Every Monday morning, trying to get yourself out of bed and leave for work was always as dreadful as the last one. However, with a sudden shift to working-from-home, the past few months could have been the answer to all our prayers, right?
Wrong. While working-from-home gave us the flexibility of snuggling up in our favourite chair and working on an important project while still wearing pyjamas, it has also blurred the lines between work and life. It has become harder to differentiate between a time for work and time for yourself, which could be the recipe for our impending doom.
So, without being dramatic, it is possible that not making time specifically for yourself in the day could lead to increased stress. Consequently, with remote-working here to stay, though, with varying intensities, it’s time to confront this problem and adapt to make sure we are taking care of our mental health. Here are five ways you can take some time off during your busy workday to indulge in ‘Me-time’ and recharge that beautiful, exhausted mind.
1. As Simple As Yoga
On your busiest days, your mind could be juggling loads of tasks at a time, which despite your claims of mastering multitasking, can lead to you stressing yourself out. It’s crucial that even on these busy days, you set aside some time to take a break and re-energise. And what is a better way to do this than through the age-old tradition of yoga? It’s simple, practically requires no prior knowledge, and can be executed with no other equipment apart from a yoga mat or towel. This could be the perfect way to rejuvenate your body by squeezing in just 5 minutes into your schedule! A few basic moves and stretches learned through a click on YouTube could do the trick. In fact, doing yoga not only helps to recharge your body and mind, but also to reduce stress and anxiety, maintain a balanced metabolism, and improve respiration, energy and vitality, among other useful functions.
2. Pursue A Hobby Or Find A New One
People often disregard their urges to pursue their hobbies throughout their lives because there is always something ‘more important’ to do. Even for those who feel they don’t have anything specific that they enjoy, a single search on the internet can introduce one to countless new activities. Taking up something new and different might be the best way for you to break away from the monotony of everyday work.
By taking time to indulge in leisurely activities for even a few minutes a week could result in several physiological and physical benefits. This could lead to a much larger pay-off based on the time required to pursue these mind-healing activities. So, when the workload begins to overwhelm your senses, you know it’s time to shake it off with your favourite dance routine or sketch a senseless doodle, or even play a thrilling game of counter-strike, which could be the perfect recipe for success (even when you lose). There is certainly no limit to the kinds of activities that can help you relax and let go. Just make sure your space for fun is not the same as where you usually take the boss’s call or where you furiously hit the keys on your keyboard to type that email you forgot to send out. This just helps to create a silo between work and life.
3. Books For Teleportation
Another way to disconnect from the world and teleport yourself into a world of serenity is through a book! Honestly, reading anything apart from the client’s email will do. Just pick your favourite novel, comic or magazine, and you’re almost set to go. Next, make your way to the teleportation station, a cosy nook in your house, that’s quiet, peaceful and of course, comfortable. This could be the comfy, old chair near the fireplace, a warm bubble bath, or even the kitchen countertop! The main aim is to find a space that helps you on your journey of escapism. Finally, all you need is some good old herbal tea or even a few candles.
You can also amp up your tea with a few drops of CBD oil, which is a perfect way to induce relaxation while boosting focus without a ‘high’. CBD (or cannabidiol) is a natural supplement that is known to interact with the vital endocannabinoid system involved in many processes occurring in the body. By influencing special receptors, CBD can help to diminish anxiety and stress, boost mood, enhance focus and energy levels and even regulate sleep quality. While you can just add CBD oil in your tea, the CBD market offers different products to help users find suitable products and fulfil your particular needs. For instance, you can simply take CBD capsules, chew tasty CBD gummies, inhale CBD from an infused CBD vape cartridge or drink a ready-made option of CBD tea. And yes, it won’t risk any future dependence on the product as well! This could be the best way to fuel your teleportation into a world of calmness and also improve concentration while reading, helping you truly escape your busy day.
4. Therapeutic Cooking
It’s often considered it a painful task to head into the kitchen if it’s not just to get your favourite tub of chocolate ice-cream, but it’s time to rethink this dreadful scenario. There is a growing concept of cooking therapy being used by clinics to reduce stress and anxiety. When you stop seeing cooking as ‘household work’, it can successfully be transformed into a ‘therapeutic activity’. So the next time you want some time away from work, making your lunch could be the answer. This means finding time somewhere between that stressful workday to step into the kitchen with that creamy chicken and quinoa recipe that you found on Pinterest and get your hands dirty. Apart from helping you calm your senses, cooking puts you in complete control of what you want going into your food and could help you create much healthier and nutritious dishes. Honestly, it’s the perfect win-win situation where you’re the only one winning.
5. Walk It Out
Finally, if your work is getting to you, one of the best things to do is walk it out! Ironically, walking helps you take a step back from everything going on around you and helps give you some time to yourself. It’s important to remember that walking is not solely beneficial for your physical health, but your mental fitness as well, and can be a quick stress and mood buster during the day.
While listening to the various sounds of nature during your stroll could be relaxing, don’t hesitate to put on your earphones and jam to your favourite band’s album. Combining music with your walk can truly give you a sense of empowerment, restore your energy, uplift your mood, and empower your body for the rest of the day. Apart from music, listening to podcasts on anything ranging from making pizzas to building start-ups can help to redirect your mind to something that interests you. This educational walk would help bring a sense of calm and satisfaction.
Wrapping Up
Ultimately, the main gist of this article is to remind you that though working-from-home may seem like a blessing, it could have some ill-effects in disguise. Effectively managing stress and mental health determines our daily functioning mechanisms and cannot be ignored if we want to lead a happy life. Therefore, it’s essential to be aware of these consequences and combat them tactfully. Balancing work and life by making time for both is increasingly vital in this rapidly changing environment. Inculcating even one of these activities into your daily routine for a week would help you feel it’s beneficial effects. So, go on, give it a try!