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Feng Shui tips for beginners: create a peaceful home with tips from an expert
You may have heard of Feng Shui, but do you understand how it works? We’ve pulled together tips from an expert Feng Shui consultant to help harmonise and destress your home.
If you are feeling uncomfortable in your living space or struggling to adapt to it, then Feng Shui might be the answer. The ancient Chinese practice promises to help you harmonise with your environment and find comfort through small changes. It is said to work by helping you enhance the positive energy flowing into your living space and promoting balance, well-being, and prosperity. To help you incorporate Feng Shui into your life and improve the feeling within your home, we have some tips from Barbara Herzog, a renowned Feng Shui expert. Barbara often offers her expertise to improve feelings of well-being inside office spaces, private areas, homes, and gardens. She is a certified Feng Shui consultant and has given some tips on how to begin Feng Shui and use it to improve your living space. What is Feng Shui? Feng Shui is a belief based on ancient Chinese philosophical principles about the flow of energy, known as Qi. The belief centres around Chinese cosmological concepts, including the Taoist principles of Yin and Yang (opposing forces), the Five Elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, water), and the I Ching (Book of Changes). The goal of Feng Shui is to harmonise and balance the Qi (energy) in the environment to promote positive energy flow and create a harmonious living space. With this optimised energy, those who practise Feng Shui believe that your well-being, prosperity, and overall quality of life can be enhanced. Feng Shui consultants have many tips and tricks to help you create a living space which is good for the mind, body, and soul. Barbara has provided some key ways to use Feng Shui to enhance your own living space and create a positive energy flow. Feng Shui tips to use in your home Here are Barabra’s top tips for improving how comfortable you feel in your home using Feng Shui: Position your bed properly In Feng Shui, the flow of energy is crucial. You want there to be a good flow of energy through each room to improve feelings of wellness. Barbara says that in the bedroom, the placement of your bed is key because it can interrupt energy flows. She says that placing your bed directly between the door and the window creates excessive energy passing through your body when you are trying to relax and sleep. To avoid this, she advises you to try and position your bed differently. If you can, try placing the bed on a wall or corner which doesn’t cross this line between door and window. Barbara explains that some of her clients have felt their sleep disturbances minimise after moving their bed to avoid this energy flow. Don’t work with your back to the door Your workspace also plays a vital role in your well-being. According to Barbara and Feng Shui wisdom, it's important to protect your back while sitting at your desk. Avoid aligning your office chair with its back to the door, as Feng Shui followers believe it can hinder concentration. This is because the Feng Shui practice believes that seeing where the ‘enemy’ might come from allows for better focus and productivity. It’s unlikely someone will boot down your door and attack you, but the feeling of not knowing what’s going on behind you may lead your mind to subconsciously wander or kickstart feelings of anxiety. These feelings will then hinder performance and concentration levels. For other ways to maximise your workspace (not Feng Shui related), see our guide on how to create a productive workspace. Choose the correct side of the bed This Feng Shui practice is based on where you sleep in the bed when in a couple, if you don’t have a romantic relationship at the moment, you might want to skip this one. According to Feng Shui followers, choosing the correct side is essential for creating a harmonious and balanced environment. The sides of the bed are categorised as the ‘power’ side and the ‘support’ side. The ‘power’ side is the side of the bed that is furthest from the entrance to the room. It is considered the dominant side, and in a romantic relationship, it is typically occupied by the person with more authority or decision-making power. The ‘support’ side is the side of the bed closest to the entrance. It is seen as the more vulnerable side, and in a romantic relationship, the person who takes on a more supportive or nurturing role would sleep on this side. To determine which side is best for you, consider your personal dynamics and preferences. Ensure that both sides of the bed have equal access and space to promote balance and harmony in the relationship. By paying attention to the Feng Shui sides of the bed, you can create positive and balanced energy in your bedroom, supporting better rest and more harmonious relationships. Harmonious relationship = harmonious home. Create a welcoming energy at your home’s entrance The entrance of your home is one of the most important places in the Feng Shui practice. Regardless of whether you live in a flat or a mansion, the home’s entrance is where most of the energy (Qi) flows into your home. This means designing your entrance area properly is crucial as it sets the tone for the rest of your living space and determines the home’s energy level. Barbara says that to harmonise your entrance, you should think about clearing clutter, creating a welcoming pathway, and decorating the area with plants for vibrant energy. Try and brighten up the space with lights and encourage a shoe-free zone. You also don’t want many places for the energy to ‘escape’, so close bathroom doors to let the energy flow freely through the home. Declutter Decluttering the home is an essential aspect of Feng Shui. Believers see clutter as creating stagnant energy, disrupting the natural flow of Qi, and leading to feelings of stress and fatigue. Barbara says that to deal with clutter effectively, you should take it step by step, asking yourself if you truly need each item as you move through each room. One way to motivate yourself is with a checklist which you can tick off as you go through each drawer, wardrobe or specific area. She says that you'll be amazed at the positive energy that comes from organising your living space. If you don’t know where to start with decluttering, then check out our decluttering checklist, a step-by-step guide with tips from experts. If you want more expert-led guides and recommendations, check out our page on wellness, which includes guides on breathing exercises for better sleep, 5 signs that you’re being too nice and how to create a productive workspace, according to experts.
How to clean your yoga mat, according to a yoga teacher
Your yoga mat might be harbouring more germs than you realise, but we’ve got the ultimate guide on how and when to clean your yoga mat, with advice from a yoga teacher.
