For the past couple of years now, I’ve been using The Five Minute Journal consistently as a way of recording what I’m grateful for, thinking about how to make my day as good as possible, selecting a positive affirmation and making a note of the main highlights each evening. There are so many positives about this journalling system, which, as the name suggests, can be filled in very quickly using the prompts given. So, you might wonder why I’ve made the decision to stop using it? Today, I’m going to be sharing my main reasons and also talking about what I’ve started using instead.
Why I’m no longer using The Five Minute Journal
As you can see in the photo above, I’ve worked my way through four of The Five Minute Journals lasting six months each. I’ve mainly enjoyed using this guided journal with daily prompts, but a few months ago, I started to think about trying something else. This was mainly because I felt like my practise was getting a bit stale and repetitive and wanted something that I would really look forward to filling in twice a day. Here’s some of the things which have made me fall out of love with it:
The Gratitude section – I found this first bit really difficult to fill in when half asleep in the early morning. I would have preferred to list what I was thankful for in the evening so I could draw from things which had happened during my day.
The ‘What would make today great?’ section – I liked coming up with things that would make a difference to my day but I also felt like I wanted to explain why and the journal did not allow enough space for this. I think I would have preferred it if the section was a little more flexible so that you could maybe write one thing and provide an explanation or 2 or 3 things without going into detail.
The Daily Affirmation section – I liked choosing an affirmation for the day but I did sometimes struggle with coming up with one and had to resort to looking on the Internet for ideas which kind of made the process take a lot longer than five minutes.
Highlights Of The Day section – I continued to enjoy writing my highlights and often found myself writing a fourth one. I would have liked a bit more room to write in more detail for this part but, this would have taken longer than five minutes to complete if it was longer.
What did I learn today? section – For this part, the idea was to write something that the day had taught you about yourself or your situation, so, for example you could write ‘scrolling the news on my phone makes me feel sad’ or ‘sometimes when I feel hungry, I’m actually thirsty and should try drinking water before turning to a snack’. Often, I found this difficult and would end up writing something general that I’d learnt that day such as a new piece of knowledge or some advice that I’d come across. However, I felt that these ‘learnings’ were not really what the section was getting at. I felt like this became a drag and something I dreaded trying to fill in which isn’t how I wanted to feel as filling in the journal is meant to be a positive experience.
Weekly Challenges – these were something I looked forward to, but, I didn’t always have time on the particular day it was presented on and I often ended up forgetting about it when really, it would have been better to do it on an alternative date. Also, I think I would have preferred it if there was a menu of options at the back of the book and you could choose one which suited you at that time.
Despite me not wanting to purchase another ‘The Five Minute Journal’, what I didn’t want to do was abandon journalling altogether. And, luckily, I found an alternative journal in a garden centre whilst I was visiting family. My new journal is beautiful to look at, great to write in (much better quality paper) and allows more flexibility with what you can write about. I create a morning and evening entry and I would say it takes me no longer than ten minutes in the morning and no longer than fifteen in the evening. It’s helped me to fall in love with journalling again and I’m really enjoying filling it in. It also has an extra little prompt each day which changes regularly and, every now and then, it has something different on the next page which you can choose to fill in at some point during your day.
My New Journal
Below, is the journal that I’ve just started using partway through this month. I picked it up at Easter time and was really looking forward to getting going with it. I’ve also photographed some pages to give you an idea about the morning and evening prompts and also some of the extra challenges that are dotted throughout the book. You’ll also see that it has some gorgeous illustrations too which definitely adds to the appeal!
Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative
Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative
Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative
Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative
Final words…
Any regular practice in life can sometimes get a little boring and become hard to maintain interest in, so it can really help to shake things up every now and then. I’m interested to know if other journallers have ditched a particular form of journalling and tried something new. Sometimes change can be scary but often, it can also be invigorating too. I would love to hear what you think of my new journal and if it appeals to you too so let me know in the comments.
