For Sydney, it was two weeks at first.
We could do two weeks at home, right? We would get that gardening sorted and enjoy a quiet weekend. We’d do two weeks to get the cases down and return to our state of post-Covid normal. But two months later, the cases aren’t down, the garden has grown back, and we’d do anything for a weekend that’s not so quiet.
The past couple of months have been unpredictable, scary, and uncertain, with more than half the Australian population experiencing lockdowns. With our Victorian community clocking over 200 days at home, it was high time we brought the big guns out.
Introducing Business Chicks’ first ever mental wellbeing bundle, Here If You Need. Made possible by our friends at ING, it’s a warm hug, a pep-talking, tip-sharing toolkit that’ll leave you feeling better than when you hit start. It comprises of six videos featuring our favourite experts that has been beautifully packaged up just for you. We’ve picked out five tips we love, but trust us, there’s so many more nuggets of gold where they came from. Click here to grab your here If You Need video bundle or read on for the five things you can do right now to boost your mental health.
Accept you are doing the best you can right now, and let the rest go
The world can be a weird place to be and never more so than during a pandemic where the internet wants you to spend every minute working on that side hustle or undergoing self-improvement. But we’ve got news for you. You are doing great. And attending to your basic needs is enough right now.
“Right now, be self-compassionate,” states Yolonda Finette, holistic life coach and wellbeing facilitator, “we have home, family, work, and community obligations and it’s all a lot”. Within her session ‘Honouring Yourself During Challenging Times’ Yolanda provides you with more incredible knowledge on how to switch off, reflect, and honour ourselves during this time.
Practice gratitude every day and ensure you are putting your best energy into the universe
Being grateful doesn’t always come easy in the middle of a global pandemic but Allira Potter, energy healer and life coach, knows that “gratitude is so good for you”. Practicing gratitude has been shown to promote a high vibration and healthy mindset. Whether this looks like noting down five things you are grateful for, or thanking people out loud, gratitude is sure to support you during this time.
In her session ‘Good Things Are Coming’, Allira invites you to find spiritual empowerment and cultivate abundance. She shares her tried and tested methods of manifestation and provides you with the tools and tricks to amplify your career, business or personal life.
Utilise a long, slow out breathe as your anxiety circuit breaker
Take a deep breathe to the count of four. Hold it for four. Release it to the count of four. Often when we are anxious, we take shallow, rapid breaths. Taking a deep breath can set off a cascade of physical changes to make you feel less anxious and more relaxed. Jodie Lowinger is a Doctor of clinical psychology, and knows this is a technique you can implement at any time to leverage the power of the breath.
Jodie Lowinger presents ‘Turning Off the Noise’ a session all about managing our anxieties and mental wellness right now. In this session she shares tips and tricks for implementing acceptance and introduces ways to manage our emotions. You’ll leave this session understanding how worry manifests and armed with techniques for relief.
Implement a lockdown sleep routine to ensure you are getting adequate rest
Rest is one of the most important elements of processing and managing distress. Shea Morrison, founder of The Goodnight Co, is on a mission to help everyone get a better night’s sleep. A sleep routine can effectively help you fall and stay asleep. “You might want to dim the lights, meditate, use aromatherapy, maybe even a warm bath” suggests Shea.
Shea presents ‘Meaningful Rest’, a session all about getting the most out of sleep. During this session she supplies you with everything you need to know about falling asleep and managing sleep disruptions. The Goodnight Co have developed effective, evidence-based methods, which are easy and effective for you to implement tonight.
Shift your mindset to food, and start focusing on what you should eat, rather than what you shouldn’t
We know a lot of people are reaching for the chocolate right (and that’s perfectly fine!) but what if we told you that what you put in your mouth has a significant effect on your mental health? Steph Geddes, leading Australian nutritionist, suggests we should start focusing on what we should eat (wholesome, nutritious foods), rather than what we shouldn’t.
Steph Geddes presents ‘Food and Mood’ a session all about how to eat a balanced diet without losing the wonderful enjoyment food brings. Combining her knowledge of the science of food with an understanding of how we really live, Steph will show you how enjoy food to maximise your happiness and wellbeing.
Want more? We thought so. Click here to tune into Here If You Need. It’s free for Business Chicks members to access, and $59 for non-members (so less than $10 per expert session). Thanks to our friends at ING for making Here If You Need possible.