According to a recent study from FitRated, exercise and gym equipment can be hotspots for germs, harbouring more bacteria than we realise, and this includes your yoga mat. Studies found eight times as many germs on a mat than on a toilet seat! These unwanted microorganisms can lead to skin conditions such as pimples, rashes and fungal infections - not what you want. So, be honest: when was the last time you cleaned your yoga mat properly? Or have you ever even cleaned it at all? We’ve got the ultimate guide on cleaning your yoga mat - from a step-by-step on how to do it and how often to recommended products to help you along the way. We’ve also included top tips from yoga teacher and founder of Yoga Cat, Tristan Post. Read on for all you need to know and get practising your poses, from cobra to downward-facing dog, using your freshly cleaned and hygienic mat. Why is it important to clean your yoga mat? Looking after your yoga mat may not be your top priority, but regularly cleaning and disinfecting it can avoid several negative consequences, Tristan explains. We’ve rounded up some of them below: The mat can become damaged: Your mat may wear out faster if it's not properly looked after. Over time, grease and solid particles such as skin flakes can accumulate on the mat’s surface and in the pores of the material, causing it to lose its grip and compromising your stability and balance in poses. This will result in your slipping more and the mat becoming less durable and shorter lasting. An unpleasant smell can develop: As the mat is used for exercise, it will pick up sweat from its users. Not cleaning it after your workout can result in a build-up, causing an unpleasant odour to linger during your practice and affecting your focus and enjoyment. Skin problems and illness: An uncleaned mat can hold germs and bacteria. These can lead to skin problems such as blemishes or rashes, fungal infections such as athlete's foot and nail fungus, or even flu viruses due to the presence of dangerous pathogens. How to properly clean your yoga mat: a step-by-step guide Cleaning your yoga mat doesn't have to be a difficult task. Follow this simple step-by-step guide to maintain a fresh surface to practise all your poses. Start by spot-cleaning any visible stains or marks of dirt. Use a mild solution of water mixed with a few drops of gentle soap or a specifically designed cleaning product suitable for the material of your exercise mat. Dampen a soft cloth or sponge to gently apply to the mat. Continue by giving the rest of your mat a thorough clean, wiping down the entire surface. Rinse your mat well and gently squeeze out any excess water before laying it flat to air dry. Avoid direct sunlight as it may damage the mat's material. How often should you clean your yoga mat? How often you clean your mat can depend on how often you practise yoga and to what intensity. As general guidance, it’s recommended to disinfect your mat after every session, wiping it down to remove surface sweat and dirt, especially if you share it with others. Yoga expert Tristan recommends avoiding alcohol-based disinfectants as they can harm the mat and also evaporate too quickly to effectively disinfect. He also suggests avoiding sprays based on essential oils, as they won’t provide adequate disinfection. As well as disinfecting, it’s crucial to regularly clean your mat more thoroughly to remove accumulated dirt from its surface and pores, as well as restore its grip. Tristan recommends washing your mat every two to three weeks, using a soap specifically formulated for mats. You’ll need to wash it more frequently if you practise daily or engage in hot yoga. Recommended products to clean your yoga mat Look for high-quality cleaning products which can be used on the material of your mat to help prolong its life whilst giving it a thorough clean. Natural ingredients are effective at removing dirt and bacteria without compromising the material, and microfibre cleaning cloths are good to use as they are great for wiping down the mat. We’ve included a couple of cleaning supplies below to help you get started. You can also create your own natural cleaning solution using mild soap and warm water. Yoga-Mad Yoga Mat Cleaner Spray, £6.99 from Amazon: This spray is suitable to use on all yoga mats, will kill 99.9% of bacteria, and leave your mat with a lovely lavender scent. YogaMatters Revive Yoga Mat Cleaner, £15 from YogaMatters: Made from all-natural ingredients, this spray has antibacterial properties to freshen up your mat with a couple of sprays. Liforme Ultimate Everyday Yoga Mat Cleaner, £18 from Lifrome: Keep your mat in its best condition and germ-free with this easy-to-use cleaning foam. Freshly scented for a refreshed finish. Manduka Yoga Mat Wash and Refresh, £12 from Amazon: Clean your yoga mat with this natural spray, providing long-lasting hygiene and a refreshing lemongrass fragrance. Yoga Cat Cleaning Bundle, €45,90 from Yoga Cat: Tristan is the founder of the German-based company Yoga Cat and highly recommends its Cleaning Bundle. The products are non-toxic and don't contain alcohol - instead, they contain an active ingredient to effectively kill bacteria, fungi and germs without becoming corrosive. As Yoga Cat is based in Germany, its products are priced in euros, but they do ship internationally, just make sure you allow for the additional time for international shipping. Eco-Fused Microfibre Cleaning Cloths, £5.99 from Amazon: Wipe down your mat with these super soft microfibre cloths, ideal for picking up grease and dirt. These come in a multipack of five. Should you clean mats at a studio? Ideally, you shouldn’t need to, as many studios have cleaning protocols, and this is often done by staff at studios/gyms. Yoga teacher Tristan explains this is not always the case, though, and often there are places where mats are neither cleaned nor disinfected. With that in mind, it’s best to use disinfectant and wipe down the mats before use, or bring your own yoga towel for an extra layer of protection. Tristan advises, if and when possible, to stick to using your own personal mat. Why aren't normal cleaning products enough? Exercise mats tend to be made of materials including rubber, PVC, caoutchouc or cork, with textured suitcases to absorb sweat. These materials can be quite sensitive, and some regular cleaning products can therefore do more damage than good. It’s important to pay attention to the ingredients of cleaning products. Normal cleaning products containing alcohol or essential oils, for example, can harm the mats and often don’t provide enough thorough cleaning, shortening their lifespan. Opt for products specially designed to clean your mat. When is it time to get a new mat? Over time, constant use and constant cleaning can cause your mat to wear down, affecting its performance and hygiene. Knowing when it's time to replace your yoga mat is essential for achieving the best experience for your practice. If you notice visible signs of wear, such as cracks in the surface or fraying edges, or the mat becomes slippery with reduced grip, it’s time to upgrade your mat. If you think you need a new mat, make sure you check out our guide to the best yoga mats, as recommended by expert yoga teachers.
How to make smarter decisions, according to a psychologist
Struggling to make smart choices? We’ve got some invaluable guidance from a world-leading psychologist on how to make smarter decisions to help you out.
