Tick exercise off your to-do list first thing

I am by no means a gym bunny but I know that if I can get a little bit of exercise done in the morning before I go to work, it makes a massive difference to my day. For me, this can be a half hour run, a Peloton class or even a brisk walk. Just enough to get my heart rate up a bit and my body moving. It’s brilliant for my general state of mind, energy levels and concentration throughout the day. Plus of course, I feel like a saint!

Hetti Simpson, director, Big Skies Holiday Cottages & Estates

Start the year with a digital declutter

We made a conscious effort last year to have a digital declutter in January and as the year has gone on it’s certainly due again. Clear out the caches, organise the files, cull the photos, make the notes and do a brain dump. It makes for a much more productive start to the new year, and clears your mind, allowing you to focus on what you should be – either work or family time.

Alex Swift, co-owner, Norfolking Around, Holt

Stop fretting over wrinkles

Wrinkles are the reminders of a life lived; of laughter, smiles and our human ability to show emotion and expression. Why we attach such stigma to wrinkles, it’s a mystery to me. Mature skin is beautiful. I believe that, rather than trying to remove or hide wrinkles, we should celebrate healthy ageing and entering another chapter of our lives. Of course, diet, lifestyle, sleep and stress all play a part in quickening the ageing process so eating well, sleeping well and de-stressing will help greatly. Embrace the little creases and lines. I encourage all my clients to love the skin they’re in.

Marie Reynolds, owner, Marie Reynolds Norfolk Clinic, Reepham

Make time to eat together

Catch up, connect and communicate! Sharing meals is my number one wellbeing tip for 2023. The pleasure of eating increases when a meal is shared and it’s a great time to connect with friends and loved ones. Try to sit down together at least once a day to relax, talk, laugh and share food as well as news from your day.

George Ash, front of house manager, The Suffield Arms, Thorpe Market

Invest in rest

We often see downtime as wasted time, and can even feel guilty for stopping and ‘doing nothing’, whereas in fact we are recharging our batteries and making sure we have the energy and emotional capacity to not only do all the things we want to, but to enjoy them as well. Reframe this as ‘self-care time’ rather than ‘doing nothing’ to help you appreciate the value of time spent this way.

Nadia Hayes, owner, Nadia Hayes Counselling Services, Norwich & online

Plan for the emotional as well as the practical

As parents, considering events such as the morning prep and school run, or maybe the bedtime routine, we often give most of our attention to the practical things that need doing and order of events – and yet it is so often that human element that poses the biggest challenge. Building time into our plans for this – be it resistance to getting dressed, a lack of focus over eating breakfast or mentally allowing time for those extra questions at bedtime – will set ourselves up for success. Reducing the stresses we can feel around these daily events helps take the pressure off the moment and the anticipation of doing it all again tomorrow!

Nadia Hayes, owner, Nadia Hayes Counselling Services, Norwich & online

Press pause for a moment

Meeting friends and family is a great tonic, but taking some time out of your busy schedule to enjoy a bit of time for yourself can give you a real boost. A spa treatment is a brilliant way to do this and definitely my guilty pleasure when I find the time.

Ruth Dickinson, co-owner of Congham Hall Hotel & Spa, near King’s Lynn

Create more balance in your life

Back of woman's head in wooly hat in woodland

If you fancy eating kale every day, exercising seven days a week and cutting sugar and alcohol from your diet then hurrah to you, but I know that would make me super unsociable and pretty damn miserable! It’s about balance and reward for commitment so I try to have a 70/30 approach to life: 70% of the time I try to be good and 30% I let go of all restrictions.

One of my biggest struggles is actually switching off, mostly from work. As the general manager of our bar, restaurant and rooms, as well as overseeing No.Thirty3 The Bakery and Purely Polished beauty salon, it’s fair to say it can be a seven day working week. Reiki is an amazing way to let go and relax, and I am lucky that Purely Polished is right next door which is very handy if I get a last-minute slot of spare time. I also love to walk with the dog and take long hikes on holiday. I especially love the West Highlands and the Isle of Skye – both offer mysterious and magical places to totally unwind. Well, I say walk, as with a 6ft 3in man and only at 5ft 2in myself I tend to have to jog the route!

Rachael Parke, general manager, No.Twenty9, Burnham Market

A little bit of what you fancy

When I am really struggling to get through the day, I simply stop and ask myself what I want. A little bit of what you fancy doesn’t half go a long way to pointing you in the right direction. It could be a cup of tea or it might be to put down the admin and pick up the card, scissors and glue, but it has to be about the little things that nurture and sustain you so that you can grow and flourish long term. Just say yourself, ‘Stop! What do you want?’. I have been doing this long enough to know that some days it will seem impossible to get anywhere with anything. Knowing that those days happen and trusting that a lost day isn’t the end of the world is a really important thing to be able to do.

Amelia Bowman, artist, online

Schedule fun times with friends

Incorporating fun and play into our daily lives is essential for maintaining our overall wellbeing. When we allow ourselves to let go and embrace our inner child, we can tap into a sense of joy and vitality that often gets lost in the hustle and bustle of daily life. Whether playing a round of container golf or socialising with friends and family, engaging in activities that bring us joy can profoundly impact our mental and emotional health.

