The Covid-19 pandemic changed the lives of many, and arguably changed the scope of our entire society. As we begin to adjust to this new way of the world, you may still feel a sense of uncertainty or feel overwhelmed. You are not the only one feeling this way. Studies show that depression symptoms have increased during the pandemic. A KFF tracking poll showed that 53% of adults in the U.S. reported a deterioration of their mental health due to worry and stress over COVID-19. Now more than ever we must prioritize our mental health and self care as we move through the aftermath of Covid.
We are here to help facilitate a shift towards prioritizing self care and mental well-being through our Wellness Programs. We offer several corporate and group programs- our Employee Wellness Program, Senior Wellness Program, Recovery Wellness Program and our Youth Wellness Program. We also offer In-Home options with our Individual Programs packages, some permitting up to 10 participants. This is a popular way to customize your wellness needs with your coach, as well as encourage and include select family and friends to join you on your self-care journey.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a high amount of stress during these challenging times, we hope the following tips can help you or them feel empowered to change. We look forward to speaking with you and customizing a program for you or your team.
Here are some Tips From Us:
Seek help if you need it, either at work or in your personal life
This is most important, recognizing you are not alone and that there are solutions. Depression symptoms have increased for the majority of the population since the pandemic. Worry and stress over Covid-19 has caused a deterioration of mental and physical health. People report poorer quality sleep, less energy and feeling unwell, and that they are less productive at work and in their personal lives. And, remote employees, most having been thrust into a new paradigm where personal and work lives converge, express feeling overwhelmed by a unique set of challenges and stresses. Many employees report that their employers don’t give them access to mental health solutions. Speaking with management about personal or workplace needs could help bring awareness about solutions for you and your coworkers, and help breakdown any stigma associated with mental well-being. It can be hard, but asking for help is a vital step in improving your health.
Practice healthy eating routines and behaviors
What you put into your body has a huge impact on your physical health as well as your mental health. Eating a healthy diet can help relieve stress and anxiety, while making you feel good and nourished. But breaking old habits can be hard. Our nutritionist can help you readjust your eating habits to ones that are more beneficial for your body and your mental well-being. We offer nutritional guidance that can help you get on track to feeling your best. Even small changes can bring about significant results and empower you to move forward on your journey to a healthy and balanced mind and body.
Move your body to reduce stress
Moving your body releases endorphins that help you feel good. Movement and stretching is also a great way to get out of the mind and into the body. Beginning any sort of exercise can often be stymied by one’s notion of what exercise and fitness encompass, but a simple walk or gentle stretching can make a world of difference in your overall well-being. We suggest just ’starting’- Stretch or walk (or both) for a minimum of 15 minutes at least once a day. When you’re ready for professional advice, our yoga teachers are expertly trained to work within your abilities. We offer simple, doable poses and stretches for beginners that can be accomplished without strain, as well as classes that embrace the levels of all participants. We can give you pointers on how to decrease stress and tension in your body. We also have a personal trainer for those who would like more high intensity workouts.
Practice mindfulness in your everyday life
What is mindfulness? It means being fully present and aware of what we are doing while we are doing it. It sounds simple enough, but is it? The challenge is that one moment we are present and aware and the next moment we are thinking about our ‘to do’ list, worried about something that just happened or fretting about an unknown or otherwise challenging situation. And the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic has made this much worse.
Mindfulness is a practice and a way of training your brain to find calm within yourself, and there is growing research that practicing these techniques can permanently change your brain, reducing stress and increasing emotional resiliency. Our mindfulness workshops are available for individuals, schools, families and organizations. Our professionals are experts at teaching you how to block out the noise and concentrate on living in the present, helping you to find calm within yourself even in the midst of chaos. We will teach you to respond instead of react, and you’ll learn to integrate mindfulness into your everyday work and personal life.
Do yoga if you sit for too long during the day
While working, our bodies can become storehouses of tension. That’s because humans are designed to release stress by moving. Cortisol and adrenaline are super helpful in the wild, giving you a burst of strength when you need to outrun something or shimmy up a tree. Fast forward to the modern office where those stress hormones have nowhere to go. When they build up in our bodies, we feel edgy, unfocused, and flat-out grumpy.
Incorporating yoga into your workday helps flush out stress hormones, pump up blood flow, and support lasting energy. Yoga is also an option to get a good stretch, breath, and meditate all in one. These techniques have been shown to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, relieve muscular pain and headaches, regulate heart rate, and even slow the aging process. Yoga will leave you feeling more centered and less stressed. Taking deep breaths, stretching, and meditating- three seemingly simple actions that are remarkably powerful. You’ll see a better mood and brilliant brain-work all day long
Focus on what you can control & letting go of what you can’t
Life can’t always be controlled, but the way you feel and react to it can be. The average person starts the personal development journey in order to gain more control over his or her ability to make changes in their lives. But, somewhere along the journey they forget that there are certain things we really don’t control, People who try to control everything may experience more stress and anxiety than those who don’t. Our professionals will show you how to release the need for control, and you’ll begin to feel increased peace and relation, better preparedness for the unexpected and enhanced connections with yourself and others.
The need for control can stem from unresolved and difficult issues, and this often escalate to substance abuse. Sadly, according to a recent survey by the Society for Human Resource Management, employees reported 33 percent higher alcohol or substance use than pre-pandemic life. Taking control may mean a new path with the help of professionals. If you have turned to alcohol or substance use to cope with stress, our Recovery Coach Professional is here to help you throughout journey to better health and well-being.