A one-pan wonder, this sticky chicken recipe is packed with good-for-you ingredients. This recipe maximises on flavour and doesn’t compromise on health benefits. Feel free to add more
veggies!
INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 onions, diced
4-6 chicken breasts or thighs
2 sliced picante or bell peppers
4 tbsp soy sauce
1 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp honey
¼ cup orange juice
3 sprigs rosemary
2 cups of chopped baby marrows
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Sauté onion, picante peppers, and chicken pieces until lightly browned and transfer to a casserole dish. Mix sauce by combining soy sauce, orange juice, honey, salt, pepper, and chicken broth in a bowl. Pour over. Add fresh rosemary, and chopped baby marrows. Toss together and bake for 40 minutes. Serve with brown rice or wholewheat couscous.
A plant-based version of the traditional cottage pie, yet just as comforting and delicious. Perfect to warm you up and a wholesome #meatfree family meal.
INGREDIENTS
2 cans lentils, drained
1/2 punnet mushrooms, rinsed and sliced
2 carrots, grated
1 onion, diced
1 tbsp olive or coconut oil
1 can chopped tomato
2 tbsp tomato puree
½ tsp basil
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
400-500 g sweet potato chunks
½ cup nut or coconut milk of choice
¼ cup grated vegan cheese or nutritional
yeast (optional)
Fresh parsley
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Boil or steam sweet potatoes until soft and mash with milk. While sweet potatoes are cooking, heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add mushrooms, carrots and onions, season with salt and pepper and saute until lightly golden. Add the lentils and chopped tomato to the same pan and simmer for 5 min. Add tomato puree, basil, salt, and pepper. Stir over medium heat and allow to simmer for a few more minutes. Add lentils to a baking dish and top with mashed sweet potato. Sprinkle with grated vegan cheese or nutritional yeast. Bake for 30-40 min until golden on top. Garnish with fresh parsley.
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.
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, 2020Gemma OberholzerUncategorizedComments Off on MAKING THE MOST OF ONLINE THERAPY: THE SECRET TO MAINTAINING MENTAL HEALTH AND MASTERING ONLINE SESSION DURING LOCKDOWN
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.
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.
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.
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 ingredientsto form a salsa and sprinkle that over. Serve warm with a drizzle of tangy yoghurt.
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 ingredientsto form a salsa and sprinkle that over. Serve warm with a drizzle of tangy yoghurt.
Working from home can be a challenge. It’s uncomfortable and unfamiliar for many of us – especially when we’ve become so accustomed to the structure of working in an office, as well as the added motivation of having hard-working colleagues all around us. While it may be an adjustment, there’s actually a surprising number of unexpected benefits when it comes to working from home. Working in your own workspace means you have absolute freedom. You can choose the perfect setup that will tailor your space to fit your needs, ensure optimal efficiency and help you maintain your physical health.
That’s why having a keen ability to apply office ergonomics at home can help you maximize your workspace. While many of us are not naturally gifted with a built-in knowledge of design and ergonomics, there are some really simple steps that will put you on the right path. Here we’ll give you a good start with our top-of-the-line tips to utilize your workstation in a way that will be best for your productivity and for your health.
What exactly is office ergonomics?
Don’t let the unfamiliar term fool you, it’s actually a very simple concept which can be executed easily. Basically, it’s all about the science of fitting a workplace to a user’s needs while increasing efficiency and productivity, as well as reducing discomfort in a workspace. Think of ergonomics as ‘comfort design’ or arranging a workspace in a specific way for your particular requirements. It’s about making a space as user-friendly as possible and, at home, that user is you.
Your needs
Because it’s your home office, it’s all about your necessities and your requirements. Creating a positive work environment that will cater to your capabilities and daily work tasks is the ultimate goal. You want to feel comfortable, organized and know that it is truly a productive space.
Equipped for ultimate organization
Different job tasks require different setups. For example, if your work is largely tech-based and involves a lot of graphic design, you may want to opt for a bigger monitor that takes up more desk space so that you can perform tasks with greater ease and speed. If you have a number of different clients, each aligned with a different company and their own varying expectations, you may want to have your calendar and weekly planner front and centre on the desk to refer back to every now and again and make sure you’re up to date with all the different deadlines.
