Online therapy at home

MAKING THE MOST OF ONLINE THERAPY: THE SECRET TO MAINTAINING MENTAL HEALTH AND MASTERING ONLINE SESSION DURING LOCKDOWN

An overview 

With strict social distancing guidelines and a major shift towards conducting business and every-day appointments online amidst the coronavirus outbreak, there’s a need to adapt to reaching our healthcare providers and accessing wellness services in a completely different way than ever before. Online therapy or ‘teletherapy’ lets you connect with a licensed therapist from the comfort of your own home. All you need is access to the internet and any device that can support live video connection and then you’re set. 

Teletherapy gives you the same mindful tools and helpful lessons that in-person therapy can in order to set you on the right path towards better managing your mental health and keeping a strong mindset during these next few weeks. The good news is that online therapy may even end up costing you less than traditional, in-person sessions, but we’ll get into that later.  What’s important to know is that online therapy has no limits. Online therapists offer a range of therapy types from cognitive behavioral therapy or emotion-focused therapy to family counseling. This means the possibility to reach out to a therapist during lockdown is open to anyone, no matter what your situation or healthcare needs are.

Should you still do therapy sessions during lockdown?

Although it may seem like a daunting task at first, being able to communicate with a therapist online is a really important tool at a time like this. With the mounting pressure and added tensions piling up over the last few weeks, working through your emotions using online therapy is critical to keep your mental health at a high and avoid slipping into any pandemic-inspired lows.

Remember, your journey towards self-improvement and mindfulness doesn’t end during lockdown. Keep working on any feelings of apprehensions and strive to find positivity during this pandemic . The goal is to make the most of the time you have now and work towards a better mindset and a healthier outlook on life. All that’s needed is a little adjustment from your side and a willingness to step out of your comfort zone and try this new way of communicating. 

Is therapy really effective online ?

Yes! It may even be better. A 2014 study in the Journal of Affective Disorders found that online treatment was just as effective as face-to-face treatment for people struggling with their mental health and everyday anxieties. While still getting the same face-to-face interactions, now you’ll also be able to express yourself in a much more comfortable environment – your own home. We all need some help in order to be our happiest, healthiest selves, so why not do it in your own space where you are the most stress-free and comfortable you can be? 

What’s great about online therapy is it’s also a lot more convenient and accessible than in-person appointments. You can schedule an appointment around your home and work life to eliminate some of the stress of balancing your other obligations while still trying to fit in some time to rush to a therapy session. The time you save just from avoiding the fight thought  traffic alone will also relieve some time pressure and frustration. A few extra minutes a day and a more adaptable way of scheduling could give you the break you need to take a few extra minutes in the day and simply relax.

Online therapy also changes the entire dynamic of therapy. There’s often a noticeable stigma around therapy and issues of mental health. Online therapy makes it easier to reframe the idea of therapy into something that is merely a conversation between two people and it gives you the room to release your tightly held worries and receive the necessary advice without the pressure of feeling like you’re “going to therapy”.

How can you make the most of your sessions?

Online therapy not only works, but it might even be better than face-to-face appointments if you make the most of each session. Using these 5 easy tips you’ll be able to maximize the benefits of your online sessions from the comfort of your own home. In this way you’ll really get your time and your money’s worth from each session while gaining valuable insight and advice at the same time.

 

Online Therapy

1. Find a quiet room and a space of your own 

Allowing yourself to be distracted by family, work or incomplete chores means that the session won’t be nearly as effective as it should be. Distance yourself from any noise front the outside or looming responsibilities. If your mind is lingering on something else, it makes introspecting and identifying difficult feelings that much more difficult. 

It’s important to keep your focus on the conversation at hand and the feelings you’re experiencing right at that moment. Also be sure to turn off your phone and cut off any distractions from the world of work. 

2. Inform your family and ask for space

Try to set aside a period in the day which is designated specifically for you and your mental health healing process. Let them know that you need some time to be alone and that you won’t be available for that hour. 

Your family members are your main supporters and they’ll understand that, sometimes, you need some time to focus on yourself too.

3. Don’t treat these sessions any differently 

It may take a while to get the hang of this new method of communicating but don’t let yourself get frustrated. Approach this session as you would any other. Open up about new difficulties that the coronavirus has brought with it and any uncertainty you may be feeling at this time. 