Sometimes, no matter how positive you feel when you wake up, particular events, issues, frustrations and even certain people’s attitudes can put a dampener on things and leave you feeling deflated. You probably wish you hadn’t let these parts of your day affect you as much as they have but it’s a natural part of life to experience ups and downs. When low mood strikes, there are a number of ways in which you can help yourself to feel better. Today, I’m sharing 8 tried and tested ideas which I’ve found helpful and I promise none of them include eating a gigantic bar of chocolate or any other highly calorific item!
Get out in nature
If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you’ll know that I’m a big fan of getting out in nature, whether that’s spending some time in my garden, heading to my local woodland park or even going to the beach to walk on the sand or paddle in the sea. It doesn’t have to be for long – just a few minutes of fresh air can make the world of difference to how you feel.
Listen to some upbeat tunes (even better, dance and sing too)
I first wrote about the benefits of listening to music back in 2021 and, as part of the post, I shared a page I’d created in my bullet journal with a mood boosting playlist. Musical taste is incredibly personal but choosing some upbeat songs to boogie, sing and listen along to can put you in a much better frame of mind. Here’s some ideas for uplifting tracks to find on YouTube, Apple Music or whatever happens to be your favourite resource to listen to through headphones or to blast out through your speakers (if it won’t disturb anyone):
Can’t Stop The Feeling By Justin Timberlake
I Got a Feeling By The Black Eyed Peas
Happy By Pharrell Williams
22 By Taylor Swift
Walking On Sunshine By Katrina & The Waves
Song 2 By Blur
Love Shack By B-52s
Roar By Katy Perry
Sweet Child O’ Mine by Guns N’ Roses
Good Feelin’ By Flo Rida
Watermelon Sugar By Harry Styles
Dance Monkey By Tones And I
Groove Is In The Heart By Deee-lite
Blinding Lights By The Weeknd
Havana By Camila Cabello Feat. Young Thug
Whatever your favourite style of music, jot down an uplifting songs list or create a track list on your device and keep it in a memorable location (either on paper or digitally) to refer to when you need it.
Get moving
On the subject of moving our body, as an alternative to dancing along to your favourite tracks, you could also explore other forms of exercise in a bid to boost your mood. Any type of physical activity that raises your heart rate has been shown to release endorphins in the body. These hormones and neurotransmitters, which have been described as ‘a natural high’, will have you feeling better in minutes. Here’s some fun / invigorating summer time activities to try:
Spend some time in your garden pulling weeds, breaking up compacted soil in your borders, cutting your lawn, deadheading faded blooms, pruning bushes and shrubs, checking for hidden pests and watering thirst plants with a heavy watering can.
Get your bike out of the garage, dust it off and head to a trail of your choice. I like to go to the coast as it’s a straight stretch of cycle path which is wide enough for if I get the wobbles but if you search ‘easy bike rides near me’ you can explore different options available to you in your locality.
Play a game or do a physical activity that you used to enjoy as a kid – frisbee, bouncing a ball off a wall / bat / the ground,
Clean and or tidy your desk / room / house, then sit back and enjoy the feeling that comes with a neat and dust free space.
Take a brisk walk around the block and see if you can notice anything new or different – maybe someone in your immediate area has painted their fence, changed their car, got a new pet, weeded their driveway etc. Maybe the council has added a new sign, planted some young trees or mown the grass in another street. If you can’t see anything that’s changed, maybe you could think of some changes you would like to make if you were in charge!
Soak up some sunshine
Sunlight is a natural source of Vitamin D which has been scientifically proven to regulate your mood. If it’s a nice day, get your sunglasses and some sun protection on and feel the warmth on your skin. I like to sit on our bench or one of our patio chairs in the garden and close my eyes for some mindful listening to accompany the experience. This is a great way to get into a meditative state as it gives you something to focus on and minimises the change of your mind wandering towards the major or minor irritations I mentioned previously. In the summer, there’s generally lots of daytime sounds whether it’s someone mowing the lawn, children laughing, birds tweeting or even distant traffic noises.
What a video of something cute or funny
Open up YouTube on your phone or computer and search for cute or funny videos of, plus the name of your favourite pet or animal. Anyone who’s been following my blog for a while is likely to know my animal of choice is a Syrian hamster, but I can guarantee that there are videos out there to suit all whether that’s woodland birds, different pets or even more unusual choices like sealions, squirrels, polar bears or hedgehogs.
