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Top ten tips for cool summer holidays

cool-summer-tips

So you’ve finished school or college and have the long summer holidays ahead of you. Or perhaps you are a parent and wondering how you are going to get through the weeks trying to limit screen time! Whatever your circumstances at work or at play we appreciate summer isn’t always a relaxing time and can be stressful, yes stressful! The team at No5 have prepared some tips for a cool summer whatever the weather:

  1. Remember that the stuff you see on social media is a tiny fragment of someone’s day. We know that we can all feel pressurised by the things we see others doing on social media. It always seems like everyone else is having a better time than we are. However, remember people only choose to put the best bits online – they don’t show you the very ‘normal’ moments of their day, or the fact that just after that ‘perfect’ photo was taken they had an argument with their family and spent the rest of the day not talking to each other! Social media only shows us the best bits – enjoy doing what YOU want to do, not what others are doing. Consider this, if they are telling you all about it while they’re away so how much of a good time are they really having?
  2. Spend some time outside – the vitamin D we get from the sun can have a real benefit on our mental health and wellbeing. Of course, be careful – keep hydrated, topped up on sun cream and be aware of how much sun you are exposed to in intense sun/heat between 12pm and 3pm!
  3. Go for a walk – any form of exercise is really beneficial for your mental health as it releases endorphins which contribute to better mental health. Fresh air can invigorate your mind so when you get back to your desk you feel energised ready for the afternoon. Don’t feel this has to be intensive exercise; any physical activity will give you a boost and be greatly beneficial to your wellbeing.
  4. Take each day as it comes – try to take each day as it comes and not focus on the big chunk of time that 6-8 weeks can seem.
  5. Socialising – try and spend time with the people you care about. We know this can be really hard when you are struggling, but start small; invite someone over, meet up in a park, free museum, gallery or a café.
  6. Spend time doing things you love – the weeks of the summer give you the opportunity to do the things you don’t get a chance to do when you’re at school/college/work. Read the book you’ve been waiting to read, visit that place you’ve been desperate to go to, start that project you’ve been wanting to do for ages – do stuff you love, in your own time and space.
  7. Use this time to get organised – catch up on paperwork, create those revision cards you’ve meant to do last month, prepare for your new academic year.
  8. Take it easy – don’t feel that you have to pack every day with activities.
  9. Enjoy every moment. Take time to appreciate what you are doing and how good you feel, sometimes it’s the simple things you will appreciate.
  10. Switch off! Could be time to have a digital detox, even if just for one hour, try it!

Have a great summer from No5!

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