Due to the rising unemployment rate and economic impact of this disease, many people have also started to feel more hopeless and less motivated. Talk to your therapist about these difficulties and brainstorm ways to handle unemployment anxiety during these difficult months. Try to address any normal, every-day stresses too – those don’t just go away and it’s important to name and explain them so that you can start working through those anxieties together. 

4. Find out how what kind of costs you can expect 

The bad news is that some insurance companies may not cover teletherapy so make sure to check in with your provider first. The good news is that it might actually be cheaper to make the switch to online therapy. 

Therapists may charge a reduced rate and you also have a much wider range of therapists and prices to choose for, now that you’re not limited by distance.

5. Take your therapist’s advice! 

Not only are you paying a therapist for their services, but you’re also sacrificing your own time to be in these sessions. It’s easy to think we know what’s best for ourselves but, sometimes, we need the guidance of a professional to point out the things we can’t see and give us a push in the right direction. Part of healing and moving towards a healthier, more mindful mindset is accepting that you may need to lean on others and listen to the words of wisdom that they have to offer.

By really taking in the advice offered to you during your mindfulness-based therapy sessions, you can stay in touch with your mental health and get in a better headspace which will allow you to look after both your mental and physical well-being during this time. You may even develop some better techniques to help you thrive during uncertainty by using any new anti-stress tools you pick up during therapy sessions.

Finding an online therapist 

Finding a therapist online can be tricky. It’s often difficult to try and balance the service and type of support that you’d like with a price that your budget can realistically accommodate. That’s why it’s important to know exactly what youre looking for. Think about the type of therapy you’d like to get, how much you can afford to pay and how often you want to have sessions each week. 

Since this is where you discuss your biggest stresses and inner worries, your therapist needs to be someone who you feel completely comfortable around. Make sure you have an opportunity to meet the therapist online, face-to-face before committing to appointments so that you can get a better feel of their energy and figure out if this is someone you can truly feel comfortable speaking with.

WellBe’s Survival Pack 

With all that’s going on, we want to do our best to support both your physical and mental health and give you the tools to make the best of a challenging time like this. With our informative blog posts that discuss everything from healthy eating to creative at-home exercises, and our instagram page that will keep you connected and in-touch, we’re here to provide you with the best tools to focus on your personal growth throughout your health and wellness journey. 

Don’t forget to check out our daily instagram posts and stories to stay up-to-date with our newest recipes and daily workouts. Don’t hesitate to drop us a DM or contact us here if you have any more questions about mental health, fitness or personal wellness.

May 26, 2020 Uncategorized Comments Off on MAKING THE MOST OF ONLINE THERAPY: THE SECRET TO MAINTAINING MENTAL HEALTH AND MASTERING ONLINE SESSION DURING LOCKDOWN
Healthy Eating

INTUITIVE EATING – COULD IT BE THE ANTI-DIET PLAN FOR YOU?

By Andrea Bursey 

In this day and age, we are bombarded by so much information about different diet plans and often, unethical ways to drop weight quickly and reach your goals, including miracle weight loss pills, slimming coffees and teas and starvation diets. The amount of pressure is simply overwhelming. If you are feeling swamped by all of the content out there and not sure which way to turn, which diet plan is best for you and how you can reach your goals, the best method for you might be to turn your back on diets completely and consider intuitive eating. In this blog, I explore what intuitive eating means and how you can adapt this way of eating.

What is Intuitive Eating?

Intuitive eating was developed by two dietitians, Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, in 1995 as a non-diet approach to nutrition where you tune into and rely on your body signals for hunger and cravings to build a healthy and sustainable relationship with food. The basis of intuitive eating is that we are all born intuitive eaters, as we grow older, external pressures such as rules and restrictions around food shape us into building opinions around eating which may impact on the types and amount of food we choose to consume. 

Focusing your energy on basing food choice and eating on internal cues like hunger, fullness and satisfaction can really retune your mindset and prevent you from feeling pressure to eat and think a certain way. 

Read more: Thriving In Uncertainty: 8 Everyday Anti-stress Tools To Take The Edge Off

 

Intuitive Eating

Why might Intuitive Eating be a better plan for me?

If you have tried every diet under the sun, and seen good results, but then as soon as you go back to normal eating you end up straight back where you started, this might be the non-diet diet for you. Restrictive diet plans may result in an all-or-nothing mentality where if you’re sticking to the plan you are on track, but as soon as you reach for a chocolate chip cookie, you may as well just eat the whole box! 

