It’s Mental Health Awareness Week and since we are living under unprecedented conditions at the moment, we feel that it’s good to talk openly about it and share as much as we can that could help even a little. Lockdown has caused a lot of stress and anxiety and stress is a major factor when it comes to mental health. In a report by Statista March 2020, 51% of young people in the UK have reported Covid-19 has affected their mental health, while 32% have said it is much worse.
While having to navigate this new way of living together we know well-being is imperative and starts with the little moments… Here, Andrew Barton, Headmasters Creative Communications Director talks us through the five choices he makes each day to help in these difficult times of Lockdown. Who knows, these could work for you as well…
- Exercise: I start my day with some form of exercise – I see it as a reset, it clears my mind and is like a meditation for me. I bought some resistance bands to replace my usual gym sessions and have revisited some yoga practice and breathing exercises to maintain well-being and focus my energy. At Headmasters we have organised free Yoga sessions on Zoom for the whole 1000 strong team with @healthywholeme to connect and stay healthy. There are many online exercise tutorials and a lot focus on body weight resistance only, so easy for all of us as you don’t need equipment.
- Routine: To keep some level of control in this situation I make sure I get up at the same time, shower and dress for work to try and keep as much normality and routine as possible. I often work from home and this discipline has always helped keep me focused to meet my objectives.
- Stay in Touch: I’m currently scheduling time each day to check in with my Salon team via a Whatsapp group and we’ve agreed to use this for business, guidance and positive messages so that we all are in the picture. We are all finding that we have extra time, so I am scheduling my time like a salon diary including my agenda for the day and allocating some space to learn and educate myself.
- Training: I find mind mapping, brainstorming and writing lists are helping to stop my mind racing. Most of my salon team have mannequin heads at home so they are practising techniques. They are taking time to educate themselves through social media and although furloughing, they are staying connected as a team through our group and sharing exciting stuff they are seeing. We all know areas that we need to improve; it may not be hairdressing techniques, it may be training yourself to utilise social media or simple accounting. It really is your choice, but worth looking at; this quarantine is giving you precious time that normal life often wouldn’t. The hairdressing industry is reaching out to share their skills and we should all be proud of how we are coming together and sharing our insights.
- Appreciate Life: Taking time each day to appreciate small things that we don’t usually see at home is so important. Prepare good food, stay in touch with family and friends, appreciate what you do have. Of course, I’m thinking about the financial circumstances of my business, but I have options. I am focusing on what my body needs, eating well, maintaining balance, taking time to connect with friends, family, my community and giving myself time to observe my emotions and not letting fear take over.
Thank you, Andrew…
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