering their own things. They will know where to find what they no longer use and may even make some money selling old things. Here’s what I learned from a quick declutter with my family
  5. Focus on tackling one room and rotate rooms over the year

So what are waiting for… rally your household, pick a room, put some music on and go for it!

Would You Like Help Creating a Clutter Free Home?

Laura Williams, Founder and Professional OrganiserIf you need guidance, ideas and practical support to make more of your home, organise your possessions in a way that supports your best life or to get started with your decluttering project, then give me a call.

I provide practical advice and sensitive support to clients looking to make changes, to create calm space and free up time to focus on the important things in life. I specialise in organising rooms, garages, wardrobes, paperwork and much more; see my services or get in touch.

Book an Enquiry Call

Mental Health – How to stay happy with being at home

Do you spend a lot of time on your own? Whatever the reason, it’s important to look after your mental health. Here are my top tips to staying sane.

There are lots of reasons why you may spend a lot of time at home; you might be a full-time Mum, a home-keeper, self-employed, retired, long-term sick or any other reason. But whatever it is, it’s important to look after your mental health and stop the walls from closing in on you.  After all, your house should be your home and not your prison.

Being based at home has so many benefits, but it can also have its downsides. It can be lonely, you can feel isolated and if you don’t look after your mental health it can start to get you very down.  The more time you spend on you own, the more it can lead you to not wanting to socialise.  But humans are pack animals, we need human company to keep us happy,  So how do you look after your mental health and keep happy with being at home?

I’m not a mental health expert, but I am someone that has been at home a lot.  During my life, I’ve been unemployed, a full-time mum and now I’m self-employed and run my business from my spare room.  I also have a mum, who is retired and lives on her own.  So, although I’m not an expert, I am someone who understands how important it is to look after your mental health when you spend large periods of time in your home alone.  So, I wanted to share my top tips that help me and my mum, to help you stay happy!

My Top Tips to Look After your Mental Health

Don’t sit in silence

Make sure you have background noise of some sort. I tend to have radio 2 quietly babbling away all day, barely loud enough to hear, but the sound of chatter makes me feel like I’m not on my own

Keep in contact

When you feel like you’ve not spoken to anyone all day, you probably haven’t! Pick up the phone and speak to someone.

Get out of the house

First and foremost your house is your home, keep it that way. If it’s starting to feel like a prison you need a change of scenery. Go for a walk, go to a café, visit a friend for coffee – have a change of scenery!

Go for regular walks

It will clear your head and get oxygen into your lungs. It also gives your brain new stimulus by seeing different things to your four walls. And, you never know, you might bump into someone for an impromptu conversation!

Join a group

There are lots of different local groups for different hobbies; singing, keep-fit, golf, art – there is probably something for anything you can think of.  Do some research, try your local library and Facebook is a great tool if you know how to use it!  If you’re retired, you may want to think about joining the U3A (the University of the Third Age, is for retired and semi-retired people who come together for their educational, social and creative interests).

Set yourself goals

What is it you want to achieve today? Don’t overwhelm yourself, but set yourself an achievable goal and do it. Whether that’s just to go to buy the ingredients for dinner, going for a jog, or clearing the spare room.  It doesn’t matter what, but try to achieve something you want to do today.

Don’t despair

Feeling isolated comes to us all at times! You just need to find the right way for you to get through it.

I spend my time working with small business and start-ups, many of them are people working on their own and feeling of isolation has affected them all.