This week we have a new guest blogger; Johanna Cider is a New Zealand-based writer who practices simple daily habits like journaling to keep a positive outlook on life. On weekends, she enjoys doing volunteer work and surrounding herself with beautiful nature to escape the noisy chaos of city living.  Find more of Johanna’s work here.

With work, study, relationships, and seemingly millions of other things to juggle, we modern human beings are bound to experience some less-than-perfect weeks through the year. Whether you’ve failed to score that promotion, have received some bad news, or are simply run down by the stresses and strains of everyday life, it can be a struggle just to get to Friday. But how do you overcome a tough 5-dayer in the time that you do have to dedicate to self-care? We reckon the following tips are a fantastic place to start.

Rest

Anyone who’s faced a busy period at work or in their personal life will know the feeling of watching helplessly as their weekday sleeping hours become less and less. However, as we all know, lack of sleep exacerbates anxiety, heightens stress levels, and can even lead to weight gain. Thus, the first item on your feel-better checklist is catching up on shut-eye. With at least 8 hours of sleep, you’re bound to wake up feeling more optimistic.

Get outside

Health and wellbeing is a yin-and-yang situation when you’re off duty: you need to fit in time to rest and time to move. After your Saturday sleep-in, head outside for a morning workout. You don’t have to sprint at full-throttle – rather, a long, leisurely walk in a scenic setting can do wonders for your mood. If you don’t believe me, believe the science: the correlation between green spaces and improved mental health is well-established!

In fact, why not go all out, and ditch the shoes? There are proven evolutionary benefits to going barefoot, and it’ll make you feel freer – and more grounded – than you have in years to run barefoot in the grass.

Live

Given the weekday burden of study and work (and, if you’re a parent, taking care of a family as well), it can be all too easy to lose sight of your own hobbies and passions. But even though your Monday-to-Friday may leave little time for indulging in your personal interests, your time off presents the perfect opportunity to get back to your favourite pursuits – or better yet, to discover new ones. So what are you waiting for? Pick up your paintbrushes again, join a dance class, or learn a new sport – and reap the benefits of living life to the full.

Pamper

When’s the last time you truly set aside a Sunday morning or a Saturday night for some dedicated pampering? It doesn’t matter whether you’re a gal or guy; every stressed body can benefit from some TLC. Some days, your idea of pampering might be an intensive spa routine complete with bath bombs and a deep-tissue massage. If you feel like something less extravagant, making use of essential oils can do the trick. Many people find that lavender, rose, and chamomile oils help calm their senses and relax their minds.  Vetiver and frankincense are other oils that are also known to alleviate anxiety

Connect

After a tough week, your first impulse might be to retreat home for 48 hours, cocooned on the couch and venturing beyond the lounge only to collect Uber Eats from the door. But solitude can be a real enemy when we’re at our lowest, and if you remain alone to stew on what’s eating you, you’ll likely end the weekend with even less motivation to face the coming week than you were on Friday night.

Whether you plan to debrief via phone with a trusted friend or family member or to invite your nearest and dearest out to dinner and a movie to chat things through, it’s always preferable – not to mention thoroughly human – to connect with others.

Photo Credits: rawpixel and Ben White via License

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