As the COVID-19 situation is progressing and the Government guidance continues to change, individuals may be feeling anxious, tired and fed up. Mental Health support during times like these are paramount, which is why Care first have worked tirelessly to ensure our services remain available 24/7 throughout the pandemic to provide emotional and practical support and ensure we have every aspect of your overall wellbeing covered.
According to the Mental Health Foundation the pressure of an increasingly demanding work culture in the United Kingdom is one of the biggest challenges to the mental health of the general population. With many now working from home, or under more pressure due to the COVID-19 pandemic work life balance is as important as ever.
This article will look at how hobbies can help you achieve a better work life balance. If we think about some of the tips to help improve work life balance which Care first previously covered in an article and webinar (Webinar recording link: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/2821049278887422989) this included tips such as taking a regular break, staying active, switching off from work and sticking to a routine. Hobbies can really help to achieve some of these suggestions.
For instance; if you chose to start running or cycling as a hobby then this could be built into your new weekly routine. You may choose to do this at lunch time, or at different intervals throughout the week which would help towards taking regular breaks, it would also help you to stay active, have a positive impact on your physical and emotional wellbeing and would also help to take your mind off work for a short while as you would be focussed on the activity in hand.
Hobbies really can help you towards achieving a better work life balance. There are whole host of hobbies that you could try and the next page of this article looks at a variety of activities to consider. It is important not to take on too much at once, so consider choosing just one and giving it a go!
Hobbies & Activities to consider –
- Running
- Reading
- Cycling
- Knitting
- Dancing
- Poetry
- Home baking
- Going on a daily walk
- Arts and Crafts
- Gardening
- Board Games
- Puzzle books/cross words
- Photography
- Painting
- Start a blog
- Scrapbooking
- Yoga
- Learn to draw
- Meditation
- Write a song
- Volunteer
- Listen to podcasts
- Surfing
- Learn how to cook
- Learning a musical instrument
- Learn Magic
- Other outside sports such as golf
- Home improvements
- Discovering new music
- Learning a language
There are lots of hobbies you could try which may help you to achieve a healthy work life balance. Hobbies can give you the opportunity to focus on things other than work which are away from the work place.
If you do not currently have any hobbies then consider adding a hobby to your routine to see if it helps you with your work life balance. You may think to yourself that you would love to try a hobby but you do not have the time. Please see the below links for more supportive information about work life balance and managing your time more effectively:
- https://carefirst-lifestyle.co.uk/extranet/at-work/working-effectively/time-management (Check with your HR/People team for your login details if you are unsure of them)
- https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/a-to-z/w/work-life-balance
- https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/2821049278887422989
How can Care first help?
If you feel you may need some emotional or practical support, you can contact Care first on the Freephone number. Care first is a leading provider of confidential, professional counselling, information and advice services. Whilst our BACP accredited Counsellors are available 24/7 to provide support with emotional issues, our expertly trained Information Specialists are available 8am-8pm Monday-Friday to provide advice on any practical issues that may be causing you a stress or worry and help you feel more in control of a situation.
All employees are eligible to use Care first, our services include; telephone counselling, information services and online support. Call Care first on the Freephone number provided by your organisation and you can speak to a professional in confidence.
If you would like to view the Webinar on ‘How hobbies can help with work/life balance?’ is being delivered live on Tuesday 20th April at 12pm, please use the below link to register for this session –
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3452729708655385360
If you are unable to join the webinar live, a recording of the session can be accessed using the same link above after the webinar has taken place.