You’re just getting through the first quarter of the year so you should be feeling great right? Not so. The past 12 – 18 months, with bushfires, floods and COVID-19 have taken it out of people. Even if you’re feeling OK, chances are you’ve been worn down from the constant barrage of media telling us that life is tough… let alone the adjustments you and your family have been forced to make to get through. Even if you can’t take a few weeks off to unwind and refresh, there are a few things you can do to maximise productivity and get you through to your next lot of leave. Get enough sleep. The recommended number of hours of sleep each night is seven to nine for an adult. If you can’t get to sleep, consider reducing your caffeine intake during the afternoon, reading a book before you go to bed (instead of using a screen) and even indulging in some meditation. Enjoy a healthy diet. Forget sugars and carbs. Pack your diet with healthy proteins and fats – a low carb diet has been shown to benefit blood pressure, reflux, sleep apnoea, joint pain and many other conditions…. Effectively leaving you feeling refreshed and in peak condition for work. Take regular exercise – as well as being physically beneficial, regular exercise that makes your muscles work and requires your body to burn calories has been shown to deliver mental health improvements and help you live longer. Try swimming, walking, running and cycling to get you started. Be social. Even the most introverted of us crave social interaction from time to time. Being social has been proven to be beneficial for our mental health – it staves off feelings of loneliness and depression, sharpens our memory and cognitive skills and increases our sense of happiness and wellbeing. Sometimes it may feel like a chore to get social, but in the end, rarely, we don’t enjoy an occasion to connect with like-minded individuals. So get out there. Continued learning. No doubt learning new skills and acquiring knowledge nourish our brains, which in turn enables our brain to keep thinking and better solve problems. Learning also enables you to remain relevant, which in turn assists with socialising and business development. Don’t stop. Need help? Contact the Ayers Group There’s no doubt, it’s been a tough year. Yet by looking after your physical and mental health you will have the energy and confidence required to pivot and find new growth opportunities. The Ayers Group can free you to pursue new opportunities by helping manage your contractor administration, maintain your legal compliance and grow your wealth. Talk to an expert at the Ayers Group today.