Eight ways to make a lockdown easier to bear during a pandemic

Eight ways to make a lockdown easier to bear during a pandemic
What is the current situation? This article has been written during the pandemic lockdown in the UK. Currently, we are allowed to go out for essential trips such as food shopping and hospital visits as well as to exercise once a day. We should practice social distancing (2m apart). Otherwise, we should stay at home ...

Presenteeism – the invisible productivity killer

Presenteeism - the invisible productivity killer
Presenteeism is the term used to describe employees who go to work when they are unwell and should be at home. They are physically at work but not well enough to carry out their duties due to being physically unwell, or because of a mental health issue, or both. This happens in all sectors and ...

How to develop acceptance and find peace in an ever changing world

How to develop acceptance and find peace in an ever changing world
Life is not perfect. It has its ups and downs. If you’re lucky, you will have experienced some events that have been amazing but even with these great times, you will have experienced unhappy times, and some people may have experienced truly devastating times. How can we learn to ride these waves, to become more ...

Boredom is great

Boredom is great
Are you always on the go? Do you feel the need to be productive or to be doing something… anything? Are you trying to find the bottom of Facebook and Instagram? Do you whip out your phone when you’re on a train or bus? Do you walk around with your phone in your hand? Well, ...

Mindfulness Ideas Part 1

Mindfulness Ideas Part 1
Here are some mindfulness ideas, in no particular order. Many of these can be done with children. 1 Long pencil colouring: standing at a table, hold the pencil at the far end so it’s hard to control the detail, draw something like a tree or a house, practice accepting the lack of control and the ...

Why do I need mindfulness?

Do you worry, get angry or suffer from stress and anxiety? Worried about things all the time? Always hooting your car horn when people cut you up? Impatient or easily angered by others? Find it hard to focus at work? Easily distracted? Always worried what people think about you? Feeling stressed all the time? Constantly ...

Why tai chi is a great, practical mindfulness tool

Why tai chi is a great, practical mindfulness tool
Mindfulness is becoming very popular now, the art of being in the moment. One of the problems with mindfulness is that many people find it difficult to just sit still with their eyes closed and concentrate on themselves. One way of getting round this and still applying mindfulness techniques is by learning tai chi. The simple ...

How stress affects your body

How stress affects your body
Here is a great video on the physical way stress affects your body and how it makes you ill. Tips on reducing stress Try to avoid situations which create unnecessary stress eg avoid interacting with “friends” who stress you out. For on-going stress eg work, try to take time out through the day. Manage stress ...

How a wandering mind can impact happiness

I wrote an article some time ago (He said, she said) on the wandering mind. Today, I received the following email from lumosity.com (a brain training app website): How many times a day does your mind wander? Whether you’re thinking about an important meeting or your next vacation, mind wandering may be a distinctly human ...

He said, she said

He said, she said
Relationships, whether between friends or lovers, can be a source of joy and happiness but they can also bring stress and anxiety into your life. A badly-phrased sentence or something said in the heat of the moment can lead to bad feelings and result in the conversation echoing around in your head for hours or ...