Mindful March

Now that so many of us have been at home for months, the days can blur into one long stretch of time that seems endless and difficult to fill. This can be especially hard over the weekends, if you’re not working, or if you live alone.

Little by little, hour by hour.

Breaking up your day can help make everything seem a little more manageable. If you need to, try taking things by the hour rather than feeling daunted by the day ahead. Just make a plan for the next hour or so, rather than the whole day. You might find it helps you remember that a day can end better than it started.

Set achievable goals – then achieve them.

We’re not talking about huge goals (like writing a novel or learning another language), but if you’d like to do those things, the world is your oyster. At the end of the day, it’s just good to keep to a routine and set yourself some goals.

Smaller goals, like cooking a nice meal from scratch, clearing out your wardrobe, or watching that film you’ve been meaning to see will give you something to do and promote a sense of satisfaction and enjoyment.

Support local businesses.

Restaurants, bars and shops have taken a big hit over the last 12 months, but now we’ve got set dates for the phased ending of the current lockdown, many hospitality venues are beginning to take bookings for April 12^th and beyond – get in quick!

Plus, if they continue to offer home delivery or takeaway, why not treat yourself now and again and support your local community?

Maintain meaningful connections.

As always, keep making the most of video calls with family and friends. We might be feeling a bit ‘over it’ when it comes to the weekly family video chat, but a bit of social conversation really does help, and at the very least gives us something to mark down in our calendars.

Express yourself.

Doing something creative can be a good way to take your mind off things, help you to relax and spend time doing something enjoyable. If you haven’t already resurrected old hobbies or explored any new hobbies over the past year, now’s the chance.

Get a good nights’ sleep.

Frame your evenings after 8pm to make sure your behaviour and habits follow a pattern of reduced light, no caffeine or alcohol, doing something you enjoy (that requires a low level of activity), and making sure your bedroom is dark and settled before getting into bed. It’ll make a difference!

Accept uncertainty.

There’s a lot beyond our control at the moment and that can be difficult to accept. But if you can let go of what you can’t control, it may help to free up some energy and space in your mind.

Most of all, remember this isn’t going to last forever. Summer is just around the corner and we’ll soon be enjoying being out and about like normal and jetting off to our next holiday.

The last year has been a lot to process, and you may find some days easier than others. If you’re feeling anxious, stressed or low, try and speak to someone you trust about how you’re feeling. If this isn’t possible or you’d rather to speak to somebody you don’t know, there are some places that can offer zero-judgment support.

Debbie says: “I’ve been with MoneyPlus for over 22 years, in various roles, and so I’ve had the privilege of witnessing the organisation as it has grown over the decades.

Having spent many years in supporting the company in its vision to always put customers at the heart of everything we do, it’s very fitting to have now moved into a role that helps support the people doing just that – our wonderful employees. 

Whilst these past 12 months have been challenging for us all, it has been extremely refreshing to see that the spirit of our MoneyPlus People has not faltered throughout. We work with fantastic people who do fantastic things on a daily basis, and that’s what makes this role so rewarding and makes me excited for each new day.”

Debt solutions that suit your lifestyle.

If your personal circumstances have changed and you find yourself struggling to manage your finances, give MoneyPlus Advice a call on 0161 837 4000, or email us at info@moneyplus.com, and we’ll help you find the best solution to get your finances back on the right track.

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