Top 10 tips for looking after your wellbeing

If like the majority of us, you are working from home, looking after your well-being is more important than ever. Come on, admit it – like some of us, you’re more likely to put a load of washing in the dryer or browse social media than take 30-minutes out of your day to take some time for yourself. Am I right?!

I know this to be true, as I am exactly this person! Always thinking of the next thing that needs to be done… laundry in the dryer, putting out the bins, ordering the groceries – when what I should be doing is zoning out and taking some time for myself to escape from the world and recharge and reset.

During the pandemic I hired a personal trainer to invest in my health and well-being and to understand what to do to make improvements. Not only did I put on quite a few pounds during 2020, but I realised that in order to be the best version of myself and be the best business owner and leader, I needed to get fit and be well. I talk to clients about how to improve their systems day-in, day-out and that small changes and habits can have a big impact on results… yet, here I am at 42 and I was only now starting to listen to my own advice! How true is that of so many business owners nowadays?

Weirdly, my thought process about my weight gain is now comparable to what I teach… if your income is more than your outgoings you make a profit, if they’re not you make a loss (in brief, no lengthy accountancy training here!). So, if my calorie input is less than my calorie output, I’ll lose weight! Hey presto… it is that simple. BUT… I’m an emotional eater; if I’m tired/sad/bored/stressed (insert any emotion here!), I eat. So, for me, well-being is definitely about being well in many ways. I need to work on my mindset, these emotions that can control me. I’ve still got a long way to go, but I’ve started my journey and that’s what matters.

Taking this small step for myself really helped me take time away from the noise of the world and just focus on me. I’d highly recommend it!

I went one step further. Having seen the positive affect it had on my well-being, it was a no-brainer for me to introduce wellness workouts for my team. So since last year, every month my personal trainer and I discuss what’s important for my staff and she puts together a workout for my team – we sit at computers all day, so our last session centred on stretches they can do to keep their backs happy, relieve tight hip flexors and wrist exercises for preventing RSI.

If you want to take a few small steps to be well and look after your well-being or that of your staff, here are my top 10 suggestions for things that have worked for me:

Take time before bed to wind down and limit screen time
Put down your mobile phone (leave it in another room if you have to… I do this regularly!)
Download a meditation or music app and listen to relaxing music (I’m a fan of classical chill if I need to tell my brain to stop going into over-drive)
Go out for a walk and get some fresh air (if you’re a dog owner like me it forces you out of the house!)
Use time blocking to make well-being and fitness part of your schedule, even if it’s a few easy stretches
Set a reminder on your phone if necessary to remind you to take time out!
Video call your friends or family for a chat, online games, workout, yoga session or disco! Anything to get you moving and feeling good.
Use a sit-stand desk to alternate between sitting and standing if you work at a computer.
Take regular breaks from your screen.
If you’re on a conference call – stand up, sway a bit to loosen up your hips or if you’re feeling more energetic (and perhaps on mute!), do a few squats or standing press ups against a wall!

I’m no expert in this field and this is my personal experience, but if this helps you in a small way, that makes me very happy.

And if you’re a business owner, I highly recommend running some kind of session for your team. After all your team are your greatest asset, so why not invest in their well-being. It will make them more productive, improve their mood and boost their morale. All things which are of great importance as we ride the wave of this pandemic.