Reset & Relax

Being in the business of people, mental health & wellness amongst our workforce is crucial. Not only for the general well-being of our employees, but its overall impact on business growth as well. With May being Mental Health Awareness Month, I believe it is a good time for all of us to evaluate and reset, especially with all that is happening around us that we cannot control. Mental health and wellness is different for everyone, and how you ensure you are taking care of yourself should be tailored to you. For me, this past year has been interesting and I have changed (or I should say am continuing to work on) some of my own habits and focuses that allow for me to reset and recharge. It is a never-ending process, and I know I have to remind myself often to carve out time for myself – so I wanted to share some things in case they might help you reset and take time for yourself.

Unplug. This year, I wanted to focus on unplugging myself a bit more from social media. While I appreciate it and see its value, I decided to pull back and unfollow those that didn’t lift my spirits up and worry less about posting my daily experiences. I must admit this is a challenge, as it is easy to go down the proverbial “rabbit hole” and seek the validation and satisfaction of how many views or likes were produced. Pulling back what I am sharing and celebrating has helped me reset and be less consumed about what other people think. The other important piece of this is to show my kids you don’t need a heart from the internet to be fulfilled. While it is fun, there are other things in life that bring joy and generate self-love.

Less is more. Simplifying all areas of my life – as much as possible – is another thing I decided to focus on this year. I have made an intention to not consume as much, and use my buying power on more sustainable, quality-made products. Not only for my overall sanity in maintaining my household, but to avoid getting caught in the endless, consuming cycle that ultimately is putting our environment at risk. Things don’t seem to last as long these days either – what happened to the days where something lasted 30+ years?! I am determined to be more thoughtful on where I spend my money and avoiding quick satisfaction of goods that are filling up my life. Interestingly enough, I am also applying this principle to my life. We are evaluating what to commit ourselves and our kids to as things reopen, finding that sweet balance between my fear of missing out and putting too much pressure on ourselves to do it all!

Breathe. Early on at JeffreyM, a consultant reminded me to “just breathe” when things got crazy. Since then I have added a focus on taking a minute each day to sit, take full and mindful breaths, and meditate. I focus on a few positive thoughts while doing so to remind myself of what is going good in life.

Reset your expectations. This goes hand-in-hand with my “unplug” piece, as it is hard not compare yourself to others, especially as we all start picking up new routines of life post-COVID. I go through a series of internal affirmations to remind myself that there is no need to try and chase others, to be content and thankful for what I do have.

Take care of YOU first. You are only as good to others as you are to yourself. If you are not stopping and taking time to fill your bucket, you will not have anything to give – anxiety and burnout feed off of this. Staying active and having a bit of alone time for me is essential. Getting out and taking the dog for a walk has been a way for me to unplug, and gives me a mood boost.

Amp up your physical reading material. Can I tell you there is just something to be said about reading an article from a magazine or newspaper? The calmness it brings is wonderful. Books too (although I am guilty of using my Kindle paperwhite as it aligns to my “less is more” version of myself 😉 ).

Tell someone you appreciate them. Spreading joy and kindness to others boosts my mood and hopefully to those receiving. It also reminds us that we are not alone.

Want to connect and chat more? Reach out to me directly anytime at margon@jeffreym.com