Article written by Sandra Quinn – Editor-In-Chief and Creative Director of Quinn’s Quill, a daily online magazine for Munster.
Although it might not feel like it with the cold weather whipping around Limerick the past few weeks, spring has been here since February 1st. But what does that mean for you? Seasons have a lot of power and control over our feelings and mental health, and spring is most definitely the most influential. It is the season of shedding excess emotional baggage and often when people undertake, not only a spring cleaning of the house, but also of the mind.
Tips for your mindful spring clean
- Make a list of all of the good things in your life and jot down why they make you feel good. Try to make a conscious effort to do more of the things that make you feel this way throughout the year.
- Try to identify the things or people in your life that make you feel bad about yourself, make you question good decisions or cause you to experience self-doubt or low self-esteem. Once you have identified these things or people, try to think about ways of eliminating or reducing these negative influences in your life.
- A clean desk is a clean mind, so the experts say. Think about your area of work and try to clear it of any clutter, rubbish or build-up. This will focus your mind on your work when you are working and lead to less distractions while combatting a wandering mind.
- Finish each day with a small written reflection by writing down the good things that happened and how they made you feel. This will help you to focus on the good things in life and how well things are currently going for you, rather than dwelling on the negatives, which will invariably get you down.
A time for change
Statistically, spring is also the time of year when most people consider changing jobs or careers and it could be something you are considering at the moment. There could be a few reasons for your consideration of a job change and they are varied. It could be that you are unhappy or unfulfilled in your current role. Alternatively, it could be that you are experiencing bullying or harassment in the workplace, or that your current job simply does not fit you anymore.
Whatever the reason, if you are unhappy, unduly stressed or increasingly feeling like you are taking work home with you, it might be time to consider changing jobs or changing things up with your current job.
What to think about if you are looking for a new job?
- Try to think about the kind of person you are and what industries or sectors you could apply those traits to, so that you can decide what areas of work you would be suited to.
- Talk to your current employer and see if you could be moved to a different sector or if your role could be varied, as it may be a case of a role getting stale or too familiar and variety might be the solution.
- If you are changing jobs, apply for a variety of roles and try to do as many interviews as possible as it will give you a good indication of what suits you and what roles you are a best fit for.
- Consider what kind of work makes you happy and try to incorporate that into your job search, as you don’t want your work life to be negatively impacting on your home or personal life.
The importance of taking time for yourself
This spring, try to do the best for you and really make a conscious effort to live a life, which is happier, more fulfilling and less stressful. Winter can be a time that brings with it darker emotions, tougher days and as the days are dark for longer, it can sometimes be hard to find the light at the end of the tunnel. However, with spring comes brighter days, the opportunity to get outside in the fresh air more often and of course, sunshine.
There is a quote from Robin Williams that captures much of what I am trying to say with this blog and it goes; “Spring is nature’s way of saying let’s party.” In the spirit of the late and great Robin Williams, it’s time to party, so whip out the dancing shoes, throw on your best outfit, slap on your broadest smile and get ready to party like it’s 1999, as another late and great man, Prince, famously said.
About the author
Sandra Quinn is a journalist based in Co. Limerick and is the Editor-in-Chief of Quinn’s Quill, an online magazine for Munster. She is an avid reader and loves to scribble her thoughts and musings at any opportunity. For more, check out the Quinn’s Quill site or follow Quinn’s Quill on Facebook and Twitter.