In the chaos of the daily grind, you may be wondering where to find time to even think about your own wellbeing. There are some small and easy steps you can take to improve your wellbeing and boost your mood that require minimal effort or time.
EapAssist has put together a list of easy, proven self-care strategies that you can start acting on today:
1. Get outside:
There is a growing body of evidence that being in a natural environment can boost your mood and may also improve your capacity to think more clearly and creatively.
Even a minute or two can be revitalising if you’re working from home it could involve taking your laptop outside for 5 minutes or if you’re in an urban environment, going for a short walk on your break is great for your mind and your body.
2. Change up your work environment
We spend several hours a day at our desk so enhancing your work environment can be beneficial in improving your mood, some things you can incorporate include:
Maximize natural light and adequate lighting
There are multiple health benefits to having exposure to natural light, including improved sleep, reduced stress response and reduced risk of seasonal depression.
Add music or sounds in headphones that energize you or help you concentrate
The health benefits of listening to music are well documented and include reduced anxiety, improved mood and even pain relief. Consider listening to styles or sounds that sit well in the background to allow you to focus on the task at hand.
Try to stand up or move every hour
If your work requires long periods of sitting, try to stand up and/or move around at regular intervals if possible, and consider incorporating a stretching routine into your day.
Add some greenery with an indoor plant
Indoor plants not only improve the way your workspace looks, but they can also boost air quality, improve your mood and decrease stress hormones.
3. Connect or engage with others
Sometimes working alone can leave you feeling disconnected and lower your mood, but it doesn’t have to be. Start with your immediate surroundings. You could consider scheduling meetings with teams you are working on projects with or checking in with co-workers over lunch.
If you work solo or for yourself – Are there professional communities you can tap into or maybe there is someone you look up to who might take on a mentor role (formally or informally)? This would create opportunities for regular meetings or interactions.
