New Year Resolution - Find your happy place

Our daily lives are presented with the importance of keeping fit & healthy, but being ‘fit’ doesn’t just cover our body frame.  Unsurprisingly there have been lots of articles, news & talk about mental health and the importance of keeping our minds in a fit and healthy state too. Some suffer greater than others in adapting to the ever changing environment.

How exactly do we keep our minds healthy and positive when there is still so much go on in our lives and all around us?  

Certainly being able to take ‘time out’ away from the day to day activities will work and what normal ‘home life’ brings is something we here at Charteroak help people do. In fact, we have invested a great deal of time in designing the perfect landscape of our locations and our Hygge collection lodges each having a focus on ‘wellbeing’.

We have some top tips on how to keep on top of all that is around us and being able to concentrate on more positive elements. Finding our very own ‘happy places’ during this time.

Get some air

The power of how fresh air can make a difference is easy to under-estimate, but taking a stroll around the block or park can make a huge difference to your mood. Switching you off from the confinement of your four walls. If you’re feeling cooped up, make sure you take time everyday even just for 10 minutes on your lunch break, or half an hour pottering or sitting in the garden.

If you’re feeling more adventurous, maybe get out on the bike or join a hiking group. Also planning an activity like this for the weekend is a great way to make sure you spend a solid chunk of time out of the house, blow out the cobwebs and get a change of scene while you’re at it.  It’s so powerful.

Learn to relax

Don’t be scared of that, it’s not all about meditation or yoga, though both are wonderous ways to relax.

We all have different ways of relaxing. There are plenty of things you can do to unwind without leaving the house; a hot bath, a good book, or podcast or maybe while other minds find refuge in a solitary hobby like journaling or crafts.

If you’re still struggling to de-stress, why not look into relaxation apps and online classes on Youtube.

Eat good foods

The food you eat can have a huge effect on both your energy levels and – more surprisingly – our mood.

It’s so easy to slip into convenient, comforting eating habits during times of uncertainty, and while we feel these serve a purpose at the time they don’t always include the healthiest of foods. The occasional takeaway is a great way to ring in the weekend (and support local businesses), but you might benefit from a more balanced diet day to day. There are plenty of tips online for new healthier recipes.

Learn new things

Having more time at home is the perfect time to maybe take up that hobby you’ve always wanted. Sewing, crafting, learning a musical instrument, a particular song on the keyboard or maybe a new language? Whatever you fancy, learning something from scratch is a good distraction and a great way to flex some mental muscles you might not have used for a while.

Exercise regularly

It doesn’t have to be strenuous, the slightest movements on a regular basis is a wonder for your state of mind and will get you out of any tiredness feeling.  The endorphins you feel after will fill you with positivity. Set time aside in your diary for an activity every other day.

Stay connected 

Try and put some time aside to catch up with other people every now and again, they don’t have to be long calls on the phone, there are many other options.  Just pop into one of the neighbours, say hello to someone on a walk, smile at the person next to you on the train or in the coffee shop, Facetime whilst you’re cleaning the house!

Set boundaries

As important as it is to touch base with loved ones, too much virtual contact can start to feel a little overwhelming. The evenings especially can be hard to avoid spending a lot of time on social media, browsing news apps, or glued to your texts – you might actually end up struggling to sleep.

Setting yourself boundaries with screen time for work and social life can help you to retain a sense of control and reduce the blue intake and stimulation onto your eyes.

One easy way is to set your smartphone to activate Do Not Disturb mode at a specific time.  Placing your phone away from your bedside table when you go to bed (buy yourself an alarm clock if you use your phone for this!)

Set yourself a time to put your phone down away from the room you are in so that you are able to just concentrate on you!

By following some simple steps and ensuring you commit to them they will in turn help to provide you with a much healthier mind, which in turn will affect your daily life much more positively. Though you need to commit, be sure not to let work or other commitments sneak their way in.  Time for you is just as important as work, even if it is just 10 mins!

Find your happy places or places today!

Team Charteroak