Dig out your photograph albums
Looking back at old photographs (and/or journals if you do memory keeping like I do) is a great way to bring to mind happy memories of exciting life events, people in your life (past and present) and places you’ve been. And if you’re one of those people who rarely print your images off, why not flick through those on your phone and select some to add to an album later. Taking time on your own to quietly sit and view several years worth of photographs can be very therapeutic, as can sharing them with loved ones either in person or by contacting them via phone, WhatsApp, email or even letter (pretty paper optional!).
Practise gratitude
Grab a piece of paper or your journal and make a list of five small things you’re grateful for in your life right now. Research shows that a consistent gratitude practice has so many health and wellbeing benefits so give it a try starting today and see how it makes you feel. Check out this blog post to learn more.
Make a list of things you love about yourself
Whilst you’ve got a pen and paper to hand, here’s another positive exercise to try. Write a title ‘Things I love about myself’ at the top of the page and then make a list of your best qualities. This could include physical aspects such as your smile, your lovely, long locks, your clear skin and healthy looking nails, your character traits, e.g. kindness, good analytical skills, reliability, optimism and so on, and things you’re really good at like cooking, motivating yourself, helping others, solving problems etc. Once you written as much as you can right now, try displaying your list somewhere so you can refer to it when you need a mood boost, or add to it when something comes to mind.
Inhale an uplifting scent
If you know anything about aromatherapy, you’ll probably be aware that some scents are thought to be uplifting and mood boosting. I have a few little essential oil bottles which I got from the Body Shop in strawberry, raspberry and exotic which I love to inhale at any given opportunity. My scents of choice are fruity smells but below are a list of classic options which I collected from various websites via Google.
vanilla
peppermint
jasmine
citrus scents including orange, lemon and grapefruit
juicy fruits like peaches, pear and pineapple
relaxing scents like lavender, ylang, ylang and chamomile
spicy scents such as ginger, cinnamon and clove
fresh forest options such as pine and eucalyptus
Of course, it’s important to experiment and see which you prefer (and think about the mood you want to create such as uplifting or relaxing) but these should get you started with that. As you learn more about aromatherapy, you might like to try combining scents to create your perfect mood booster!
Final words…
I hope you’ve found today’s post beneficial and the ideas will motivate you to be pro-active next time you find yourself in a funk or stressed by particular events in your day. If I haven’t shared your favourite way to uplift your mood, or relax when tensions are high, feel free to add it in the comments as it may help someone else to manage their mood in the future along with my ideas.
Thanks for reading and I’ll be back with another wellbeing post very soon,
A few months ago, I was looking in the health and wellbeing section at Waterstones and came upon a beautifully illustrated book about finding joy throughout the year by trying out different seasonal activities. At the time, I didn’t purchase it, but I regretted my decision so I ordered it from an online retailer. When it arrived, I added it to the bookcase in my craft room as I was already in the process of reading about 8 different books which is a few too many even by my standards. I pulled it out a few days ago and there are some lovely activities inside in the section which I started with – Spring. I tried out the first exercise this morning and really enjoyed it so I thought I would give a short summary of the book and share that first prompt with you today.
The Happiness Year: How to Find Joy In Every Season by Tara Ward
In the introductory section of the book, Tara discusses the aims of The Happiness Year and also talks about the emotion of happiness and the four positive chemicals that are released into your body when you’re happy – dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins (referred to as DOSE throughout the book). She then goes on to explain how to use and enjoy the book.
The remainder of the book is split into four sections – Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter and there are a collection of exercises provided in each which you can pick and choose from. In combination, they promise to help you in an holistic way – physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Personally, I think I will probably try out all of the different activities and see which I prefer and benefit from the most.
Included within the book, there are journalling and brainstorming activities, meditations, physical exercises, goal setting and planning tasks, plus many more to explore and enjoy. You are also invited to complete them in a way that feels comfortable for you, taking into account individual differences and preferences.
So far, I’ve only read the Spring chapter in depth but I’ve had a good flick through all of the book and I can already see there are many exercises that will appeal.