At Ffolkes, we strive to create a space where individuals of all ages can come together to connect, laugh, and let their hair down. So next time you’re feeling stuck in a rut or overwhelmed, make sure to schedule some fun activities and get together with friends. Your body and mind will thank you for it.

The Ffolkes, Hillington

Sandcastles = mental wellbeing!

Sandcastles are not just for sunny ice-cream days. Now I’m not necessarily talking about a small plastic bucket and spade – take shovels! And as many friends and family that want to join in this crazy, cold activity. Take a flask of hot chocolate and wrap up really warm. Aim big! A good castle needs to be as tall as you with a moat you can jump in! Pure unadulterated childish joy. Passers by will stop and talk to you, some may even offer to help, dogs especially like to get involved!

Emma Mortimer, silversmith, Beach Hut Charm, online

Stop rushing, start savouring

Many of us tend to live life at a million miles an hour (me included), so January is a good time to remember the importance of slowing down. As a nation, we always seem to be in such a rush, hellbent on getting from A to B as fast as possible and cramming as much as we can into our day to day lives.

Are you guilty of taking work home at weekends or spending mere minutes eating your evening meal? There’s a significant increase in people suffering with stress, with fast-lane living certainly one of the causes. But what is the answer? Maybe, it lies within our own county?

Disconnect – I for one love that we still have areas of Norfolk where mobile phones struggle to get a signal. Even better, schedule some time to switch your phone off and enjoy the tranquillity of being out of reach.
Appreciate nature and your surroundings – this is my number one tip. Norfolk has some of the finest beaches and woodlands in the country, so whether you are walking on Brancaster Beach, taking a boat trip to see Blakeney seals, taking in the bluebells at Foxley Woods or stargazing, take time to enjoy your surroundings. My go-to spot to slow down is currently Wild Meadow at Raynham, perfectly peaceful and looking out over the Wensum valley which always invokes that deep sigh of relaxation.
Eat slower – with multiple award-winning producers and restaurants in our region, try and make time to sample them. Food is to be enjoyed and not just to nourish your body. I am guilty of often inhaling my food at speed, not giving myself time to actually taste what I’m eating.

Abbie Panks, head of events and marketing, Raynham Estate, Fakenham

Buy some goats (you herd it here first!)

My top wellbeing tip for 2023 is to buy yourself some goats! The early morning feeds will get you out of bed first thing (early bird catches the worm!), lifting large buckets of feed is great for those upper arms, and their quirky personalities will make you smile when you may be feeling a little grey. Training for a big physical challenge keeps me energised, motivated and focused (swimming Lake Geneva was a highlight for my 2022). I’d also add: try to eat the best of local produce, take brisk walks in the fresh air – and be true to you!

Sam Steggles, owner, The Goat Shed at Fielding Cottage, Honingham

Give your jewellery an MOT

Take photos of all your jewellery items with a ruler for scale. Make a note of what you have, even if rough descriptions. This is invaluable in the event of loss for items you don’t have a formal valuation or full receipt for. Make sure your frequently worn rings (these take a lot more punishment than other items) are cleaned and polished by a professional goldsmith, such as Craig at Sonkai, once a year. This way settings are checked and any repair work can be done before a stone is lost. Tie this in with your birthday, Christmas, anniversary and new year as a reminder and even potential gift idea!

Sara Sweet, co-owner, Sonkai Jewellers, Norwich

Make time for me-time

It is so rare that we prioritise ‘me time’, so I would say putting some time aside to be in a quiet and calming environment can really make a difference to your mental wellbeing. Whether it be an afternoon in a spa or even an at-home pamper with some lovely products and a bubble bath.

Lucy Scriven-Gowing, marketing manager, Park Farm Hotel, Hethersett

Dog walking for a physical and mental boost

Katja Schell owner of Eric & Dolly's Burnham Market

Now’s it’s January, I’m not going to lie, the jeans are rather tight. After all that eating, drinking and celebrating with friends and family, I am most definitely ready for a major detox and cleanse – both physically and mentally.

Having two furry children really does help with both areas. Feeling the winter blues and as though I have gone up at least two dress sizes, I find there is nothing quite like a long, early morning walk through the fields, on the beach, along the marshland to start the day and really clear the mind. Switching the phone to silent, taking in the beautiful scenery (we must admit Norfolk does excel here) and watching Eric and Dolly running free, making their own adventures, is a huge mood lifter.

Luckily, they both enjoy freshly cooked salmon along with baked sweet potato as that’s all Mummy will be eating for the whole of January!

Katja Schell, owner, Eric & Dolly’s, Burnham Market

Take up a new hobby

Learning a new skill is a great way to start the year. Golf has been proven to boost both mental and physical wellbeing. It’s a great activity to get you outdoors, it’s sociable and gets the grey cells going as you suss out your strategy for your next shot! January is a great time to start learning, under cover in the driving range, honing your skills followed by a warming drink in the Stables, and come the summer months you’ll be ready to embrace the season.

Shelley Coventry, office manager, Royal Norwich, Weston Longville

19 wellbeing hacks for busy people

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