Gaining a clear, unbiased perspective on the world around us may seem like a reasonable goal, allowing us to solve problems intelligently, unlock our potential, and ultimately make better decisions in our day-to-day lives that boosts our wellbeing. However, it's not as easy as it sounds. Our thinking can be prone to errors and societal and inherent biases - making decisions, therefore, isn’t always straightforward. However, by recognising these and implementing strategies, we can make more informed and intelligent choices. With expert advice from Woo-Kyoung Ahn, a Psychology Professor at Yale University, we’ve put together this guide to help you navigate the complexities of decision-making, and included some practical tips on how to improve your day-to-day decision-making and achieve the best logical outcomes. Understanding decision making Decisions shape our day-to-day lives and can impact our futures. Understanding the complexities of decision-making and how our decisions are often influenced is a really important first step when thinking about how we can make better decisions. Factors including cognitive biases, emotional states, societal norms, and personal experiences and beliefs can contribute to our decisions, and according to Woo-Kyoung Ahn, we also have cognitive limitations, which can sometimes lead to errors in our thinking and judgements. Over thousands of years of evolution, humans have developed ‘heuristics’, or rules of thumb, as a quick and efficient way to solve problems within these limitations. While heuristics generally work well, they are not foolproof, especially in a complex and confusing world. These faulty thinking patterns and perceptual distortions can result in personal and social imbalances, leading to problems such as racism, misdiagnosis in medicine, discrimination, misunderstandings, and errors in our decisions. Self-awareness is the first step, therefore, to better decision-making. By recognising our cognitive blind spots and emotional triggers, we can navigate through our choices with better clarity and reach smarter decisions. Unveiling common thinking errors As humans, we are prone to various cognitive biases and thinking errors that can cloud our judgements and hinder rational decision-making. According to Woo-Kyoung Ahn, our most common thinking problems include overestimating/underestimating ourselves, confirmation bias, negativity bias, and prejudice. Identifying and acknowledging these is fundamental to arriving at rational decisions. Confirmation bias, particularly prevalent in today's political climate, occurs when we favour information that confirms our assumptions and prejudices, whether or not they are true. According to a 2022 study on the function of confirmation bias, confirmation bias is ‘people’s tendency to search for information that supports their beliefs and ignore or distort data contradicting them.’ We are more likely to be influenced by negative information than positive, and we are more likely to believe anecdotes than facts. Woo-Kyoung Ahn explains that confirmation bias is ‘the hardest to solve’ as our brains struggle to understand large abstract numbers, probabilities, and statistics, contributing to these biases. 5 ways to counteract misconceptions and improve decision-making in your everyday life Human irrationality has been studied closely since the 1970s, with new psychological discoveries that are challenging the previously held assumption that we always think rationally. The good news is that we can recognize these misconceptions, break through patterns, and develop strategies to identify and counteract them. In her new book, Klar Denken, (meaning ‘clear thinking’), Woo-Kyoung Ahn provides interesting examples, mind games, and practical techniques to address these biases in everyday life. For example, in one behavioural experiment, women who read a text claiming that men are genetically better at maths before an arithmetic task performed 25 per cent worse than those in the test group who didn't receive the text, illustrating just how easily we can be led astray based on preconceptions Woo-Kyoung Ahn emphasises the importance of realising our fallibility, questioning assumptions, and seeking clarification instead of assuming. We’ve looked into five practical techniques to help counteract misconceptions and focus on reaching logical decisions: Practice mindfulness and self-reflection: Practising mindfulness is a great way to stay in tune with your thoughts. It will keep you aware of your thinking, emotions, and motivations, helping to improve decision-making. Self-reflection allows you to identify patterns in your decision-making and uncover potential biases that might influence impulsive decisions. Check out our guide on mindfulness habits to point you in the right direction and our guide on mindfulness journals to learn how to start wellness journaling and its benefits. Seek different perspectives: When making an important decision, reach out to friends, family, or work colleagues for their advice and opinions. Engaging with others and considering alternative perspectives (which you may not have considered) can broaden your understanding, help you gather more information and make well-rounded and thought-through decisions. Set clear goals: Before arriving at a decision, make sure you are aware of your end goal. Establish what you want to achieve, prioritise your objectives and let this focus guide you in your choices. Consider pros and cons: Think of all angles when making a decision to ensure you have thought of all possible benefits, risks and outcomes. This will allow you to reach a well-balanced result, enabling you to methodically evaluate options and reach a more informed conclusion. Learn from past decisions: Reflect on past decisions to help you on your next ones, whether successful or not. Learning from mistakes and successes will equip you with valuable experience, help avoid repeating errors and help to refine your decision-making processes with effective outcomes. As Woo-Kyoung Ahn explains, understanding the possibility of errors allows us to stay closer to the truth, provide wiser answers, and make better decisions for the future. It's essential to acknowledge that anyone can be wrong, and by embracing this fact, we can strive for greater accuracy and progress. If you want more expert-led guides and recommendations, check out our page on wellness, which includes guides on breathing exercises for better sleep, 5 signs that you're being too nice and how to create a productive workspace, according to experts.
The importance of sleep for recovery: how sleeping can help you reach your fitness goals
Find out why sleep is so important for your mental and physical recovery
When it comes to leading a healthy lifestyle, people usually focus on following a nutritious diet, regularly exercising, and properly hydrating. These are all healthy habits, but it’s common for one of the healthiest to be overlooked: sleep. It’s important not to disregard this time you spend with your head on the pillow as it is vital for our overall health, specifically our recovery. Quality sleep gives the body the opportunity to recover by helping it grow, re-energise, and repair. Sleep doesn’t just provide physical recovery but aids our minds in recovering and helps us maintain good mental health. Understanding how sleep assists recovery can help us get our sleeping patterns in order and motivate us to make sleep a priority. The benefits of sleep for physical recovery It’s long been said that sleep is the cheapest medicine when it comes to physical recovery, and this is certainly true. Sleep is vital for recovery from sports and injuries whilst also helping your body repair itself from the demands of everyday life. When it comes to ‘good’ sleep, we consider this to be, for adults, 7-8 hours of uninterrupted shut-eye. For more information on why this is the peak time for adults to be sleeping, check out our guide to how much sleep you need. Here are the four main benefits of sleep for physical recovery: 1. Enhanced muscle repair and growth When you nod off, your body produces its growth hormones. These are essential for repairing and building muscles. With quality sleep, you give your body more time to undergo the necessary processes for muscle recovery, leading to improved strength, endurance, and overall physical performance. For more advice on how to improve muscle growth, head to our fitness page. 2. Immune system improvements When you get the flu, a cold, or any other type of illness, you can often feel weak and sometimes can’t physically bring yourself to get out of bed. Quality sleep can play a vital role in lowering your chances of this by supporting and strengthening your immune system. During sleep, your body produces and releases cytokines, a type of protein that helps fight infections and inflammation. Sufficient sleep enhances the amount of these released, improving your immune system's ability to respond effectively to pathogens and aiding in the recovery process from illnesses. 3. Higher energy and lower fatigue After exercise or a long day, you will be physically tired. To solve this, sleep. It sounds simple, and it is. Adequate sleep helps replenish energy stores and reduces fatigue. During sleep, your body restores glycogen, a form of energy stored in muscles, which gets depleted throughout the day. Quality sleep also regulates hormones like cortisol, which affects your energy levels and reduces feelings of exhaustion. To learn more about how to increase your energy levels and lower cortisol levels, check out our wellness page, where you can read our guide on how to lower your stress levels. 4. Injury healing ‘Make sure to rest it’ - we’ve all heard that from our parents or the doctor when we’re injured, and for good reason. The best kind of rest is sleep which can help improve your injuries by repairing and regenerating damaged tissues. When you're asleep, your body directs resources toward the healing process, such as increased blood flow to injured areas. Quality sleep promotes faster recovery from injuries, including sprains, strains, and post-surgical healing. 5 benefits of sleep for mental recovery It isn’t just your body that gets worn out by day-to-day activities but your brain as well. Luckily, sleep doesn’t just have a great impact on physical recovery but also helps you mentally recover, here’s how: 1. Improved cognitive function Cognitive function includes processes which your brain is in charge of, including your attention, concentration, memory consolidation, and problem-solving. When you sleep well, your brain processes and stores information better. This leads to improved learning, better decision-making, and enhanced performance. 2. Improved mood and emotional regulation We all know the feeling of being tired and then instantly becoming more irritable and less patient. This is because we’re lacking sleep (obviously). Sufficient sleep is closely linked to better mood regulation and emotional well-being. Lack of sleep is a big contributor to irritability, mood swings, and increased susceptibility to stress, anxiety, and depression. Quality sleep helps stabilise these emotions, regulate mood, and increase resilience to emotional challenges. Find out about how to improve your mood at the start of the day with our guide to creating a morning routine to boost your mood. 3. Reduced tiredness and increased productivity It might sound obvious, but good sleep reduces tiredness which has a positive impact on your productivity. Having good sleep helps combat mental fatigue and supports optimal brain function. When you're well-rested, you can think more clearly, focus better, and sustain attention for longer periods. Quality sleep also helps to boost mental energy, creativity, and productivity, enabling you to perform at your best in cognitive tasks and daily activities. For other tips on reducing how tired you feel, see our guide on tackling tiredness. 4. Reduced stress Quality sleep is crucial for managing stress. During sleep, your body releases stress hormones (such as cortisol) and rebalances neurotransmitters involved in stress response. This means sufficient sleep helps lower stress levels, improves coping mechanisms, and enhances your ability to deal with challenging situations effectively. For more methods to help you reduce stress, see our guide on how to lower your stress levels. 5. Better overall mental health Quality sleep plays a significant role in maintaining good mental health and overall well-being. Chronic sleep deprivation has been linked to an increased risk of developing mental health disorders such as anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and even psychotic symptoms. On the other hand, quality sleep promotes emotional stability and psychological resilience and contributes to a positive mental state. If you want more expert tips and recommendations, check out our page on sleep, which includes guides on breathing exercises for a better sleep, the best eye masks for sleeping, the best white noise machines and the best bed sheets according to experts.
