Scandi lifestyle expert shares top tips ahead of National Work Life Week (7 – 11 October).
With the summer holidays behind us and the September rush upon us, there’s no better time to reassess work-life balance. The post-summer blues combined with work stress leads to many of us feeling burnt out and fed up. So, ahead of National Work Life Week (7–11 October), Scandi lifestyle expert at Contura, Catharina Björkman, shares her top tips for ensuring a better work-life balance.
Catharina says, “There is no arguing that keeping your professional life separate from your personal life is more difficult than ever – from wireless technology making us accessible to anyone, anywhere, anytime to working from home meaning that the stresses of your job are no longer a commute away but are, in fact, next door in your living room.
“That said, there are a number of daily habits and activities that can help ensure a better work-life balance. Whether it’s setting time aside each day for exercise, mixing up your commute or simply remembering to get outside and soak up the sunshine. Not forgetting the importance of nurturing connections with loved ones.
“The key is to make a habit of these activities and, whilst this can seem difficult when you’re already struggling with a hectic work schedule, it’s one of the most worthwhile and rewarding commitments you can make for both mental and physical health.”
Read on for Catharina’s guide to the daily habits that can help ensure better work-life balance whilst leaving you feeling calmer and more content…
Don’t write off the morning
Start the day as you mean to go on, so make sure you’re allowing time for yourself first thing every morning.
Taking time to consider your own needs first thing every morning will allow you to gently ease into the day, rather than shocking mind and body by immediately overstimulating them with social media, work emails or a hardcore workout.
Gökotta, the Swedish word for the act of rising early to listen to bird song, is the perfect activity. Brew yourself a cup of tea or coffee and spend the first minutes of your day at peace enjoying the sound of bird song. If you live in a city, pop on a soothing soundscape to enjoy with your morning brew, instead.
Be creative with your commute
There’s no need to dread the daily commute – use this otherwise ‘wasted’ time on an activity you enjoy and turn it into a journey you look forward to.
Catch up on the latest podcast, knit or sew, get stuck into the latest best seller or start writing your own! Doing something you enjoy will reduce stress and boost happiness, and you may even learn something new.
Space it out
If you regularly work from home, it’s important to ensure you have a dedicated ‘workspace’.
If you regularly work in an environment that you also use to relax and unwind, you will unwittingly create negative physical and psychological connections with the space. For example, if you work from bed, your mind and body will start to associate your bedroom with work stress – hardly conducive to a good night’s sleep.
If you don’t have the luxury of a dedicated home-office, creating a workstation at the kitchen or dining table is the next best thing. This will not only ensure a space that you associate with productivity but also one that you can leave or clear away at the end of each day, mentally closing the door on any of the stresses and strains of the workday.
Get outdoors
If you’re struggling with daily work-life balance, making time to get outdoors and enjoy nature is a great place to start.
The benefits of a daily dose of nature are far-reaching – reduced stress levels, boosted immunity, lowered blood pressure, improvements in mood, mental health and sleep quality.
Head to a local nature spot, trail or park and enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the world around you. You’ll also enjoy a hit of the sunshine vitamin – vitamin D – which helps the growth and development of bones and teeth and has been linked to supporting a healthy immune system. It’s a win-win for mind and body.
Work it out
If you have a desk-based job, one of the best ways to ensure you’re taking time for yourself is by enjoying daily exercise.
When work gets particularly busy, exercise tends to be one of the first activities to fall by the wayside despite it being one of the best ways to boost mental and physical health.
If daily movement isn’t a habit, start by carving out set times for exercise each week. This will help it become a habit you can stick to. Alternatively, you’re less likely to cancel last-minute if you know it’s a chance to catch up with someone you love so you could commit to meeting a friend once or twice a week for a brisk walk, jog, gym class or even join a local sports club.
If you’re a particularly early bird, you could try a morning swim and enjoy the added benefits of cold water immersion – much loved in Sweden – but any activity that you enjoy and that gets your heart pumping is perfect.
Unplug
It’s important to create a clear separation between work and leisure. One of the best ways to do this is to unplug.
Whilst in an ideal world we’d all feel empowered to switch our phones off when not in the office, to allow for some separation, it’s far from reality for most of us. For starters, try to avoid checking emails or contacting colleagues outside of weekday working hours.
And if the idea of not checking emails at the weekend is too panic inducing, assign set times of the day – perhaps half an hour in the morning and half an hour in the evening – where you can deal with any urgent actions. It’s important to be strict with yourself to avoid work stress overly impacting leisure time or those around you.
Make time for loved ones
Just as it’s important to make time for activities you enjoy, so is making time to nurture connections with loved ones.
If your work-life balance is off, socialising with family and friends is often one of the first things to fall off the to-do list. Trying to find dates that work for a whole group of people can be stressful, so stick with organising one-to-one catch ups if that’s easiest. And don’t be afraid to ask people to come to you; whether it’s for an after work drink, or a homecooked supper or even weekend fika – invite a friend over and curl up on the sofa with a cup of tea and a sweet treat…Utter bliss.
Even at times of stress, it’s crucial to ensure you’re still enjoying and benefitting from quality time with those you love.
For more information, please visit www.contura.eu.
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Notes to editors:
- Rooster PR will coordinate comment, interview and profile opportunities for Contura UK Country Manager, Phil Wood.
- The Contura PR team will also arrange visits to the nearest Contura Design Centre dealerships or the Contura showroom in Doncaster to see the product range.
For further press information, please contact:
Tilly Everard | Elsa Findlay | Julie Aguilera
Rooster PR
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About Contura:
Contura is Europe’s leading manufacturer of wood burning stoves, offering an extensive range of classic and contemporary wood burners; from traditional insert stoves suitable for existing fireplaces, to freestanding statement models made with innovative materials such as soapstone.
Starting at £1,295, Contura stoves are premium yet affordable. Award winning, timeless Swedish design means the products complement or enhance any style of home, whilst also offering outstanding performance, maximum efficiency, practicality and ease of use.
Designed and assembled at the factory located in Markaryd, Sweden, and manufactured to the highest standards, Contura stoves are highly energy efficient, offering powerful convection, superior combustion technology and clean burning systems. All Contura stoves are DEFRA Clean Air Act exempt and thus approved for use in Smoke Control Areas.
Contura stoves can be purchased through a network of 165 independent retailers nationwide.
Contura is part of the NIBE group, a Swedish manufacturing company producing world class solutions in sustainable energy across Europe, North America, Asia and Australia.
Contura is a founding member of the Stove Industry Association (SIA) in the UK.
Contura is a proud supporter of Eden Reforestation Projects’ efforts to restore and monitor over 241,150 hectares of land, creating jobs to support local communities and the environment in the long-term. Since 2018, Contura has funded the planting of over 170,000 trees.
For more information, please visit www.contura.eu
