Wellbeing over lockdown

As the UK goes into the (hopefully) last 8 days of lockdown, I am sure that many of us are feeling the strain. I am certainly not in a good place – I am  bored, frustrated and angry. Being a single Mum and the only adult in the house, I am really craving friendships. Now, more than ever, it is important to make a huge effort to look after our wellbeing. Wellness or wellbeing is defined as having a healthy and happy existence.   The World Health Organisation defines wellness as “an optimal state of health,” concerning an individual’s physical, mental, emotional and spiritual state of being.

This week I will be concentrating on posting about our wellbeing.

There are several models of wellness which contain some or all of the following dimensions: emotional, intellectual, spiritual, social, physical, occupational, nutritional, medical, environmental and financial. All of the dimensions are interwoven and interconnected and wellness is a balance of these dimensions in your life. I believe that looking after each of these will help us stay young, healthy and happy. I have used one of the most popular models – the seven dimensions of wellness.

Physical health is the ability to maintain our bodies in a healthy state. It includes thinking about what we eat, our level of physical exercise, maintaining a healthy weight and how much we sleep. It is important to eat our five a day of fruit and vegetables, avoid processed and junk food, cut down on alcohol and caffeine, exercise for 30 minutes a day, and sleep 8 hours a night. Without physical health, it is very difficult to be mentally and emotionally healthy. This can be really tricky during lockdown and I will post tomorrow about our physical health.

Emotional health is the ability to control our emotions, express our feelings and to deal with stress and anger. It encompasses optimism, self-esteem and enthusiasm for life. It can be affected by stress, anxiety, depression, anger and by a lack of physical health. It is important to have a positive outlook on life and surround ourselves with positive people, manage our time well, set realistic goals, deal with anger constructively and be happy.

Intellectual health is the ability to learn, grow and be creative. We should be life long learners, be curious and challenge our minds.   Learning something new throughout our lives keeps our brains active. If we are not intellectually stimulated, life can become mundane and this can lead to depression. A great way to ensure intellectual health is to teach others your skills. It is important to keep learning, have hobbies, listen to music, play an instrument, visit galleries and museums, read everything you can, and play.

Spiritual health is our sense of the meaning of life and our purpose. This does not need to be religious but can be values you have to live a happy and purposeful life. Through your spiritual journey you may have thoughts of despair, fear, disappointment as well as feelings of joy, pleasure and happiness. It is important to spend some quiet time each day, either meditating or reflecting, or even just taking a few moments to breathe properly. Slowing down gives you time to reflect on your life and think about the direction you are going. It allows the brain time to clear. We should all appreciate and respect the beauty of the world we live in.

Social health is about being involved with our community, friends and family and is the one suffering the most at the moment. Life involves interdependence; without friends and networks we will be lonely which can lead to depression and other issues. Being with people who make you happy is a wonderful experience. An active social life can be incredibly stimulating for all seven stages of wellness. Friends can help you through the good and bad times and there is evidence that women who have positive friendship groups have a higher rate of survival from cancer as their friends offer support and encouragement. Thank goodness for Zoom!! But it is not the same as being in a room with someone. It is also important to pull back from negative relationships as they can seriously drain your energy and this may have been easier to do during lockdown. If you are feeling lonely, then join a group, volunteer and get involved.

Occupational health gives us personal satisfaction, enrichment and a feeling of purpose. It does not just mean work that we are paid for but includes parenting and volunteer work.   If you do not like your job or it is not meeting your needs, it could lead to anger, depression and resentment. Those who are keen to retire are often unfulfilled in their vocation. You probably spend a significant amount of your time working so it is important to ensure that you enjoy your work and if you do not, you should seriously consider changing careers. It is never too late.

Environmental health is taking responsibility for and enjoying the environment we live in. We need to consider how our life impacts the planet as living in harmony with the world can affect our wellbeing. Enjoying the nature of the wonderful planet that we live on can reduce stress, improve our mood and concentration and increase vitality. We should try to ensure we connect with nature as often as we can, such as regularly taking mindfulness walks. It is also important to consider our home environment from the colours we paint the walls to the amount of clutter. Feng Shui can help rebalance our home environment.

How are you doing balancing these? Have you checked in with friends who may be struggling with some aspects of their wellbeing?

Image credit:  http://www.trajectory4brands.com/2013/09/12/wellness-the-future-of-marketing/