Exploring your thoughts, feelings and ideas about Spring
As I said earlier, I completed the first activity this morning and I enjoyed it so much that I felt compelled to share it with you. I think this exercise would work well for each of the four seasons, not just Spring. Here’s a step by step explanation of what to do:
Take an A4 piece of paper and place it in front of you
Write the word SPRING in large letters at the bottom of the page
Close your eyes and take three deep, comfortable breaths to focus you in the present moment
Open your eyes and look at the word
What comes to mind when you think of Spring?
Write down everything which comes up for you
When you’ve run out of ideas, close your eyes again, breathe deeply and continue thinking about the season
Note down any further ideas or images which come to mind
When you feel you’ve finished, look over your sheet
What jumps out at you the most? Circle any words or phrases which particularly resonate or feel important to you. Are then any surprises?
What is the overriding emotion when you look at your words? Write that emotion or emotions at the top of the page.
Look through the words and make a list of those which generate feelings of happiness.
I hope you found this a helpful exercise and it reminded you about all of the lovely things which happen in the Springtime. I’ve included my sheet below, how does it compare to yours?
Photo credit: Laura Jones for Keeping It Creative
Final words…
If you enjoy mindful activities such as journalling, setting intentions, exploring the world using your five senses, breathwork, meditation and appreciating the simple things in life, I would definitely recommend checking out The Happiness Year. The book will help you find ways to appreciate and make the most of all of the things that each season has to offer you. You’ll also find a range of self care activities to increase your happiness levels by releasing a good ‘DOSE’ of positive chemicals. Let me know if you try the exercise outlined above and how it made you feel.
According to some reading I did online, the date that winter starts depends on whether you are referring to the astronomical or meteorological winter. The astronomical calendar identifies the season in the UK as beginning on Friday 22nd December in 2023, but personally, I follow the meteorological definition which cites winter as beginning on the 1st December each year. Whichever date marks the beginning of winter for you, I think we can all agree that wintery weather is coming as fast as Christmas is creeping up on us. Whether you dread the icy cold temperatures, or look forward to cosying up in front of the fire in a thick jumper and chunky socks, I think today is the perfect time to talk about getting ourselves ready for the chilly season before it hits. Here’s my top 10 ways to get winter ready.
Check over your winter wear
Get out your super thick winter coat, your hats, scarves and gloves and check them over to see what condition they’re in. Do any of them need replacing? Are there perfectly serviceable items from last year that you didn’t wear which might need donating to charity or given to a friend who will show them more love? Are they washed (or spot cleaned if necessary) and ready to wear?
My husband and I have a small woven basket next to the front door to store our favourite accessories in so we can grab them and go without having to go upstairs to retrieve them before heading out. Other items are kept in drawers and our wardrobes tucked away until needed.
Think layers
As well as outer wear, what you put on underneath is super important too. For winter walks, I recommend searching out some base layers from an outdoors shop. Thermal vests are also a good option to keep you toasty. Longer socks (thermal or wool ones) can keep your feet and legs warm, whilst fleece lined items can be worn under your coat. Layered clothing is always the best idea for winter outings as you can always strip some of them off if you get too hot. There’s nothing worse than going out and feeling really cold, and then struggling to get yourself warm again when you return home.
Evaluate your footwear
Another key part of your winter wear, which I feel needs its own section, is your footwear. For indoors, I recommend cosy slippers with a good sole (IMO not those big, squishy, novelty ones where you’re in danger of falling down the stairs / slipping on the floor when you move around) or socks with gripper treads AKA non-slip soles. For outside, a decent pair of wellingtons is good for light, short walks in snowy conditions or torrential rain (not very comfy on long or difficult walks IMO), walking shoes and boots with good grip / extra traction for extensive walking in all kinds of weather, or, more dressy boots for days and nights out where you don’t plan on walking too far or the weather isn’t too bad (I still like mine to have some sort of grip on the soles). Personally, all of the above, apart from slippers are essentials for me, but it does, of course, depend on the types of weather you get in your location and what you intend to be doing in the winter months.
