Tips to boost your mental health

2020 has simultaneously been the quickest and the slowest year ever. In one way, its good that time in isolation or lockdown is passing quickly, but it can lead to feelings of loneliness, unfulfillment and leaves us feeling listless with very low energy. This is heightened by a lack of face to face communication, physical contact and the teamwork we have come to rely upon in our workplaces. It is understandable to have suffered from low moods and mental health this year, we’re all in the same boat. Here are our tips to boost your mental health and make the best of the rest of the year.

Create a Routine

It’s easy to fall into a slump when you feel trapped at home. Working from a home office has its benefits (no commute, waking up a little later) but it also has huge drawbacks. We can find ourselves without a routine, working late, skipping lunch, eating at your desk and with the darker evenings upon us, we don’t want to leave our caves at all. A good way to boost mental health is to design a routine that suits you and stick to it. Don’t snooze the alarm for the third time, get out of bed, wash, get dressed (into real clothes!), have breakfast and start your day well. Have lunch at the same time and switch off your PC and your work-mode mind at the same time every day. It will soon become second nature and give you a sense of purpose.

Get in Touch

In the beginning, we were all talking about keeping in touch, arranging zoom quizzes, virtual birthday parties and there was a real sense of community. We could even meet up and enjoy walks or picnics together, from a distance. Coming into the Winter months, video calls have lost their appeal and we’re all retreating into our nice warm homes. If you live with people you love, you are very lucky but it is even more challenging for those separated from family or living alone. Checking in with friends and family is important for you and them. Arrange a weekly call with a loved one at a set time each week and even if there is nothing to talk about, seeing a friendly face will help.

Eat Well & Move More

Eating a well-balanced diet rich in vegetables and nutrients has been associated with feelings of wellbeing and can help you to maintain a healthy weight. Eating well can not only help your body recover more quickly from an illness, it can also improve your mood and mental state. Exercise improves the strength of your body, exercises, and strengthens vital organs and is good for circulation. Regular exercise also helps to regulate endorphins, which are a happy chemical in our brain responsible for good moods. Concentrating on eating well and exercising more will also help to bring focus and determination to your day. Don’t forget to treat yourself now and again too, we are living through a pandemic after all!

Screen Break

One of the buzzwords of this decade is ‘screen time’ with many struggling to reduce the number of hours spent looking at a screen in their day. While Netflix and Instagram have been a nice distraction from the real world, over-consumption can have very negative effects. It has been proven that regular users of social media have a lower life happiness score and 25% of people believe that social media has a mostly negative effect. Over usage can be a contributing factor in depression, anxiety and feelings of unworthiness when comparing your life to others. Take a break from the screens and focus on what you can see, smell, hear and touch around you. Enjoy some music or reread your favourite book, try a home workout or wrap up for a winter walk instead of clicking ‘next episode’. Your mind will thank you.

Flexible Dublin Office Space

Our working lives have become more flexible than ever. Working from home can be stressful with children, pets, lack of space and the mounting pile of laundry that keeps catching your eye. If you need a change of scenery to look after your mental health, why not rent some flexible office space in one of Premier Business Centres Dublin or Kildare based locations. We offer you a safe, private, and professional space so you can concentrate on your work without the stresses of home life too. We offer affordable rates which include all services including high-speed wi-fi. Contact our sales team today to learn more about our flexible office space.
To learn more about our flexible office space in Dublin or Kildare, contact Therese today.