Think about the materials and kind of storage space you need. If you do a lot of office administration and need more space for filing and document storage, that’s an important thing to consider when using the space to fit your own priorities. It’s also really important to focus on small things like adequate lighting or how close your desk is to power outlets and the printer. These small things will make your life a little bit easier, we guarantee it. Also try to check that you have adequate access to WiFi before you choose your workroom so that you aren’t slowed down by slow-loading internet pages and poor connection – that’s enough to make you want to pull your hair out.
Productivity
The holy trinity of productivity is simple: privacy, organization and comfort. Without those three things, your focus can easily be inhibited and you’ll find your motivation waning.
1. Privacy
Above all, it’s important to settle on a place where you can shut out all distractions and focus on the task at hand. Try turning an empty room into a home office. If that’s not an option and you’re going to work in the dining room instead, make sure you inform the rest of the house that this will be your working space for the time being and set personal boundaries during your work hours.
Be sure to identify and cut out all distractions beforehand. Find what derails you and eliminate the causes. For example, if it’s the TV, chores on your to-do list or distractions from your family as they go about their at-home life, understand that this could hinder your work and come up with a solution to minimize the impact.
2. Organization
Create an organizational system. File, colour-code and use sticky notes – whatever works for you. Sometimes, just seeing that things are filed, categorized and in the right place could make you feel less stressed and create a better work environment.
Now that you’ve got your workspace arranged and in order, you can also give these 6 simple office hacks a try in order to increase your productivity and enhance your work drive using these other helpful techniques.
3. Comfort
This is potentially the most important of all three. Not only is comfort essential for your mental function and focus, but also for your physical health. Wherever you set up your home office, try to find a space that offers a comfortable workspace that does not sit your body in an stressful position or one that may be difficult to stay in for a number of hours per day.
An uncomfortable workplace can place strain on your lower back, neck and shoulders. Below we give you our best tips to reduce strain and daily pain by implementing these handy tweaks to your office setup. This is really where the tools of office ergonomics come in. Physical comfort using design is the goal. This can help you decrease the risk of developing strain injuries or any unwanted discomfort from work-related pain.
Reducing pain using ergonomics
Height and desk spacing
Choose a space that has a desk which will be the right height for you and that will allow you to work in a comfortable position. While it may seem super appealing to spend the day in your pajamas working in bed, it’s important to resist that temptation. This can be burdensome on your back and, if you repeatedly maintain the bad posture that comes from working in bed, it can cause prolonged lower back or neck pain.
Ideally, a home office with a sturdy desk and chair is first prize. You’ll need a desk of the right height or otherwise an adjustable chair so that you are able to rest your arms on the table comfortably. A table that is too high or too low can cause discomfort, so try aiming for one that’s about 70cm to 76cm. If you don’t have a home office, however, the height of a typical kitchen or dining room table is about right and can be used to substitute a desk if you’re happy to set up your home office there.
It may also help to place the monitor or laptop directly in front of you on the desk, roughly an arm’s length away. The screen should be at or slightly below eye level to avoid neck tension from straining to see the monitor. If you feel uncomfortable in any way, remember to adjust your environment to suit your body and never the other way around.
Your chair and footrest
According toMayo Clinic, posture is of primary importance. Be sure to choose a chair that allows you to keep your back in an upright position, supports your spinal curves and allows you to rest your feet flat on the floor. If you need to raise your chair in order to accommodate your desk height, then rest your feet comfortably on a footrest to avoid adopting bad posture. If you’re still feeling any discomfort after following these tips, try getting a foam or blow-up backrest to line your chair.
Your keyboard, mouse and phone
Place your mouse and keyboard within easy reach to avoid unnecessary stretching. When using your mouse and keyboard, you should be able to keep your wrists straight, your upper arms close to your body, and your hands at or slightly below the level of your elbows.
Also try to keep key objects such as your phone, calendar and stationery relatively close by to minimize reaching. If you use your phone throughout most of the day to take calls, get yourself a headset or speaker system to avoid cradling the phone between your ear and shoulder and causing neck pain.
