Make the Most of Your Day Off
A "long" holiday weekend can be a wonderful chance to spend time with family, relax and take some time to boost your emotional wellbeing before returning to busy schedules of work or school. On this Labor Day, invest in some simple self-care activities to give yourself the gift of recharging:
Work on getting more sleep. Visit the Sleep Fitness Toolkit to explore how to create an ideal sleep environment, the impact of light exposure, tips to get back to sleep and ideas to sync your sleep/wake cycle.
Try a mindfulness practice. Mindfulness, or becoming aware of what is happening in the present moment, has been used for several thousand years as part of self-care routines. Practicing mindfulness for even five minutes a day can lead to improved focus and memory, reduced stress and anxiety and increased relationship satisfaction and empathy towards others.
Build your resilience. In today’s 24/7 society, the ability to adapt to challenges or life’s stressors is vital. Strengthening your resilience skills will help you decrease depression, cope with adversity and stress and maintain a sense of perspective.
If you don’t have the day off. Many people still have to work on Labor Day. You can still schedule family plans like a BBQ, bike ride or a game night for earlier in the morning, later at night, or even on a different day to fit your schedule. Make the most of your break time today by going outside for Vitamin D sun "therapy" or a quick walk to rejuvenate. Treat yourself to something special, like some fresh flowers for your workspace, a yummy dessert for lunch or take out from your favorite restaurant.
As you are out and about on this holiday, be sure to thank the many individuals who are away from their families in order to keep the chip aisle stocked, provide community safety and care for others.