Make plans for warming meals
On super chilly days, I always crave warming meals such as soup, stew and wholesome pies plus hot favourites such as vegetable lasagne, butternut squash risotto and cauliflower cheese. Before the temperatures really drop, I like to spend time doing some meal planning in my bullet journal. This includes picking out some new recipes to try (both online and in recipe books and magazines, and also listing pantry essentials such as lentils, wholewheat pasta, canned soups, porridge oats, cocoa, plain flour etc. and seasonal fruit and vegetables (such as cranberries, pomegranates, satsumas, sweet potatoes, kale, broccoli and winter squash, which are really handy to reference when we create our weekly shopping lists.
In January, my husband and I take part in Veganuary, where you go vegan for the month (and potentially beyond) and, although it’s easier to find plant based options in the supermarkets these days, we still like to do some extra meal planning and search for some appropriate or adaptable recipes. There are loads of options on the Veganuary website but quite a few of the choices are spicy and I’m not good with this kind of food.
Choose some seasonal scents for your home
There are so many gorgeous scents to choose from this winter and you can also mix and match between a range of different fragranced items including candles, room sprays, pot pourri, reed diffusers and wax melts. Popular seasonal scents include cinnamon, pine, cedarwood, eucalyptus, juniper berries, sweet orange, clove and vanilla. I like to choose vegan options made of soy wax rather than those of animal origin and M&S have a great selection which smell wonderful. I also like purchasing from local small businesses on Etsy.
Protect and nourish your skin
There are two main things that dry your skin out in the winter time, one is the central heating and the other is the harsh weather. The central heating reduces the humidity in the air and affects how much moisture is present for the skin to absorb. Also, weather such as rain, wind and icy conditions zaps moisture from exposed areas of skin like your face, neck and hands, causing redness, dryness and other types of irritation.
At this time of year it helps to choose a richer moisturiser for face, hands and body. You should also try to make sure you apply it straight after washing or bathing. I also like to apply a thick layer of emollient cream to my hands and feet and then wear cotton gloves or socks overnight to really give the moisturiser time to be absorbed fully. Other ingredients which are super effective include shea butter, cocoa butter, rosehip oil and jojoba oil.
Using a humidifier in the home can also add moisture back into the air so it isn’t so dry. And don’t forget to hydrate from the inside too with plenty of fluids throughout the way.
Top up your Vitamin D
During the winter, natural light is in shorter supply and The Sun isn’t so strong. Also many of us spend more time indoors during the colder months. This can cause deficiencies in vitamin D which is important for healthy bones, a strong immune system, calcium absorption, brain health and our happiness levels. To ensure you’re getting enough of this important vitamin, you will need to make changes to your diet. This can involve making sure you eat foods which are rich in Vitamin D such as fish, seafood, eggs and fortified items such as cereal, plant based milks, some types of bread and even fruit juices. If you’re after a plant-based food, mushrooms are the best source. It’s also recommended that you take a daily multivitamin or vitamin powder (which you add water to). If you’re concerned you may have a vitamin deficiency, always consult your doctor or other medical professional for advice.
Equip your car
My husband and I were talking the other day about how much we hate driving in the dark. Unfortunately this, and misty or frozen windscreens are unavoidable at this time of year. Although it’s extremely difficult to avoid driving in the darkness, you can prepare for winter driving in other ways. Creating a kit which includes items such as de-icer, a scraper, small shovel, microfibre cloth, pocket torch and windscreen snow cover will be super useful for different kinds of weather. I also recommend having a warm, fleecy blanket and thick waterproof coat in the boot of your car, just in case.
The AA website has lots of extra winter advice which I’ve found really useful, so have a read through all of the information on this page to get yourself really clued up.
Be ready for potential power cuts
We’re all super reliant on technology these days but what’s the first thing you would need if your electricity went off due to a power cut? Candles (the unscented kind this time) and battery operated lights including a torch and maybe some of those little push on, push off LED lights. Again, creating a kit for use during an unplanned loss of power can be a great way to prepare. Your emergency kit might include wax candles (plus something to light them with) and/or battery operated varieties, LED push on lights, a small night light (for bedroom, landing or in the bathroom), a battery operated or wind up torch, spare batteries for the torch and any other battery operated items in your kit, a supply of bottled water, ready to eat food and the phone number of the Electricity Distribution Network Operator (DNO) – in the UK, this is the easy to remember 105 number but it’s best to have it written down in case you forget. You might also want to have things to keep you warm too such as a hot water bottle, handwarmers, a sleeping bag and a supply of blankets.