Take advantage of your perks
With all the technicalities of creating a perfect, productive workspace, it’s important to still remember to relax and have fun from time to time. While you may miss the comfort and security of an office environment, being at home has its many perks.
Now you’ve got the freedom to use half an hour for yourself during the day and take a quick break from your work to do something fun like try a new peanut butter and rice crispy treat recipe. Maybe even do a quick, no-equipment exercise session. When you work at an office it feels like there’s never enough time for yourself and sometimes the feeling stays with you, even when you get home. Take advantage of being in your own space and in control of your own time. You deserve it.
Another handy tip
Beware of what some people are now calling ‘work creep’. Maximizing productivity and remaining focused is essential, but it’s necessary to set boundaries too. Moving your career into your home space can be an invasive presence in your everyday at-home life.
It’s easy to answer emails, pick up work calls and try to quickly finish drafting that last bit of a brief when your work is always right in front of you. That’s why you have to be strict with yourself by creating designated work hours and practise sticking to them. A healthy working schedule is a large part of maintaining a healthy mind and healthy relationships.
WellBe’s word on the subject
Now that you’ve got your understanding of office ergonomics down, it’s time to get your body and mind functioning at the same optimal level. That means taking a good look at your physical and mental health. At WellBe&Co we want you to have the most focused, motivated outlook possible when it comes to your health – which is why we want to share our 6 steps to establishing a realistic fitness plan. We also break down the key to mental health maintenance by exploring the brain-body connection in this informative blog.
Not only that, but we also provide handy meal ideas, at-home exercises and daily “think well” tidbits of advice on our Instagram page. You’ll get a different one for each day of the lockdown to keep you on-track and excited about your fitness journey.
If that’s not enough and you want to get even more involved, contact us here to start the process of developing your own personalised health and wellness program. We truly do want you to be “Happier. Healthier. Wellthier”.
These past few weeks have changed life as we know it, and this shift is one we’ve all felt, not just in South Africa, but across the world.
While the reality of this situation has been difficult to confront at times, there’s a light in all of this – the unbelievable way that people have responded to this chaos. There have been some incredible developments as people have surprised one another, made real gains with the lessons they’ve learned and formed habits that will last them a lifetime.
Rather than focusing on the things that are out of our control, it’s essential that we keep in mind the progress we’ve made instead. The power of positive thinking is vital, now more than ever. That’s why we at WellBe take some time to discuss the breakthrough habits people have harnessed during these last few weeks and all the small achievements we’ve seen come to light.
The 5 Most Important Lessons We’ve Gained
Even for the ultimate optimist, this pandemic has really put people to the test. Things such as a sense of security and structure in daily routine have most likely been disrupted and scrambled in several different ways. “Normal” may even seem impossible to return to at this point.
We know dramatic shifts like this can be strenuous and unsettling, but amidst this mix of emotions and confusion, we hope you see the good that can be found too.
The lockdown has given everyone an unsuspecting gift in all of this – the gift of time. People have been able to learn lessons that would have otherwise gone unnoticed in the rush of our daily lives. Now, we have no choice but to go back to basics, and to focus on what’s really important – our health, on our healing and our connection to our community and loved ones. Even if that does involve baking banana bread twice a week.
1. Health and lifestyle changes
If there’s one thing we tend to neglect when life gets busy, it’s our health. What we’ve continued to regularly and easily neglect has now been brought front and center, with all this newfound time to dedicate towards our wellbeing. There has been a need for a new list of priorities and personal health seems to be right at the top for many people during this pandemic.
While we never seemed to have a moment to spare before, for better or worse, everything’s changed. And so have people! Amidst all the chaos and distraction, we’ve been given the opportunity to care for our own physical and nutritional health, and we’ve taken that opportunity in stride.
Now, more than ever, people are making the effort to exercise, to try new recipes and to finally sit down and enjoy a hearty meal with their families. Healthy eating has even been shown to improve mood and mental health, which is why it’s a great thing to see during a time like this.
The most challenging part has been the self-discipline that all this requires. Yet people have surprised themselves once again. Throughout the lockdown we’ve seen more dedication than ever before. Everyday people across South Africa get up, get their gym clothes on and commit themselves to a full-blown, at-home exercise routine.