5 signs that you’re being too nice, with tips from a therapist
A few tell-tale pointers that you’re being a people pleaser and might be putting others’ well-being above your own.
The majority of us aim to live our lives as kind and nice people, surrounding ourselves with others we believe to be of the same nature. But, can you ever be too nice? It might be hard to think someone can be too nice. After all, it can seem like we’re surrounded by doom and gloom in today’s world. However, some people can find their niceties are being taken advantage of or fall into the category of ‘people pleasing’, a behavioural pattern where individuals constantly strive to please others, often before themselves. To help you notice if you’re becoming too nice and not prioritising yourself, we have five tips from therapist Logan Cohen. Logan has dedicated his life to helping people through therapy and has written a self-help book to help people improve their mental health. He explains how to recognise if you’re a people pleaser and if you need to start putting yourself first. 5 signs you’re being too nice Here are Logan’s top five signs you’re being too nice and maybe becoming a people pleaser: 1. You're always there to lend a hand Logan says that one trait people pleasers lean towards is always being on hand to help. This isn’t just being a helpful person but never saying no to people when they need help. For example, you would immediately stop doing something if someone else asked you for help. This can lead you to prioritise others' needs before your own, even when you are working on a task that is important to you. 2. You are excessively agreeable Another pointer to being a people pleaser is that you tend to be excessively nice. Logan explains that if you have a reputation for being nice, it can make you hesitant to speak your mind for fear of causing disagreements. He says that people pleasers often believe that expressing their true thoughts might result in being perceived as nasty or wrong because they are usually agreeable and unfailingly friendly. People pleasers tend to have a fear of being alone, so don’t want to cause animosity or fall out with people. This causes them to withhold their opinions. 3. Other people's feelings take priority over your own Being too nice can also be seen when people put their own feelings second, Logan explains. He says that people pleasers think that hurting another person’s feelings would be the worst thing they could do. This is because it can lead to falling out with them or fear they will be viewed in a negative way. He says this fear leads to a feeling of responsibility for other people's feelings and doing everything to make them feel good/better, even if it means ignoring how you feel yourself. 4. You’re overly forgiving If you’re too nice, you might find that you're overly forgiving. This can be seen when others do something wrong, and you forget about it within minutes. Then, you constantly blame yourself for your mistakes when the shoe is on the other foot. Even if someone constantly hurts you or disrespects you, you always make excuses for their behaviour. Logan believes that this happens because deep down, people pleasers have a fear of being alone, so don’t want to distance themselves from people, or they might be left with no one. It can lead to people pleasers continuing to have toxic, rude, or uncaring people in their lives. 5. You apologise on other people’s behalf Finally, Logan explains that the last sign that you’re being too nice is if you apologise on other people’s behalf. It ties into being overly forgiving. He says that if you’re a people pleaser, you might find yourself comforting and consoling those who have hurt your feelings, even though you're the one who deserves comfort. Phrases like ‘It's okay, you didn't mean it’ and similar apologies become a common occurrence. Logan’s final piece of advice is that if you relate to these signs, it's essential to reevaluate your approach. Being kind and considerate is commendable, but it's equally important to set boundaries and prioritise your own wellbeing. If you want more expert tips and recommendations, check out our page on wellness, which includes guides on breathing exercises for better sleep, how to create a productive workspace, how to tackle tiredness and tips for better sleep, according to experts.
Seven tips for better focus and improved concentration
Unlock improved focus with our top seven tips for better concentration, from mindful tech use to the Pomodoro technique.