Meal plans or diets that demonize certain foods and food groups have been found to result in bingeing which, in turn, can throw you off completely and put you in a bad space mentally. Intuitive eating relies on your internal hunger and satiety signals and allows you to eat whatever you like, whenever you like, without feeling guilty. The important part of intuitive eating is to understand your internal cues, make peace with food and honour your hunger levels.

Principles of Intuitive Eating:

  1. Reject the diet mentality
  2. Honour your hunger
  3. Make peace with food
  4. Challenge the food police
  5. Respect your fullness 
  6. Discover the satisfaction factor
  7. Respect your body
  8. Incorporate exercise
  9. Honour your health through gentle nutrition

Simply put, intuitive eating is not a free-for-all eating method but rather a guide to understand your body and cues to eating. It is about building a positive, mindful, and healthy relationship with food and your body to reach a place where you are happy and comfortable with food and eating. 

While you’re here and we’re on the topic of food, check out these recipes: 

Nut Butter Banana Smoothie

Lemon Garlic Baked Salmon

 

Until next time, 

Andy 

May 19, 2020 Eat Well Comments Off on INTUITIVE EATING – COULD IT BE THE ANTI-DIET PLAN FOR YOU?
Working anxiety

REAL TALK: HOW TO HANDLE UNEMPLOYMENT ANXIETY AND MASTER HEALTHY COPING HABITS

It seems that almost every week there’s a new wave of complications to manage in the wake of the coronavirus disruption. We’ve all been put to the test and felt the impact of this change in different ways. For a lot of people, it’s required the ability to face challenges that they never could have imagined just a few short weeks ago. Perhaps one of the worst knock-on effects of this disease is the effect it has had on unemployment and what it’s done to our livelihood.

With the growing unemployment rate, a lot of people have started to feel helpless and hopeless. At WellBe we want to let you know that everything is going to be okay. In the midst of these ongoing anxieties, we’ll give you the tools to help you to maintain a strong mindset and focus on your health. Using this coping guide, you’ll be able to take the necessary steps to come to terms with job loss and figure out your next best move. 

6 ways to deal with unemployment

First, keep in mind that this is a chance for you to adapt and overcome this adversity rather simply choosing to throw in the towel. Below we’ll give you the best advice for how to deal with the disappointment of job loss, as well as some handy techniques for maintaining your inner peace and keeping your mental energy strong during this more-than-difficult time. 

1. Be mindful and manage your anxiety 

Loaded words like “pandemic”, “lockdown”, “unemployment” and “crisis” are a new constant in our everyday lives. These topics are discussed on the news, on the radio, and seem to be the overhanging topic of conversation in most of our daily interactions. As these negative connotations increasingly become a constant presence in our environment, there is much more room for negativity, hopelessness and anxiety to sink in. Especially now, with the added pressure of losing what once seemed like a totally secure job, this type of constant negativity could really hamper your mental health.

Of course, you’re allowed to feel apprehension and greater amounts of stress (that’s only expected), but it’s important not to allow feelings of negativity to become the new norm.  Intentionally making the effort to create a healthy, stress-free space and manage your internal anxieties every day is vital. This will also help you achieve a better headspace to make the important decisions about your future and asses the next steps you need to take.

Making a conscious effort to find the good in everyday’s is also an important habit to form. We know that it’s not easy but that’s why we give you access to our helpful, regularly-updated blog. Be sure to check out this handy blog about finding positivity during a pandemic. Soon you’ll be able to look towards the future with a sense of possibility and new opportunity instead of apprehension. 

2. Address the ego element

Aside from just the financial burden of job loss, a lot of the anxiety also comes from what we’ve called the ‘ego crisis’. For most people, a high portion of their self-esteem is linked to their own ideas of what defines success and achievement. That means that, for a lot of us, if we’re not breaking our backs to work 80 hour weeks, we’ve failed – but that’s simply not true! Now is the time to really introspect and think about what will give you purpose over the next few weeks. What are your main sources of happiness and in what areas of your life can you find peace and comfort? Is it work? Maybe not. Instead, it could be something that’s usually overlooked – your health, your family and your friends. 

Another great way to fight the ego-trap is to also take the time to appreciate your own qualities that you may have never stopped to acknowledge before. That could be your amazing sense of adventure, a strong work ethic or even something as simple as your sense of humour. Acknowledging those things can help you practice self-love and give you better tools to maintain your mental health. If you need a little more guidance, check out this blog for ideal activities that will help you maintain a positive self image. 