Not only have people started taking the time to learn how to look after their bodies and health, but they’ve enjoyed it too. Self-isolation has allowed us to form a strong foundation for our new routines, so that when the lockdown comes to an end, our healthy habits don’t have to. And if you have put on a few pounds during this lockdown period, then consider yourself one of the lucky ones. The important part of all of this is that we are focusing on our health and feeding our bodies with nutritional goodness, in whatever form that might come in.
2. Mental health and self-love
Self-love is the beginning of every health and fitness journey.
If you don’t feel good about yourself, it’s hard to feel good about the healthy habits that you’re forming – and even harder to make them stick. Luckily, there have been more and more people trying to use these last few weeks to self-reflect, relax and discover the ins-and-outs of maintaining mental health.
Despite the pressure of feeling closed-in and stuck in one space, we’ve seen people adapt remarkably and turn the situation around, instead using this time to care for their own mental health and their own healing.
There have been countless people who have taken to meditation, yoga and practicing healthy sleeping habits in order to rediscover the lessons of self-love that may have been lacking in their daily lives before. After all, number six on the self-care 101 guideline is meditation. The importance of small, daily activities like this is unexpectedly helpful in guiding us on our path to self-improvement.
Sometimes, we tend to see self-care as being selfish, and not as a top priority in our full-of-stress lives – but it’s actually the opposite. It may have taken a pandemic but, finally, we’ve seen people stop, catch their breath and focus on self reflection, mental health and healing.
3. Hygienic habits
It’s taken until now, but we’re finally seeing people become aware and intentional when it comes to personal hygiene. The changes are amazing and daily behaviour has slowly shifted towards enforcing these healthy habits.
People are taking care to sanitize their hands, cough into their elbows and wash their hands properly – something that has been surprisingly lacking before. Hopefully, when all of this is over, some of the hygiene habits we’ve picked up in order to protect ourselves during the pandemic will stay with us.
4. Transforming technology and working from home
Zoom. Netflix Party. Touchless payment systems. The sky’s the limit. Companies and small businesses across the globe have adapted to this new way of functioning, and the developments in every-day technology have showcased some unexpected examples of great innovation.
Who would have predicted that a ten-person video chat with coworkers would become the daily norm? As people have started adjusting to working from home, they’ve become more willing and able to try out different methods of communication and have adapted to new forms of technology. Even some of the elderly folks and grandparents have started to discover the joys of using Facetime (here’s looking at you, gran gran). Universities and schools have made the big leap and committed to transforming their teaching to make lessons available online.
We’ll find ourselves returning to a world more open to alternative approaches to work, learning and communication – and hopefully a bit more tech-savvy too.
5. Connection and community
Throughout South Africa people seem to be focusing on the same fundamental things in their lives – health, family and connection to community.
We’re learning how to stay in touch with their friends and families, no matter what the distance in between us may be. Support networks and connections are becoming more important than they’ve ever been and people are working to help one another through this difficult time like never before.
There’s been an outbreak of support and love. We’ve seen communities come together to help the elderly, kindness shown to the poor and homeless, and our healthcare professionals band together and take this challenge on, despite the risks.
There’s a greater sense of solidarity, community, compassion and kindness – more than we ever stopped to show in the hustle and bustle of our daily lives before.
WellBe’s Two Cents
Here at WellBe&Co we want to keep you connected and in the loop. With regular blog posts and social media updates, we’ll share our top tips for health, wellness and mind-and-body management.
Follow our daily Instagram updates for recipes, daily exercise routines and our “think well” tidbits of advice. We’ve also made this handy coronavirus survival kit with life-saving meals and at-home exercise guides.
Want to get more involved? Contact us here for your own personalised health and wellness program.
April 14, 2020Gemma OberholzerEat WellComments Off on FINDING POSITIVITY DURING A PANDEMIC: HOW LESSONS LEARNED DURING LOCKDOWN HAVE GIVEN US BETTER SKILLS FOR LIFE
With the announcement of the 21-day lockdown in South Africa, which started at midnight the 26th of March 2020, as well as the accepted practise of social distancing and self-isolation, more and more of us are now working from home.
And let’s be honest – working from home is something many of us have been wanting to chat to our bosses about implementing more regularly. But working from home during a global pandemic can have a bit of a strange and uneasy feeling to it.
