Vitae Chat Pūrongo June 2021
Tip sheet—June Warming up To Winter Winter months can be refreshing for some and claustrophobic for others. Staying warm, getting fresh air and eating hot food contribute to our personal and professional well-being. In the colder months more effort is required to maintain a healthy lifestyle and yet the weather holds us back saying “don’t go out, stay home” and the like. We need to cover up, brave the elements and take that walk across the hills or along the beach. Others head to the warmth and protection of the gym for their exercise. We can learn to manage an instinctive tendency to ‘hibernate’, staying inside and emerging in spring!!! Some years ago we heard the term Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD, to describe our experience of the “winter blues”.
Professionals “prescribed” standing in the sun, absorbing vitamin D as a healthy, natural medicine. This idea still has value for us, so make use of those sunny days. Depression is a common term used to describe sometimes indescribable emotions. Depression can be a reactive state in response to a major event and for some people an emotional response to winter. This is different to clinical depression. As Sir John Kirwan says to people who suffer depression it’s important to “protect yourself, prepare and plan and share your story”. At depression.org there is an online self-test you can take if you’re wondering about depressive feelings. http://www.depression.org.nz/ depression/self+test
Meanwhile our working hours remain the same, deadlines keep presenting themselves and new business arrives on the desk. Maintaining a healthy work/ life balance is especially necessary as we move into this time of year. Workplaces often encourage staff to take the flu vaccine. Talk with your employer or check the register to see if your workplace provides funding for the vaccine. If you would like further information on any of these areas please speak with one of our consultants by phoning 0508 664 981 or email theteam@vitae.co.nz