The Met Office website has additional information that you might find useful. Just remember to take the time to read it before you actually need it! If you’re not in the UK, I’m sure there will be similar information for your locality online.
Create a winter bucket list
This September, I created an autumn bucket list. I made a two page spread in my bullet journal with items from the list and pictures to go with them. I then ticked off when I had achieved something. I also made an Autumn TN insert in which I’ve created pages with photographs, journalling, autumnal patterns, ephemera, and other decorative elements to show how I’ve achieved things from the list. I’ve enjoyed all of the above so much that I decided to repeat the process for the winter season. I’m really looking forward to getting started. Obviously, this is not a winter essential, but it’s great if you enjoy getting creative or you want to plan some new and different experiences for yourself and your family. I added stickers to mine made with my Cricut Joy.
Photo credit: Laura Jones, Keeping It Creative
Final words…
Whilst researching bits and pieces for today’s blog post, I also came across lots of useful information for older people on Age UK. There’s so much advice to read that I thought I’d just share the link for interested readers. One of the most important tips is to make sure you or your older relatives get yearly jabs such as the flu vaccine. Contrary to popular belief, the jab does not give the person flu, but has the potential to cause mild cold symptoms afterwards so maybe some basic over the counter cold medication could be purchased in preparation.
I hope you’ve found today’s blog post beneficial and it has given you some ideas on getting yourself and your home ready for winter. I look forward to hearing from you in the comments about whether or not you’re looking forward to the season and what your favourite things are about wintertime.
When I was teaching, I would regularly feel completely wiped out physically and mentally, and, for the first days of any holiday, whether it was half term, Easter, Christmas or the summer break, I would end up either ill or sleeping most of the time as my body and my mind couldn’t take any more.
The other week, I was listening to a group of pharmacy students at the University as they discussed their workloads and lifestyle choices because of how much they had to do. It reminded me of that feeling of never having enough time and the pressure and stress that came with it. So, today, I thought I’d talk about the signs which suggest you may be heading towards burnout (or are already there), and, perhaps more importantly, what you can do about it before you reach that stage.
What is burnout?
Burnout can be defined as a state of physical, mental and emotional exhaustion which can result from long-term or repeated bouts of stress. This could include, but is not limited to, working in a stressful or high pressured job, doing an intense amount of studying (e.g. for a degree course or post graduate qualification, or having a particularly demanding life circumstance such as being a single parent, caring for a loved one (such as a young person with special needs or an aging relative), having financial difficulties or worries related to job security, being involved in a house move, divorce or separation or trying to juggle too many responsibilities at once.
What are the main signs of burnout?
The signs of burnout differ depending on the individual but common signs to look out for include:
fatigue – constantly feeling tired, drained or exhausted
sleep issues e.g. insomnia, panicked night time waking, regularly getting less than 6 hours a night etc
frequent feelings of cynicism, anger, irritability and a pessimistic life outlook in general
poor immunity – resulting in regularly feeling under the weather or having frequent coughs, colds, sore throats etc
gastro-intestinal issues such as IBS, stomach upsets, sickness and diarrhea or unexplained abdominal pains
recurring headaches
poor concentration levels which may result in reduced efficacy or success at work, making careless mistakes, being easily distracted, struggling to maintain attention, trouble thinking clearly or making decisions, forgetfulness and poor working memory.
depressed mood which may cause tearfulness, sadness, feelings of emptiness, loss of interest or pleasure in things you once enjoyed, feeling worthless, suicidal ideation, a sense of isolation and inability to relate to others
feelings of anxiety such as restlessness, agitation, irritability, having a sense of dread or fearing the worst
How can I prevent burnout?
Educate yourselfLearn about your current stresses and your coping strategies using ‘the stress bucket model’ that I discovered on Mental Health UK. You can download your own to fill in here. Make a list of helpful activities (known as taps in the example) and plan to do some of them each day to help you destress and unwind.
