Can you hear the water?

We know that walking is good for us. We also know that mindfulness has proven benefits. Put them together and it appears that you get an experience greater than the sum of the parts according to research conducted at Penn State University.

What is Mindful Walking?

Mindful walking is moving while retaining an awareness of your breathing, physical sensations and your surroundings. Generally you will walk at a slower than “normal” pace and actively engage your senses to become fully present and consciously aware of the here and now. Not dwelling on the past, nor projecting into the future but focusing on the act of walking where you are walking.

It is just as possible to walk mindfully in a busy urban environment as it is in countryside more like that in the header photo. The next time you set out on foot, rather than walk on autopilot (how often have you arrived at your next meeting with no idea what route you took to get there?!!) try this…

How do I walk mindfully?

As you walk, first of all tune into your breathing and consciously take some deep breaths in and out, then take time to really tune into your physical body and surroundings and reflect on..

• 5 things you can SEE

• 5 things you can HEAR

• 5 things you can SMELL

• 5 things you can FEEL/TOUCH

• 5 things you can TASTE

Tuning into some of your senses will take more focus and perhaps a sprinkling of creativity, but I guarantee that your previously whirring mind will be quietened and your walk will be a much more enjoyable one.

By Tim Gouw

You slumped into December feeling overworked and frazzled and promised yourself that this year will be different. That you won’t succumb to the culture of busyness and will protect your time, space and energy. The first step in mastering this is awareness. Knowing when you are showing the signs of sliding back to that place of overwhelm and overwork can be challenging, it creeps up on us minute by minute, email by email, this article shares some insights to help you recognise when you’re working too hard.

Overworking is rapidly becoming so prevalent that it’s being normalised. Resting, relaxing and recreation (yes that’s re-creation of our selves!) are an essential part of a balanced, healthy lifestyle.

It is not lazy to switch off your mobile in the evening, It is not lazy to skip a work-out one day because your body is screaming at you that it needs to rest. Feeling “tired but wired” is a sign of adrenal stress and is NOT an indicator that you are weak or not coping.

Here are 9 indicators that you are working too hard

1. Experiencing difficulty relaxing or switching off

2. Feeling like there are not enough hours in the day

3. Difficulty asking for help

4. Feeling overwhelmed by your never ending to-do list

5. Feeling like you are always “on the back foot”

6. Being irritable towards those closest to you

7. Craving sugar

8. Not sleeping well (tired but wired)

9. Relying on coffee to get you through the day

By Kobby Mendes

Four ways to bring more balance into your life - and we don’t mean balancing donuts!

• Schedule rest and relaxation time into your week as a priority. Protect this space in the same way you would a meeting with an important client. YOU are your most important client.

• Consider using a default diary approach to your calendar. Productivity Coach, Kate Galbally shares how in this blog.

• It may seem counter productive, but down tools and go for a walk.

• Share how you are feeling with someone you trust

Our NETwalking sessions are a great way to help you get out for that much needed walk with great company.

This time last year, the working day might have looked a little like this

• 7.30/8am - leave house and commute to the office or first client meeting, use travelling time to gather your thoughts/listen to a podcast etc.

• 8/8.30am - make a cuppa and chat with colleagues in the kitchen or pop into your local artisan coffee shop for a latte.

• 9am - First meeting of the day.

• 10.15am enjoy a 5-10 min breather and time to sift through the outcomes of the meeting as you walk/drive to your next meeting.

• 12.30pm - short break for lunch, possibly eaten at your desk while chatting and passing the time of day to your colleagues while working on some of your actions from the mornings meetings.

• Rinse and repeat for the afternoon.

All in all, we had TIME, it might not have felt like it, it may have been squandered occasionally but we had 60-90 mins of time to be in pre-covid times. Time when we moved between meetings, time when we could hit the pause button and think and reflect.

Fast-forward 12 months and our working day looks like this….

• 7.30am to 7.30pm - back to back zoom calls, webinars and networking events scheduled for the evening because everyone is on back to back zooms throughout the day!

Throw home schooling into the mix and is it any wonder there is a real sense of overwhelm and exhaustion at the moment.

There is another way…

It requires courage, going against the tide and a significant mindset shift. Are you ready to hear what it is…?

Say NO to just ONE Zoom call request, block out buffer time in your calendar between meetings to mimic the time you had moving between meetings before. Step away from the screen and GO FOR A WALK".

In an average working day of 8 hours, at least 60 mins of that would have been spent commuting/moving/making coffee and blethering. All offering time for us to change state, gather our thoughts, leave the crap of the day at the front door of the house before returning to the family.

We need that time for physical and mental well-being. Being zoomed-out is not a badge of honour it’s a pre-cursor to ill-health. Please reclaim that hour in every working day and do something to top up your well-being:

• make and eat lunch with the family

• take your coffee to another zoom-free room

• do some meditating

• go for a walk, run or cycle

Just DON’T offer up your diary for another zoom call.