Ever found yourself knee-deep in a critical project, only to be derailed by the bleep of a smartphone notification or the addictive scroll of social media? You're not alone. In our fast-paced digital world, maintaining concentration is becoming increasingly difficult. We're all trying to keep up with emails, notifications, and the latest tweets, but the more we juggle, the harder it gets to stay focused on one thing. And here's the kicker - when our concentration is all over the place, we're not as productive, and it can get pretty stressful. Sounds familiar? Don’t sweat it, we've got your back. To help you out, we've put together seven top tips for cranking up your concentration and making your attention span the best it can be. Get ready to take notes! Say goodbye to smartphone notifications Our first tip might seem harsh but is based on scientific research. A study conducted by Professor Larry Rosen from California State University demonstrated that smartphone notifications can trigger stress and anxiety. It's tough for our brains to ignore these alerts, leading to distractions. The simple solution? Switch off notifications on your smartphone to create a peaceful, distraction-free space. Harness the power of the Pomodoro technique If you're prone to juggling tasks all at once, this technique is a game-changer. Multitasking can diminish productivity and hike stress levels. Using the Pomodoro technique can prevent this productivity nosedive. Here's how to do it: Break down your tasks into four 25-minute chunks. Concentrate fully on the first task for 25 minutes, then enjoy a five-minute break. Repeat this for the remaining sections. After four 'pomodoros', take a lengthier break of around 15 to 20 minutes. Prioritise exercise and meditation Don't underestimate the power of taking a screen break. Our brains need time to recharge, and a bit of exercise or meditation during working hours can boost your concentration and productivity. Whether you decide to meditate for 10 minutes or take a brisk walk, you're providing your brain with much-needed downtime. Embrace regular tech breaks While scrolling through Instagram or playing Candy Crush can be a fun distraction, it's vital not to overdo it. Dr Rosen recommends scheduling a "tech break". Here's how: Before diving into a task, take a minute or two to enjoy your favourite apps. Then, set a timer for 15 minutes, mute your phone, and put it face-down. Once the alarm rings, take another minute or two to check your phone. Repeat this process three to four times, followed by a longer break. Rekindle your relationship with printed books In the era of screen overload, it's easy to skim-read and miss essential information. By contrast, reading printed books encourages deep, focused attention. Professor Maryanne Wolf of the University of California recommends reading a printed book for at least 20 minutes a day. Think about your diet Poor concentration can sometimes go hand in hand with poor nutrition. If you’re struggling to focus or feel you're procrastinating too much, then you might not be eating the right kinds of food. To help you keep your head in the game, try and eat more ‘brain foods’. These include unsaturated fatty acids, such as omega-3, which is found in fish, nuts, and olive oil. These healthy fats are essential for nerve cell functioning and keeping your mind sharp. Adequate intake of B vitamins and vitamin C also promotes concentration. In general, maintaining a varied and healthy diet is crucial. Don't forget to stay hydrated, too, aiming for about two to three litres of water per day. Here are some good brain foods to start incorporating into your diet for improved concentration: Fish Whole grains Avocados Nuts Red berries Legumes Eggs Do some brain training exercises To improve your concentration and enhance your focus, you can use brain training exercises. Like with any exercise, the benefits come from consistency, so try and make these a regular part of your routine. Here are two brain training exercises which can improve your concentration: Brain jogging Do memory exercises regularly and try to do activities which present problems you need to puzzle over before working out. For example, you can play Sudoku, solve arithmetic problems or simply write words backwards. Such tricks train your receptiveness and are also a nice distraction in stressful everyday life. Reading and adult games also increase concentration as you train your brain not to be distracted. Meditation To boost the brain's cognitive functions, it helps to quiet the mind. When we meditate, we learn to focus our attention on a single thing - for example, our breath. This trains the ability to focus on what is important and get into the flow of the day. If you’re new to meditation, check out our beginner’s guide to meditation: tips, tricks and techniques for meditating. So there you have it – seven tips for better concentration. They'll take time to implement, but the reward of an improved attention span will make it all worthwhile. Start today and feel the benefits of a more focused, productive, and rewarding life. If you want more expert tips and recommendations, check out our page on wellness, which includes guides on breathing exercises for better sleep, how to create a productive workspace, how to tackle tiredness and tips for better sleep, according to experts.
How to lower your stress levels: 5 tips to stay calm
Use these tips and tricks when you’re feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or feel that nerves are getting the better of you.
Many of us suffer from the effects of stress, and last year 74% of UK adults had a point where they felt so stressed they were overwhelmed or unable to cope. These feelings of stress impact our mental health, and they also take a strain on us physically. To protect ourselves, it’s important to know ways to manage these stress levels and prevent ourselves from becoming overwhelmed. We’ve created this guide to provide five simple tips to lower your stress levels and help you embark on a journey to serenity. How to lower your stress levels Here are our five tips to help you lower your stress levels. Remember, if your stress levels are routinely becoming overwhelming or you feel unable to cope, then consult your GP. Make time to have a break and relax <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/47/2023/07/deep-breath-9f29642.jpg" width="6240" height="4160" alt="Tired software developer concept: handsome IT support male in denim shirt looking up with closed eyes. Bearded caucasian male freelance software engineer at working place in office. High quality image" title="Freelance male software developer or IT support looking up with closed eyes" /> When your mind is racing all day long, it's like running a computer with too many programs open—it's bound to overheat. That's where regular breaks and relaxation come into play. It doesn’t always need to be an hour-long relaxation session but just small breaks which encourage you to destress. Try incorporating some of these into your routine: Take a deep breath: During stressful situations, shallow breathing becomes the norm. Unfortunately, this restricts oxygen flow to the brain, leading to headaches and tension. Take a moment to breathe deeply, preferably in the fresh air, to replenish your oxygen levels and promote relaxation. Relaxation exercises: Engage in simple activities that help calm your nervous system. Stretch your body, focus on your breath, or be mindful of your surroundings. By redirecting your attention, you can distract yourself from anxious thoughts and find moments of tranquillity. If you need inspiration, check out eight mindfulness habits to boost your everyday happiness. Progressive muscle relaxation: Start by tensing and then releasing each muscle group in your body. Begin with your toes, tense them for a few seconds, and then release. Move upward through your legs, abdomen, arms, and finally to your face. Take a few seconds to tense each muscle group and then release the tension. This exercise helps promote relaxation throughout your entire body and lower stress levels. Get some good quality sleep Prioritising sleep is a great way to reduce your stress levels. To maximise the stress-reducing benefits of sleep, it is recommended to aim for 7-8 hours of quality sleep per night. Here’s how sleep can help: Restoration of body and mind: During sleep, the body restores itself. It repairs damaged tissues, replenishes energy stores, and regulates hormone levels. Sleep also improves cognitive function and emotional resilience. By giving your body and mind time to recharge, you are better equipped to handle stressors that come during the day. Stress hormone regulation: Sleep has a significant impact on the regulation of stress hormones, such as cortisol. Cortisol levels naturally fluctuate throughout the day, with the highest levels in the morning and the lowest at night. Good sleep helps maintain a healthy cortisol rhythm, preventing excessive and prolonged stress hormone release. Emotion regulation: Lack of sleep can make it more challenging to regulate emotions and cope with stress. Sleep deprivation can increase irritability, mood swings, and emotional reactions. Sustaining healthy sleep patterns means you can handle stressful situations with more composure. To learn more about sleep, check out our wellness section. Here you can find guides to sleep which include how much sleep you need and tips for better sleep. Exercise One of the best ways to combat stress and anxiety is to let off steam and exercise. Physical activity is a fantastic outlet for stress because it helps release tension in the body and promotes the production of your body’s ‘happy chemicals’. Exercise helps to strengthen your cardiovascular system, boosts metabolism, and triggers the release of endorphins, your body's natural mood enhancers. Whether it's going for a walk, skipping, yoga, or any athletic activity that makes you sweat. Just thirty minutes a day is enough to naturally calm your stress levels. For beginner guides, exercise breakdowns, and workout inspiration, check out our fitness page. Improve your time management Effective time management is a valuable tool for reducing stress and promoting a sense of control in your life. When you feel overwhelmed by numerous tasks and responsibilities, it's important to have strategies that help you manage your time more efficiently. Here are some easy ways to manage your time effectively: Break tasks into smaller steps: Divide overwhelming tasks into smaller, achievable steps to make them more manageable and less daunting. Set realistic goals and expectations: Be honest about what you can realistically accomplish within a given timeframe to avoid unnecessary stress and pressure. Allocate time for self-care: Prioritise self-care by dedicating time for relaxation, hobbies, and activities that bring you joy and rejuvenation. Utilise time management techniques: Work in focused intervals, such as 25 minutes of work followed by 5 minutes of rest, to improve productivity and prevent burnout. For a guide to time-management techniques, check out our guide on the best time management methods. Proper nutrition By prioritising proper nutrition and consuming a well-rounded diet, you provide your body with the necessary nutrients to support stress management, mood regulation, and overall well-being. It is important to focus on whole foods, minimise processed foods, and maintain a balanced intake of macronutrients and micronutrients for stress reduction benefits. As always, moderation is key. Here’s how food can help: Stress hormone regulation: Nutrient-dense foods provide essential vitamins and minerals that support the body's stress response system. For example, foods rich in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits and leafy greens, help regulate cortisol, the primary stress hormone. Mood enhancement: Certain nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish, walnuts, and flaxseeds, are crucial for brain health and function. These nutrients support the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin, which regulates mood and promotes a sense of calm and well-being. Gut-brain connection: The gut and brain are interconnected through the gut-brain axis. A healthy gut contributes to better mental health and stress management. Eating a balanced diet with fibre-rich foods, fermented foods, and probiotics supports a diverse and healthy gut microbiome. If you want more guides for wellness-related content, then check out The Recommended’s wellness page, where you can find our guides on how much sleep you need, eight mindfulness habits to boost your everyday happiness, and five tips for better focus and improved concentration.