3. Keep Perspective

Guilt and anxiety are common feelings most people experience when they first lose their job. It’s easy to blame yourself or think that you did something wrong, but it’s time to give that unemployment guilt the axe. Putting the blame on yourself will only make the situation that much harder to deal with.

Please remember that it’s okay to share this struggle with others. It may seem as if the world is collapsing around you, but it’s important to remember that you’re not alone in this. Lean on your friends and family for support. Let them know any troubling feelings or frustrations you are experiencing. Most importantly, keep in mind that none of this is your fault. Due to the coronavirus outbreak, it is predicted that over 1.6 million jobs will be lost in the country in 2020. That number alone provides some perspective as to how far-reaching the consequences of this pandemic are. That’s why you have to keep your head straight and remind yourself that this will not last forever and that a set-back does not mean a game-over. 

Working anxiety

4. Direct your energy towards healthy living 

If you love exercise, put your energy and focus towards developing that passion. Devote some time everyday to trying new routines and find new ways to push yourself. First establish a realistic fitness plan and adapt your training and exercise routine from there. Another helpful tip is to try to use this time to tackle those hard-to-break unhealthy eating habits. Take the plunge – completely clean out those cupboards and chuck away all the harmful sugary foods and snacks. Try to prepare a meal plan to keep yourself on track every day and mix things up by checking out some new, healthy recipes. If you want to try your hand in the kitchen, give this lemon garlic baked salmon recipe a go.

It’s also a great idea to take at least 30 minutes a day to spend on you-time and try to self-reflect. Find a peaceful place and read a book. Being alone in a quiet space is a great way to get in touch with your body and yourself. If something like meditation has never appealed to you, check out these 8 mindful alternatives to meditation.

5. Rethink your goals

This is a chance to reassess your life, your goals and where you’d like to go from here. Be sure not to confuse uncertainty with negativity. Maybe you have a secret knack for management and some killer people skills but human resources is never something you’ve considered before because you were so entrenched in your old job? 

There are countless fields and new opportunities, and now you have the ability to actually devote time and energy to learning new skills in a way you never could before. Take some time to figure out your passions. Take a short course or higher certificate online to build on your expertise and work towards a new career pathway. Through sites such as Shaw Academy, Alison and edX, online learning is more accessible and cheaper than it’s ever better before. 

6. Spice up your CV

Especially if you have been working full-time for the same company over the last few years, it may have been a while since you dusted off your CV and gave it a revamp. Update your resume with any new valuable skills and experience you’ve picked up over this time. If you’ve created your own business, even better. 

Put the knowledge you’ve harnessed to good use. Identify any transferable skills and make yourself as marketable as possible. It could be time to apply your expertise to a different field and try something new. Remember, try to be patient if you don’t get any immediate responses. You’ve got experience and that’s the golden ticket. Everything else just takes time. 

WellBe’s got your back

At WellBe it is our personal mission to ensure that our customers receive the care and support we know they deserve. When everything else is going waywards, we know there’s one thing you can control – your health and your wellbeing. Your health is invaluable so now is the time to make lasting changes, one habit at a time. 

If you need that extra motivational push, check out our Instagram page – comment, ask questions, let us know how you’re feeling and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can. If you’d like some more information about our health hacks, wellness advice and fitness tips, feel free to contact us. We’ve here to share honest knowledge and personal experience about health and forming better habits for life.

May 12, 2020 Work Well Comments Off on REAL TALK: HOW TO HANDLE UNEMPLOYMENT ANXIETY AND MASTER HEALTHY COPING HABITS
Lemon Garlic Baked Salmon

LEMON GARLIC BAKED SALMON

This simple recipe is packed full of good-for-you Omega fatty acids which have been linked to a reduction in mental disorders such as depression. Omega-3s have been shown to boost learning and memory as well.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/3 cup olive oil or butter
  • 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (or juice of 1 lemon)
  • 2 Tbsp crushed garlic
  • 1 Tbsp brown sugar (optional)
  • 4 salmon fillets
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Lemon slices
  • 2 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley divided
  • 1 tsp dried dill

METHOD

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 190C. Line a baking tray with foil. In a small saucepan, melt the butter/oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant (1-2 minutes). Turn off heat and whisk in lemon juice and brown sugar. Place the salmon onto the lined baking tray and season with salt and pepper. Spoon over the garlic lemon sauce onto the fillets and spread evenly. Sprinkle with parsley and dill and arrange the lemon slices over the salmon. Cover and seal with entire tray with another sheet of foil. Bake until cooked through (about 12-15 minutes). Remove the top foil carefully and place the salmon under the grill for 2-3 minutes to finish. Serve with grilled green vegetables.

