Last weekend was pretty much the start of spring here in Durban, South Africa. As a family we got up early and headed down to the beach. To say the least it was awesome to be out and on the beach so early in the morning! The conditions were perfect, there was no wind, and the waves were around 2ft.
I was recently blessed with a surprise gift, and was given a new surfboard. This was even more motivation to head down to the beach for a very long over due surf! It was awesome to paddle out and be back in the water again!
This experience reminded me of the importance of finding time for yourself amidst busy schedules. Life is challenging, and life is busy, and sometimes you can find yourself neglecting your exercise routine, due to demanding schedules. Physical exercise is such an important part of your daily routine, and is often an area that is neglected and overlooked, due to “busyness.”
When I came out of rehab 17 years ago, surfing became a big part of my daily routine. My surfboard was permanently in my car, and every day after work I would go down to the beach for a surf. I would paddle out regardless of whether the surf was good or not. I would just use the opportunity to get some exercise. It helped me stay fit, and at the same time helped me stay in a healthy state of mind. Physical exercise is good for your body, and it is just as good for your mind.
Exercise is also a great way to deal with depression. In those early years of sobriety I was learning to manage my life without any dependency to drugs and alcohol. There were times when depression would try and get hold of me, and the surfing was an amazing antidote. When you exercise, endorphins are released into your brain, and these feel good chemicals lift your mood and make you feel really good about yourself. This is why its so important to look after yourself physically and exercise regularly.
Covid-19 has brought many challenges into all our lives, and depression amongst people has increased exponentially over the last 19 months. Many people are now working from home due to covid, and that has brought some new challenges. When you working at home, you can spend more hours in front of a computer screen, and work longer hours. Working at home also cuts out parts of your daily routine. Normally you would get up in the morning, do your usual routine, get dressed, get in your car and drive to work. When working at home there is no drive to work, you no longer have the opportunity to experience life outside your gate. You pretty much get up, turn on your laptop and start working. After a period of time this sort of routine will begin to have a psychological effect on people. Humans were created to be social and interact with each other, and covid has robbed us of social interaction. I know a lady who is diabetic, and has been working from home for the last 19 months due to covid. I had a chat with her the other day, and she told me she hasn’t been outside her gate in months, and its starting to effect her psychologically.
If you are working from home, my encouragement would be to take regular breaks during the day and go outside and sit in the sun for a minimum of 10 minutes. Make sure you exercise regularly, even if you just walk around the block in the afternoon. The point is, we need stimulation, we need interaction, and we need to be physically active in order to maintain a healthy balanced lifestyle mentally and physically.
If you are on a journey of sobriety, or just working hard at your life, I sincerely encourage you to make sure you stay physically active, and do some form of exercise that you enjoy. Sometimes people even feel guilty for taking a little time for themselves. They feel they should be working harder and putting in longer hours, and feel that any time for themselves is wasted time. The truth is, life is just too short to get caught up in the “busyness” of life. You are human, you need time for yourself, and “you have permission to enjoy life” and have some fun.
There is a saying that goes something like this… “if you don’t make time for your health, you will be forced to make time for your illness.” You must work hard and take responsibility for your life, but it’s important to schedule time to invest in yourself as well. #yesyoucan
PS. We headed down to the beach again this morning, but sadly there was a slight easterly wind blowing, and there were no waves. We still made the best of it, and sat on the beach drinking hot chocolate with our kids! It was another opportunity to hang out together and have a little fun!