Beginner’s guide to meditation: tips, tricks and techniques for meditating
Learn how to kickstart your meditation journey with these practical steps and helpful tips.
If you’ve never practised meditation before, then it can seem a mysterious and daunting habit to start incorporating into your routine. Beginners might think that meditation is reserved for the likes of life coaches or hippies, but this isn’t how the ancient practice should be viewed. Instead, meditation should be looked at as a transformative practice that can kickstart you on a journey of mindfulness to a more conscious life. Its mental health benefits should also be noted, and they might explain why over 8 million people in the UK currently meditate. If you’re interested in joining them, this is the perfect guide for you. Here we get to the bottom of what meditation is and provide some tips to start meditating yourself. We also explain some simple meditation techniques and the benefits you’re likely to see from continued meditation. What is meditation? Before starting meditation, it’s best to know what we’re actually attempting to do and what successful meditation looks like. In short, meditation involves training the mind to focus and redirect the thoughts it has. It is about carving out dedicated time for yourself to cultivate self-awareness and let go of stress. Through meditation, the goal is to achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state. If done ‘properly’, meditation is meant to leave you feeling clear and balanced afterwards. Luckily, meditation is not restrictive, and there are many ways to practise it. Contrary to many people’s beliefs, you don't have to sit in silence or cross your legs to meditate. The key is to approach meditation with an open mind and find a routine that resonates with you, your lifestyle, and the time you have available. Can you learn meditation on your own? Yes, you can. While some people might find that joining a meditation class is a good way to start the practice, you are more than able to teach yourself. One great way is to follow this guide and our tips and tricks. These can help assist you in starting your yoga journey. Another useful way to teach yourself is through meditation apps, namely Headspace. Headspace has hundreds of meditations available which can help with sleep, stress, mindfulness and overall happiness. You can also use platforms like YouTube or audio meditations on Amazon or Spotify. Here you can find instructions and simple walkthroughs you’re able to follow at your own pace. If sitting still isn’t for you and you struggle to learn this way, then you can also explore alternative forms of meditation like walking, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, or yoga. Our guide to the 10 best yoga poses for pain and stress relief includes many poses you might use while meditating. How to meditate: three simple meditation exercises for beginners With dozens of meditations available, it can be confusing for beginners to start off. That’s why we’ve put together these three simple meditation exercises. Each one can help you form a solid foundation of meditation knowledge, which you can later build on as you become more advanced. All three are for novices and incorporate different meditation techniques. 1. Simple breathing meditation To practise this form of meditation, you need to focus on your breath. You start by taking three deep breaths, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. Now, inhale to the count of four and exhale to the count of eight, repeating this cycle three times. Then, continue doing the same breathing exercise (four in, eight out) but do so exclusively through your nose for five minutes. This quick and simple meditation focuses your attention on your breath, calming your mind and improving concentration. 2. Mantra meditation This form of meditation couples both your breathing and spoken word. To start, you should find a comfortable position and start to take deep breaths. Choose a mantra—whether it's the traditional ‘Om’, a word like ‘love,’ or a personal affirmation like ‘I am…’. This is what you will be saying out loud. Every time you exhale, you should be saying the mantra and extending the last syllable. Repeat the mantra continuously for about 10 to 15 minutes, directing your attention to the sound and vibration it creates. Afterwards, close your eyes for a few seconds and reflect on your experience. 3. Walking meditation To practice walking meditation, start by finding a quiet and open space. Stand still and ground yourself by becoming aware of your breath. Start walking slowly, paying attention to the sensations in your body and the movement of your feet. Focus on each step, feeling the contact with the ground. Maintain a relaxed posture and a gentle pace. Be present and observe any thoughts, emotions, or physical sensations that arise without judgment. Engage all your senses, noticing the sights, sounds, and smells around you. If your mind wanders, gently bring it back to the sensation of walking. Continue for a predetermined period, and when finished, pause to reflect on the experience. 5 top tips for starting meditation When you’re new to meditation, the main difficulty is to push aside the stress of everyday life and not get lost in your thoughts. You want to try and brush away the noise of the day to reach a state of calm where you are not thinking about what the next hour, week, month, or year holds. To help you on your journey to achieving this state, we’ve put together some tips for learning to meditate: 1. Choose comfortable clothing It’s best to choose comfortable clothing when doing yoga so you can engage properly with the practice without distraction. You don’t want to be uncomfortable or cold, as this will take your mind away from meditation. It doesn’t matter whether you choose sports trousers or stay in pyjamas - the important thing is that the outfit doesn't pinch. Yoga clothes are also ideal. 2. Create the right atmosphere Create a calming and distraction-free environment to support your meditation practice. Find a quiet place where you won't be disturbed and declutter the space. Consider using a candle, incense sticks, or essential oils in a diffuser to set a soothing ambience that engages your senses. Remember to set your phone to flight mode to avoid interruptions. For help in creating the right atmosphere check out our guides on how to use essential oils, with advice from aromatherapy experts. 3. Adopt an appropriate posture Posture plays a crucial role in meditation, enabling a smooth and flowing breath. Aim for an upright position, whether in the lotus position, cross-legged on a mat or chair, or even lying down. Relax your shoulders and rest your hands gently on your thighs or lap. If sitting cross-legged is uncomfortable, use a meditation cushion or yoga block for support. Basically, find the posture that suits you best. If you think your posture needs some work, then we have a guide for that as well. Check out our guide on how to improve your posture. 