Case of the winter blahs?
/Has winter knocked you off your normal routine? Struggling to get up in the morning or finding the race to the end of financial year is taking over your life or just feeling meh...
Here are my 5 top ways to shake off those winter blahs
Establish your minimum
(Wo)Man up about protecting it
Be in the moment
Enjoy the moment
Take planned time out
Establish your minimum
What are the things you do that form your foundation for wellbeing? Do you already know you feel crappy if you have less than 8 hours of sleep, skip breakfast, don’t meditate or skip your weekly yoga class? Choose just 3 things that you know you need and put your efforts into making those as strong as you can.
(Wo)Man Up About Protecting It
Next step is MAKE SURE that you get these 3 things. It’s only 3, right? Do what you need to to ensure these happen, whether it’s setting your alarm 10 mins earlier to meditate in the morning, putting breakfast stuff out the night before or book out your yoga time in your calendar and call it ‘health appointment’. Do whatever you need to do!
Be In The Moment
This is one of the most important tips of all and one of the hardest- cutting back on multitasking. Focus on one thing at a time as much as you can. I know, I know we all multitask, all the time. But while this makes us feel productive, studies prove again and again that we are actually less productive and the quality of our work decreases. Worse, it has negative implications for our mood and mental health.
Can you find one or two slots of time each day where you can work without distractions? If you can’t do it at work, try paying complete attention while you’re eating your lunch, or walking to work. It all helps.
Enjoy The Moment
What’s the point of any of this if we aren’t enjoying life? Run your mind over what you have to do today and see if there’s a way you can make a couple of things more enjoyable. Hate your commute? What about listening to a good audiobook, or cranking up the music while you do a boring task at work (with headphones maybe) or making dinner. It could be rewarding yourself somehow after you finish a task at work. It can surprising how hard we make things for ourselves. If I’m having a bad day, I head down to my local park where there’s a mini trampoline. Much as I feel stupid if someone walks past, it never fails to make me laugh - at myself! - and feel better for the rest of the day. Where are you making things less enjoyable than they could be?
Take Planned Time Out
This applies to every day, week, month and year. Workplaces don’t provide annual leave just for kicks, they do it because it’s a recognised fact that people need, and work better when they have, time off. The steps above will help you to build in time out moments to your days, but if you really want to reap the benefits and stay energetic and inspired, you need to plan for time out and rest before you need it. There’s simply no better way to re-gain perspective on life and remember what really matters. Look at your calendar and work out when you’ll next take some time off, even if it’s just leaving work an hour early.
And if you want to take this to the next level, come away with me on a workshop or Way of the Happy Woman mini-retreat. Sign up for one here.