 

Download Your Lemon Garlic Baked Salmon Recipe Here

May 6, 2020 Lunch, Recipes Comments Off on LEMON GARLIC BAKED SALMON
Nut Butter & Banana Smoothie

NUT BUTTER & BANANA SMOOTHIE

A quick breakfast option perfect post-workout or on-the-go. Bananas are packed with potassium and fibre, bananas are beneficial for mental, physical and digestive wellbeing.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 bag corn tortilla chips
  • 200g lean ground beef
  • 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 4 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 large ripe avocado, chopped
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheese of choice
  • 1/3 cup chopped tomato
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander
  • Sliced jalapenos to taste
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup Greek yoghurt for serving

METHOD

Preheat oven to 200C. Heat a large greased nonstick pan over medium-high. Add beef. cook 8 minutes, stirring to crumble. Stir in chili powder, beans and green onions; cook 1 minute. Remove pan from heat. Spread tortilla chips over. Line a sheet pan with tin foil and spray lightly with cooking spray. Spread your chips in the pan. Sprinkle half the cheese over the chips. Add the beef mixture next and top with the remaining cheese. Bake for approx. 10 minutes until crisp and cheese is melted. Combine the remaining ingredients to form a salsa and sprinkle that over. Serve warm with a drizzle of tangy yoghurt.

Download Your Nut Butter Banana Smoothie Recipe Here

May 6, 2020 Eat Well Comments Off on NUT BUTTER & BANANA SMOOTHIE
BEEF & BLACK BEAN NACHOS

BEEF & BLACK BEAN NACHOS

A lighter version of the one-pan-wonder packed full of flavour. Black beans are high in magnesium, which relaxes the nervous system and balances stress hormones.

 

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 bag corn tortilla chips
  • 200g lean ground beef
  • 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 4 green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 large ripe avocado, chopped
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheese of choice
  • 1/3 cup chopped tomato
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander
  • Sliced jalapenos to taste
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup Greek yoghurt for serving

METHOD

Preheat oven to 200C. Heat a large greased nonstick pan over medium-high. Add beef. cook 8 minutes, stirring to crumble. Stir in chili powder, beans and green onions; cook 1 minute. Remove pan from heat. Spread tortilla chips over. Line a sheet pan with tin foil and spray lightly with cooking spray. Spread your chips in the pan. Sprinkle half the cheese over the chips. Add the beef mixture next and top with the remaining cheese. Bake for approx. 10 minutes until crisp and cheese is melted. Combine the remaining ingredients to form a salsa and sprinkle that over. Serve warm with a drizzle of tangy yoghurt.

Download Your Beef & Black Bean Nachos Recipe Here

May 6, 2020 Lunch, Recipes Comments Off on BEEF & BLACK BEAN NACHOS

THRIVING IN UNCERTAINTY: 8 EVERYDAY ANTI-STRESS TOOLS TO TAKE THE EDGE OFF

With compounding levels of uncertainty and stress, self-mastery of stress management is now at the forefront of conversation, and how we cope today places us in either a survival or thriving mode. Adopting new stress tools shouldn’t be complicated, expensive or another task for the ‘to-do list’- instead read on as we share some everyday adjustments that will take the edge off this new normal that we are all facing.

Living in uncertain times and how to cope with them

Like goldfish in a fish tank, we are confined to our limited spaces, staring out into the world longingly, without any certainty of when normality will resume. Change can be a hair-raising experience, especially when unwillingly imposed, and right now we are being forced to adapt in order to stay afloat. It’s a slippery road ahead, but reinvention and self-mastery of new habits can streamline the process and avoid that ‘fish out of water’ feeling. With limited freedom, how do we stop swimming in circles and find a new rhythm in which to thrive? With so much at stake, and so little certainty, here are 8 everyday ways to integrate into your life now, to help take the edge off stress and anxiety. 