4. Create a routine As with most things you want to become a habit, consistency is key. The more frequently you practice, the easier it becomes to centre your thoughts, detach from everyday stresses, and experience deeper relaxation. A good guide is to start with just three minutes a day, preferably in the morning or evening. Gradually increase this duration as you develop your practice. Remember, there's no right or wrong way to meditate, so be patient and avoid putting any pressure on yourself. If you want to do meditation in the morning, it might help to visit our guide on how to create a morning routine to boost your mood. 5. Extend meditation into everyday life How do you know you have meditated ‘properly’? Simply by feeling clear and balanced afterwards. To maintain this pleasant state for as long as possible, you should not jump up immediately after meditation and go straight into everyday life, but consciously try to transport the relaxation and energy you have gained into the rest of the day. The benefits of meditating The likely reason you have decided to give meditation a go is to try and achieve one of the many benefits it can provide. Regularly practising can have a profound impact on many people’s well-being, and knowing the benefits can help motivate you to continue with your meditation. Here are the main benefits of meditation: Inner clarity and deep relaxation: meditation techniques help you achieve a state of inner calm and relaxation, allowing your body and mind to unwind and find clarity. Enhanced immune system: regular meditation practice has been shown to strengthen the immune system, improving its ability to fight off infections and diseases. Improved sleep: meditation promotes a peaceful and relaxed state, aiding in falling asleep faster and enjoying deeper, more restorative sleep. Heightened concentration: by training your mind to focus and stay present, meditation enhances your concentration and attention span in daily activities. Greater body awareness: through meditation, you develop a heightened sense of body awareness, becoming more attuned to physical sensations and cues. Lower blood pressure: consistent meditation practice has been linked to decreased blood pressure levels, potentially reducing the risk of heart disease and improving overall cardiovascular health. If you want to see more wellness content and recommendations for experts, then check out The Recommended’s wellness section. Here you can find guides to mindfulness habits to boost your everyday happiness, tips for better focus and concentration, and how to create a productive workspace, reduce stress at work and improve desk posture.
Time management methods: 6 ways to get more work done
From CEOs to GCSE revisers, these time management hacks can help you organise your time better and get your work done more promptly.
Everyday life is full of commitments, and it can be increasingly difficult for us to manage our time. We worry about juggling our jobs, studying, family life, hobbies, commuting, tax bills, appointments, and even walking the dog. With so much to do and think about, organising our time without becoming stressed or suffering burnout can often be tricky. The good news is that there’s a handful of tried and tested time management methods that can help us get everything done while avoiding stress and worry. We’ve broken down the best time management methods to help you structure your time better, with easy-to-follow steps and practical advice. 6 of the best time management methods Here are six of the best time management methods and how to employ them: The Eisenhower method If you struggle to structure your working time efficiently, give the Eisenhower Principle a try. This method involves categorising your tasks based on their importance and urgency using the Eisenhower matrix. The matrix consists of four quadrants that you should assign to each of the tasks you have to complete in your selected time period: Quadrant 1: Important and urgent tasks that should be prioritised and completed promptly. Quadrant 2: Important tasks that are not urgent. You can schedule these tasks for a later time. Quadrant 3: Tasks that are urgent but less important. Delegate these tasks to others if possible. Quadrant 4: Tasks that are neither important nor urgent. These can be postponed or discarded. This method is suitable for both short-term and long-term projects, and it is especially beneficial for people in leadership positions. It can also be useful if you’re revising, just swap out the ‘delegate to others’ for ‘do another day’. ABC method of analysis Similar to the Eisenhower Principle, the ABC analysis is an excellent method for prioritising tasks. This strategy is more suitable for structuring shorter time periods and is ideal for learning the basics of time management. You should start by writing a to-do list in the morning or at the beginning of the week and categorise your tasks within that time period as follows: A-tasks: Important and urgent tasks crucial for achieving your goals. B-tasks: Important tasks with more flexibility in terms of timing. C-tasks: Routine tasks that can be done within a specific timeframe. By structuring your tasks in this way, you can easily manage how much resource you put into the task that day/week/month. If you start by completing the A tasks, then the next time you write the list, your B tasks might jump up to A. This way, you can keep on top of all your work and avoid missing or forgetting to do an important task. The Pareto principle Another way to manage your time is through prioritisation. The Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 rule, is a concept made to help you prioritise. The principle suggests that roughly 80% of the effects or results come from 20% of the causes or inputs. In simpler terms, it means that a small portion of your efforts or actions often leads to the majority of your outcomes or success. For example: In business, approximately 80% of your profits may come from 20% of your customers. In a project, around 80% of the results may be achieved by focusing on the most critical 20% of the tasks. In your personal life, you might find that 80% of your happiness comes from 20% of your relationships or activities. The Pareto Principle reminds us to identify and prioritise the few essential factors that have the most significant impact on our desired outcomes. By doing so, we can optimise our time, resources, and efforts to achieve the greatest results. The ALPEN method Another great way to manage your time is by following the ALPEN method. The ALPEN method is a technique that helps individuals structure their work and prioritise tasks effectively. It provides a systematic approach to planning, executing, and reviewing daily tasks, allowing for better organisation and reduced stress. ALPEN stands for: Activities: make a to-do list of all planned activities, tasks, and meetings. Length of time: estimate how long each task will take. Plan buffer time: this involves adding extra time for interruptions and breaks. Establish priorities: consider the urgency of each task and which order they should be in, whether they can be delegated, etc. Note the level of success: evaluate at the end of the day and find out whether your estimations were accurate or need adjusting for future reference. With time, your ALPEN method should become more successful as you get better estimations of what your priorities are and how long tasks usually take you to complete. If you write them down or put them online, you can go back and read your review to see how long past tasks took you. The Pomodoro technique This technique has a strange background as ‘Pomodoro’ translates to ‘tomato’ in English. It got its name from a tomato-shaped kitchen timer that Italian author Cirillo used when he initially developed the method. The Pomodoro technique is a popular time management method that involves breaking your work into intervals of focused work and short breaks. Here's how it works: Set a timer for 25 minutes. Work on a task with total concentration until the timer goes off. Take a 5-minute break to relax and recharge. Repeat the process four times, then take a longer break of 15-30 minutes. This technique helps you maintain focus and prevent burnout by providing you with regular breaks. It's especially effective for tasks that require intense concentration where you can’t afford to be distracted. Time blocking Our final time-management technique is time blocking. Time blocking is when you set aside specific blocks of time on your schedule for different tasks or activities. It helps you stay organised and focused by giving each task its own dedicated time slot. It's like creating an appointment with yourself for each task, making it easier to manage your time and get things done. Here’s how to do