Some of us are more productive when we work from home. And others? Not so much. And that’s okay. But at the end of the day, your boss (even if you are your own boss) expects you to get the work done. It might feel like the world is coming to a screeching halt, but that doesn’t mean that deadlines don’t exist.
When you’re at work (at the office office), then your coworkers are likely to pose the greatest threat to interrupting your work. They might drop by your desk for a chat, invite you to lunch or even just frustrate you with their annoying desire to always spread the office gossip (I mean, no one really cares that Karen’s shoes don’t match her blouse, Judy).
At your home office, you pretty much become your own worst enemy. That’s because your home is loaded with distractions. And, this one is kinda obvious, no one is watching or micromanaging you. Oh, and also, you don’t have to wear pants.
That’s why we have put together a bunch of effective and simple tips to make working from home productive.
1. Replace the time spent sitting in traffic with exercise
Your morning commute no longer exists – hooray! But that doesn’t mean you should spend that extra hour or so hitting snooze and tangled under the covers. Even if it is really cosy.
Many freelancers and entrepreneurs have said that starting their day with some exercise helps their mind and body align to the day ahead. Exercise will leave you feeling energised, get the blood flowing and help you to focus throughout the day.
When you wake up, go for a walk, put on a yoga YouTube video – click on the link to check out some of our favourites, or burn some calories with an at-home workout routine – no matter what you do, just make sure you get moving.
2. Shower and get out of your PJs
It’s hard to get into work-mode when your outfit screams “bed mode.”
We’re not saying you have to put on a suit and tie, or a pencil skirt and stilettos, but having a shower to freshen up and getting changed into clothes that aren’t your track pants and oversized hoodie is a great way to get your head in the game and start your day.
After you are all fresh and clean, have a nutritious breakfast to kickstart your day and keep your mind focused on the task at hand. These Berry Overnight Oats are a great option to try!
3. Create a dedicated workspace
Now is the time to clear out some space in your house to create a dedicated working area. Instead of copping yourself up on your bed or on the couch, clearly differentiate between spaces of leisure and work in your house. This will help you to get into the right frame of mind.
4. Turn off your social media notifications
Make it hard for yourself to get distracted by social media. Turn off your notifications for Instagram, Facebook and other social media platforms on your phone. Close all social media tabs open on your computer.
5. Work when you are the most productive
Figure out what hours you are most productive and create your work schedule around those times. Some people are more productive in the early hours of the morning or in the evening. Others might prefer to work during regular working hours (8 to 5 sort of thing) to stick to their accustomed routine. Find out what works for you and create your workload to fit into those productive hours.
Expert tip: You can use your slower points of the day to get cracking on easier and possibly more logistical tasks and keep your more complicated work for when you are firing on all cylinders.
6. Create a to-do list at the end of every day for the following day
Before you finally call it a day, create a to-do list of what you need to get done the following day. Make use of digital project management systems like Monday (a super simple project management tool).
7. Create playlists for certain tasks
Listen to music that matches the energy of your projects. For example, video game soundtracks are lyric-free and can help you focus on your work.
Another great example (and one of our personal favourites) is lo-fi hip hop. Take a look at some other examples here.
8. Meal prep
There’s nothing more distracting than trying to find something to eat in a fridge that seems pretty bare. It’s a good idea to prep your meals for the week to minimise time spent in the kitchen when you could be getting important work tasks done. Plus, meal prepping will also help you ensure you stick to a healthy eating plan.
9. Take regular breaks
It’s easy to get sucked into your work and forget to take breaks. This will undoubtedly lead to burnout. Some experts suggest setting a timer on your phone for every 50 minutes. When the timer goes off, get up from your desk, close your eyes and take 10 deep breaths.
You can also use your breaks to complete a chore around the house, go for a walk (if you can leave your home) or even squeeze in a quick 10-minute yoga workout.
10. Focus on one task at a time
Multitasking is not going to help you get your work done. The more you attempt to complete various tasks in parallel, the more energy you have to invest in just tracking your task and keeping things in order. When you focus on one task at a time, you can then redirect your mental and physical energy on being more productive.
Follow these top tips to get your work done effectively while working from home!