Stress begins as a thought, and that thought arises out of a perception of the environment, which means our stress experiences are totally subjective.  Think of thoughts as passing trains on a railway line – a continual and endless stream. Our thoughts never stop. It is our choice as to whether we jump on that train and are caught up in that ‘thought story’, or whether we stay planted on the train platform and choose to not jump on that thought stream. During abnormal times like this, our thoughts are more prone to being fear-based, and if we are not mindful, we can be spending our days on endless runaway trains of negativity and turmoil. While we have no control over our usual rights of movement, work and socialising, we still have full autonomy over our own mind. With the full spectrum of emotions fluctuating to extreme highs and lows, which some have coined as the ‘corona-coaster’, how do we navigate this uncertain journey? 

Acknowledge the ugly

Distorting reality does help us cope better in the moment, but essentially, we are suppressing the facts on what we are dealing with and how we are feeling. Acknowledging how life has changed and how tough things are, can be liberating as a first step to dealing with the change. After all, how can we tackle a challenge if we cannot first accept it? Allow self-kindness to play a key role in this process.

Routine, routine, routine!

Our brains are pattern predicting machines and thrive in an environment that provides clarity and certainty – the only problem is that we have none of that right now! When we are not given certainty, we feel threatened, stressed, and uneasy. 

By creating a routine, we are able to provide a more structured environment by perceiving a sense of ‘certainty’ on a day to day basis. We are tricking our minds into thinking there is certainty and structure even if there isn’t! Considerations like working hours, sleep times, mealtimes, exercise times, and social connecting, can be loosely structured into the day to provide some mental organisation and consistency throughout the week. A bit of planning and discipline can go a long way to dialling down the stress levels.

Label emotions

Negative and repetitive thoughts can cloud our brains and reduce our ability to behave and feel like our ‘old self’. The simple act of stating aloud or writing down two or more descriptive words around our emotions can immediately calm down the central nervous system and reduce stress. For example, ‘I am feeling frustrated, anxious and resentful’. This is a great way to develop self-awareness and is an excellent opportunity for children to practice identifying different emotions. 

Catch negative thinking

Be mindful of where most of your thinking is going and be wary of identifying and stopping a ‘thought train’ heading for a destination of anxiety. Up to 80% of all our thoughts are repeated thoughts, and we all know those familiar washing machine thoughts turning over and over and over – what benefit ever comes out of it anyway? Catching a negative thought at the beginning is brilliant because you have a choice to either entertain it or let it go and choose another thought. And this point leads beautifully into the next tip…

Be present

With the term ‘be present’ having become so overused these days, why exactly are we told to ‘be present’? Although we can physically be in one place, our minds can be in a totally different place, lost in a story, that serves little productivity to the current moment and more times than not is anxiety inducing. Being mindful means we are less prone to negativity and worry, and more focussed on the activity we are doing right now. Meditation is a wonderful way to be present, but, if you cannot find the time to do this, then simply practice being mindful while doing day to day activities, for example, folding washing or mowing the lawn. Use this time to notice sensations around you, instead of losing your mind to mindless thinking that inevitably leads to anxiety.

Limit unvalidated information 

Carefully sift science from fiction and avoid enduring energy depletion and worry over someone else’s opinion that is not necessarily helpful, useful, or truthful. Social media content consumption is having a bigger impact on our stress levels than we realise, and discernment should be taken seriously to avoid falling prey to stress-inducing fiction.  

Connect authentically

As humans, we need at least two meaningful connections a day to feel emotionally satisfied, and when it comes to connection it’s all about quality, not quantity. A one on one meaningful conversation with a friend via zoom may prove to be far more impactful than a chaotic group chat video. Connecting authentically produces all sorts of feel-good neurotransmitters and reduces stress levels. The best kind of connections are ones with people that we love and trust. 

Embrace simplicity while it lasts

Having abandoned our busy and frenetic lives is an overwhelming adjustment, but it has also opened up more quality time for other things, things we never had time to do. Getting back to basics allows time to do things properly, instead of splitting ourselves thin across a million commitments. This may be by finally getting 8 hours sleep, having the energy to enjoy homework time with a child, dusting off an old favourite cookbook, planting herbs, or spring cleaning a cupboard. 

May 5, 2020 Work Well Comments Off on THRIVING IN UNCERTAINTY: 8 EVERYDAY ANTI-STRESS TOOLS TO TAKE THE EDGE OFF