it: Identify your tasks: make a list of the tasks or activities you need to do. Determine time blocks: divide your day into blocks of time. For example, you can have morning, afternoon, and evening blocks. Assign tasks to blocks: allocate specific tasks or activities to each time block based on priority and estimated duration. Be realistic about how long each task will take. Block distractions: during each time block, minimise distractions and focus solely on the assigned task. Avoid interruptions or multitasking. Stick to the schedule: follow your time blocks as closely as possible. Start and end tasks on time, and move on to the next block as scheduled. Adjust if needed: if a task takes longer than expected, adjust your schedule by either extending the block or moving tasks around. Be flexible but try to maintain the overall structure. What are the benefits of good time management? If you’re able to manage your time effectively, you can enjoy a whole host of benefits. By following the above time-management techniques, you can start to enjoy some of these. Here are the main benefits of good time management: Increased productivity: effective time management helps you accomplish more in less time, leading to higher productivity levels. Reduced stress: proper time management allows you to avoid last-minute rushes and deadline pressures, reducing stress and promoting a better work-life balance. Enhanced focus and concentration: by allocating dedicated time slots for tasks, time management improves your ability to focus and concentrate, resulting in higher-quality work. Improved decision-making: managing your time effectively provides opportunities for reflection and better decision-making, leading to more positive outcomes. Better time utilisation: time management helps you identify and eliminate time-wasting activities, making the most of your available time and increasing efficiency. Enhanced work-life balance: by balancing work, personal life, and leisure activities, time management promotes overall well-being and prevents burnout. If you would like to see more guides for wellness-related content, then check out The Recommended's wellness page. Here you can find guides including how much sleep do you need?, eight mindfulness habits to boost your everyday happiness, and five tips for better focus and improved concentration.
How to get rid of a stiff neck: four simple tips from a doctor
Stiff neck causing you problems? We’ve found four ways you can keep your neck in good health and avoid painful cricks or stiffness.
In the modern world, there are plenty of ways we can end up causing ourselves neck pain; scrolling on our phones, bad posture, lifting heavy shopping, and playing sports, can all strain the muscles in our necks. Even if you avoid all of these, we’ve all woken up to a crick in the neck because of our sleeping position or pillow placement. If you are one of those people who find that you are suffering from frequent bouts of neck pain, this guide is for you. We have got four simple tips which can help relieve your neck of tension and prevent it from becoming strained in the first place. The tips come from orthopaedic surgeon Dr David-Christopher Kubosch, who works for the Joint Clinic in Germany. Dr Kubosch specialises in musculoskeletal conditions and joint pain, so who better to help you avoid stiffness? Four tips to get rid of a stiff neck Here are Dr Kubosch’s four tips for resolving and preventing neck pain. By following these simple tips, you can ease tension and keep your neck pain-free. Give them a try and start feeling the difference! 1. Take a dip in the pool Dr Kubosch explains that one way to ease neck tension is by swimming. This works as doing laps in the pool helps to strengthen the muscles in the chest and shoulders. These two muscles help support the neck, so building them means the neck doesn’t have to work as hard to support the head. Swimming also gives the neck rest as it is supported by water during the exercise, so it doesn’t have to hold the same tension that it would on land. Dr Kubosch says that swimming is great "provided you don't keep your head above water the whole time”. He says to opt for backstroke or try submerging your head underwater during the gliding phase of breaststroke. If you want to strengthen your neck through swimming, then you might need some equipment if you’re just starting out or your gear is old. Check out our guides to the best swimming goggles and the best swimming caps if you’re in need of an equipment update. 2. Stretch and reach Another tip from Dr Jubosch is to perform this simple stretch and reach exercise. He says that holding this for 20 to 30 seconds is enough to relax the muscles in your neck and back, encouraging tension to be released. Here’s how to do it: Stand or sit up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. Relax your shoulders and let your arms hang naturally by your sides. Slowly tilt your head to the right side, bringing your right ear towards your right shoulder. You should feel a gentle stretch along the left side of your neck. To enhance the stretch, you can use your right hand to gently grasp the left side of your head above the ear and apply slight downward pressure. Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds while breathing deeply and maintaining a relaxed posture. Slowly return your head to the neutral position. Repeat the same stretch on the other side by tilting your head to the left side, bringing your left ear towards your left shoulder. You can use your left hand to provide a gentle additional stretch. Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds. If you find you have pain in other areas, there are more stretches you can try out at home. Check out our guide to the 10 best yoga poses for pain and stress relief to find out more. 3. Shoulder shrugs This is another exercise which can help with relieving tension in your neck. Dr Kubosch recommended it because it doesn’t matter whether you're standing or sitting on a stool, you can easily perform this exercise. This shoulder-shrugging movement promotes better blood circulation to the muscles in your neck and shoulders, providing relief from strain and muscle tension. Here’s how to do it: Stand or sit up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. Relax your arms and let them hang naturally by your sides. Inhale deeply and lift both shoulders up towards your ears as high as you can. You should feel a slight tension in your shoulder muscles. Hold the shrugged position for a few seconds, maintaining the tension. Exhale and slowly lower your shoulders back down to the starting position, relaxing the muscles. Repeat the movement for the desired number of repetitions (typically 10-15 repetitions). Take a short break, and then repeat the exercise for another set. 4. Mind your posture The final tip from Dr Kubosch is to maintain a good posture and keep your neck in check. He says that the key is to stand tall with your chest out and shoulders back. If you spend a lot of time on your mobile phone, make a conscious effort to keep your head upright, even if it means holding the device a little higher. By holding a good posture, neck pain is alleviated because the spine is aligned. This helps to reduce muscle strain, promoting muscle balance, supporting joint stability, improving circulation, and preventing excessive tension. Good posture also optimises the position of the head and neck so that stress on the neck is reduced. If you think your posture needs improving, then we have tips and tricks in our guide on how to improve your posture. If you want to see more wellness content and recommendations for experts, then check out The Recommended's wellness section. Here you can find guides to mindfulness habits to boost your everyday happiness, tips for better focus and concentration, and how to create a productive workspace, reduce stress at work and improve desk posture.