Prioritise self care You might not be able to remove the sources of stress you are dealing with right now, but you can make sure that self care becomes a non-negotiable part of each day. Try writing two lists – everyday (basic) self care that keeps you functioning each day e.g. keeping yourself hydrated, eating regular and nutritious meals, getting some exercise and taking regular work breaks, and ‘me time’ self care activities you find calming or relaxing e.g. having a walk in nature, quiet reading, taking a bubble bath, having some time away from your phone and social media, listening to music with your eyes closed, doing a mini meditation etc.
Learn to say no If you feel like you’re taking on too much to cope with, could it be that you are agreeing to requests or feeling obligated to doing things that are further adding to your stress? Although easier said than done, learning to say no can really help you to prioritise what matters to you or what you consider is absolutely essential for your health and wellbeing.
Accept that perfection is unachievable Perfectionism and the impossibly high standards that go with this trait can become overwhelming and will almost certainly lead to burnout. To manage this, take time to think about your current situation realistically and try to think positively about how well you are doing under the circumstances. Mantras such as ‘I can only do my best’, ‘done is better than perfect’, ‘nobody is perfect’ and ‘I don’t have to do things perfectly’ can help if said regularly.
Show some self-compassion If a friend was having to juggle all the commitments and responsibilities you’re currently facing, what would you say to make them feel better? A helpful exercise I learned in one my compassion group sessions is to write a letter offering sympathy, advice and support and post it to yourself or read it regularly. It might feel a little strange writing at first but it can really help.
Take a break from your devices After a particular busy or stressful day, you might be inclined to sit (or lie) on the sofa and mindlessly scroll through your phone or tablet. This might seem like a good way to relax at the time, but studies show that being addicted to our digital devices has a seriously negative impact on our mental and physical health, not to mention our productivity levels. Rather than constantly reaching for your phone, why not try a screen free hobby, for example, doing a mindful craft such as painting, drawing, sewing or knitting, doing puzzles such as jigsaws, crosswords, wordsearches or Sudoku which stretch your brain and help you relax at the same time or losing yourself in a good book or your favourite magazine.
Get organised Use your planner or calendar to map out your day and manage your schedule. Being organised can help you feel more in control and can also be a useful tool for identifying and planning for your priorities.
Practise mindfulness and meditation Mindfulness is a technique that involves paying attention to the current moment with non-judgmental awareness of our thoughts and feelings. Click here to read about five simple ways of incorporating mindfulness into you daily routine. Meditation, which is a key aspect of mindfulness practice, has been shown to combat potential burnout by lowering stress and anxiety levels, helping us to build resilience and coping skills, improving self- awareness and self-esteem, cultivating positive thoughts and emotions and boosting our ability to focus and concentrate on tasks. For ideas on how to get started, you might like to read this blog post which has beginner friendly suggestions and tips.
Reach out to others Sometimes, when struggling to cope with everything life is throwing at us, we start to believe we’re the only one who’s finding things difficult. Our thoughts and feelings can then lead us to withdraw from loved ones or isolate ourselves from others. However, this is the time when seeking out your support network can be most useful. Positive social interaction such as meeting a friend for coffee, taking a full lunch break with work colleagues or fellow students, or doing something fun with family members can help in a range of different ways such as providing a listening ear, support, sympathy and useful advice, taking your mind off your sources of stress or giving you the chance to do something enjoyable or relaxing.
Take steps to manage your sleep routine High stress levels can have a profoundly negative effect on your sleep. It’s really important to take steps to develop a relaxing evening routine which sets you up for a good night’s sleep. This wonderful article discusses the relationship between sleep and burnout and includes lots of useful tips for your day, evening and bedtime routine.
Final words…
For many of us, avoiding burnout isn’t easy and there are commitments in our busy lives which we can’t avoid or say no to. However, actively taking steps to combat the daily stresses in our lives by using some or all of the coping strategies above can really help. I think filling in the stress bucket would be a good first step in boosting self- awareness prior to making small lifestyle changes with a view to preventing burnout and generally improving health and wellbeing in the future. Let me know in the comments if you try out some of the ideas above and you find them beneficial.
Keeping it creative 