CosBeauty Magazine #91

3.
CREATE NEW
WORK RITUALS
Have you been spending most of your
waking life in front of your computer
working from home? While we’re all
about the comfy clothes and extra
snooze time, the WFH revolution
comes with its challenges. We need to
be extra vigilant to remain connected
with our colleagues, set boundaries
so we can “switch off” and stay in
a productive headspace and, most
importantly, leave work at work,
(which can be difficult when you also
live there!).
If you’re continuing to WFH in 2021,
your new work rituals should first
include setting up a daily schedule
and sticking to it – we are creatures of
habit and research has found having
a consistent daily routine can have
a positive impact on mental health.
Also schedule in designated breaks,
whether to eat lunch away from your
desk, virtual workouts with friends or
colleagues, go for a walk to clear your
head, or spend some time cultivating
your new hobby (see #2). It’s also
important to create a dedicated
workspace that you can “clock off”
from, even if it’s just a chair at your
kitchen table.
4.
SPEND MONEY
ON EXPERIENCES,
NOT STUFF
There’s no denying the sheer delight
of an Amazon delivery at your
door or buying the latest iPhone,
however, the experiences we have,
rather than the stuff we own, are
more likely to make us smile.
In a 20-year study by Dr Thomas
Gilovich, a psychology professor
at Cornell University, it was found
that experiences – as fleeting as
they may be – deliver more lasting
happiness than our possessions.
The researchers explained
that experiences, such as travel,
attending a sporting event or
concert or even just going to a
restaurant, become a part of our
identity. We are not our possessions,
but we are the accumulation of
everything we’ve seen, the things
we’ve done and the places we’ve
been. A lot of times we also
consume experiences directly with
other people, and after they’re
gone, they’re part of the stories that
we tell to one another.
5. HUG MORE
While we’re feeling all warm and
fuzzy, let’s talk about hugs. Social
distancing rules aside, when you
hug a person, your body releases
the feel-good chemical, oxytocin. It’s
a hormone linked to social bonding,
fostering trust and loyalty.
Hugging can be good for your
health. It can reduce feelings of
stress or anxiety, lower your blood
pressure, reduce pain and may even
ward off illness!
Humans thrive on physical
connection, and hugging is one of
the most powerful ways to show
physical support, so go on and hug
it out.
6.
KEEP A
GRATITUDE
JOURNAL
It can be easy to take for granted
what’s special in our lives. A
gratitude journal reminds us of
what’s truly important.
A growing body of research
shows keeping a log of what you
are thankful for can lower stress,
help you sleep better, and may even
reduce the risk of heart disease.
Write about the best things that
have happened to you during the
course of the day and consider all
the people and things in your life
you’re grateful for. And don’t forget
to practice some self-love and
include yourself and your amazing
body and all that it allows you to do.
www.cosbeauty.com.au 37