Healthy Living: Mental Wellbeing and Working from Home

The world might feel like it’s literally collapsing in on itself right now, we find ourselves being bombarded with news and forecasts that can take a toll on our mental health and wellbeing. If you feel like you can’t keep up, you’re most certainly not alone. Mental health is never an issue to be taken lightly, in the UK 1 in 4 people will encounter mental health issues in one year, and with the ever-changing social situations we face, now more than ever, is a time for us to take a moment and focus ourselves on emphasising the positive and, perhaps even take in the opportunity to try something you’ve always wanted to, but never quite had the time.

Bywaters have introduced several initiatives over the past two years to boost mental health awareness and wellbeing for all our staff. In just a short space of time we have provided free access to the Headspace app, introduced Bootcamp sessions to promote physical wellbeing, provided in-house Yoga sessions with our brilliant instructor, Tamzen Grove, and even introduced an onsite 12-week mindfulness course. We continue to support our brilliant team as they provide essential services to the NHS, the London Fire Brigade and wider communities.

Keeping Busy, Staying Positive

If you’re finding yourself working from home, this is a great time for you take up a new (preferably indoor) hobby, develop a skill or just take some time to focus on yourself. We’ve added some of our useful tips from our very own Yoga Master, Tamzen Grove, who has graciously provided some healthy tips, from feel-good Yoga poses, to immunity boosting recipes, to help you all stay well:

Yoga for the Mind and Body

Yoga is an incredible mind and health boosting exercise to practice calming your thoughts, breath and adding a little more physical exercises to your daily living activities. Our most recommended poses include the Apanasana (also known as the Knees to Chest pose) to warm up rusty limbs and practice your breathing, as well as the Bird-Dog pose to strengthen your core (especially if you’re eating your 3-month snack supply in a space of a week).

A full list of Tamzen’s recommended poses can be found here (?)

Eating for Body and Soul

It’s time to put that 3 month hoard of supplies to good use! Tamzen has kindly cultivated a list of feel-good recipes to boost your immunity and make sitting around all day, maybe feel healthy?

Blueberry and Banana Smoothie

Blueberries are a fantastic source of antioxidants, and include a whole-load of nutrients including  iron, phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, and vitamin K, vitamin C and collagen – all helping you support your overall health and wellbeing.
Serving 2

• 1 x ½ bananas frozen of fresh
• 2 x handful of frozen/fresh blueberries or any berries
• 2 x cups of plant based milk (let’s not forget about the planet)
• 1x tsb of peanut butter

Whizz all in nutribullet and enjoy

Take 5

Working from home might feel like an endless cycle with no clear barrier between work and home. That’s why it’s important to set routines, boundaries and take 5 whenever you can to do something other than staring at a computer screen. 5 minutes doesn’t sound like a lot, but in 5 minutes you can practice a mindfulness course on the Headspace App, or simply take a moment outside to catch some fresh air.

Develop a skill

Skillshare is providing hundreds of free tutorial classes for those who wish to develop their productivity, from fine-tuning your SEO skills to learning how to make the perfect cup of coffee; their tutorials provide an endless ream of valuable life and creative skills that can alleviate an unending sense of boredom.

Practice Compassion

These might be strange times, but practicing the time old gift of compassion is the easiest, and most helpful, way to boost your own wellbeing. Check on your neighbours, your friends and your family, and make sure you’re building connections each day. Remember, supporting each other as a community is the best way to get through any difficulty, so reach out where you can.

We hope some of these ideas can help you get through tumultuous days, but whatever you decide to do, Bywaters hopes you continue to stay safe and well, and very much indoors where you can.

If you are struggling with your mental health, and need advice or support, please get in touch with Mind:

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/helplines/

Helpline: 0300 123 3393

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