The summer has come to an end and it is getting grey and nasty outside. We all are tired of wearing those masks, postponing our plans and not knowing when all this madness will come to an end.
With the start of fall we are getting ever more lethargic, maybe a little bit melancholic and need an extra boost to our immune system to stay strong and energised.
But let's embrace those autumn months and take this quieter time to practice self-care.
Here are a few tips and tricks for you to help you improve your mood, boost your immune system and generally make the most of October.
15 tips for a great October
Smile. Right now, right this very moment. How does that feel?
Give yourself a pat on the back. You are doing the best you can and you deserve a good old pat on the back.Especially nowadays when you might not have seen your colleagues in a while. Go on, do it right now. And do it often!
Gratitude as a weapon - remember 3 things you are grateful for every day before bed. You can also do that any time you are experiencing negative emotions. Gratitude and negative emotion can't co-exist, so next time you are feeling angry or annoyed, try remembering what you are grateful for and the negative feeling will go away! Magic :)
Tick that 'lurker' off your to do list. Got that thing that's been hanging around your to do list for a while now? Just do it, do it now or first thing tomorrow morning!
Take a cheeky nap. Working remotely means you can be a lot more attuned to your needs. Don't feel guilty for taking that 20 min nap. You will boost productivity and will achieve even more in the end!
Breathe your stress & anxiety away. At Life Startup, we love breathing - it's the answer to so many things. Never tried breathing techniques? Here is a simple breathing technique to get you started, guided by Natalya.
Become a tech detox ninja. Feeling overwhelmed with all the tech? And maybe even a little addicted? Try setting a little rule to follow for a week, e.g. phone off until 10am every morning. You will be surprised at how much difference it will make to the quality of your morning!
Go for a cosy creative walk. Autumn is a wonderful time to reconnect with the nature. Wear something warm & cosy and go for a long walk, and maybe pick up a few beautiful autumn leaves and start an herbarium. Or send one in a letter to someone. They will be touched!
Use procrastination time to declutter. Finding yourself procrastinating? Use that time to tidy up your desktop, hard drive, unsubscribe from useless newsletters, etc. Anything that doesn't require too much thinking or emotional involvement will do.
Goof around for a bit. Introduce 'play time' as a daily KPI - it can be as little as 5-10 minutes to dancing away to your favourite tunes when no one is watching, playing a prank with your partner or simply forwarding silly memes to your friends.
Edit your social media feeds, and take out any negative people. You can just “mute” them; you don’t have to delete them.
Get out of your head and into your body. Try 'shaking'. It's a great technique to release all your stress and negative emotions very quickly. All you need to do is find the right rhythmic tunes (something with lots of drums is ideal!) and start shaking your body parts one by one, ultimately shaking your whole body. 4-5 minutes of shaking will turn you into a different person!
Check in with your emotions regularly. Sit quietly and just name without judgment what you’re feeling.
Journal when overwhelmed. Whether it's to plan your future or simply get things out of your head and get structure - journaling is an excellent tool. Next time you find yourself overwhelmed with too many thoughts and emotions - write them down. You will be surprise how cathartic it will feel.
Just be. You don't always need to do things. You don't need to constantly grow, be a good friend, a good partner, a good worker. You can just be. With all your imperfections, that are indeed is what makes you perfect.
"Keep good company, read good books, love good things and cultivate soul and body as faithfully as you can."
- Louisa May Alcott