These 5 simple actions can improve your wellbeing, according to the New Economics Foundation report.
- Connect
- Be active
- Take notice
- Keep learning
- Give
Well-being is more than just a physical state, it’s defined as ‘feeling good and functioning well’.
Through this blog series I’ll give you simple tips on how to incorporate each of these into your daily lives. Spring is perfect timing to start with ‘Take notice’!
Take notice and be curious
Be mindful
Mindfulness seems to be all the rage at the moment – with good reason. Being ‘mindful’ helps us to take notice of the things around us. It’s about being present in the moment rather than thinking about the past or worrying about your ‘to do’ list. Noticing the here and now.
From dawn till dusk
- In the shower: enjoy the hot water easing your muscles or perhaps give yourself a blast of cold water and see how it wakes you up!
- Walking to work, catching the bus or sitting in a traffic jam? Notice the weather (is the sun shining or are storm clouds brewing), notice the people around you, what are they doing? What catches your eye?
- Lunch break: eat your lunch away from your desk and savour the different flavours. Take a walk, feel the fresh air on your skin and let it reinvigorate your senses. Notice the signs of the season; even in the most built up area you will often see a weed or spring plant poking through a crack. Listen to the birds chirping away.
- Home time: notice how you feel by the end of the day. Are you exhausted or feeling a sense of satisfaction? Take notice of what time it is – are you leaving work on time or have you stayed late yet again?
- Bed time: switch off social media and wind down with a short meditation or warm bath. Note down 2 or 3 things you are grateful for.
Reflect on your day
Ground yourself
This exercise is a simple way to bring you back in to the moment when you find yourself anxious, overwhelmed or your mind is off on it’s own mission
In your head list 5 things you can see around you, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can feel or touch (for example the warmth of the sun, the material on your skin), 2 things you can smell and 1 thing you can taste.
Basically, if we take notice of how we feel, what makes us happy, what makes us stressed it gives us some idea of what’s important to us and allows us to make choices that empower us.
Self-awareness is key to making changes. If we don’t know that we are doing something we are unlikely to be able to change our behaviour.
Find out more…
http://www.fivewaystowellbeing.org/
Next up: Be Active