Somethings we do to look after our brains
At Studio Something we work in an in industry that can be pretty relentless and tough on your mental wellbeing, being judged on what your brain comes up with day in day out can test even the most resilient of us.
So, we thought we’d do a wee straw poll of all of us in the tower to see what each of us do to look after our brainboxes, and try to stay a little bit more okay every day.
Emma Lally
Lally here. When things get all too much, I book in a ‘selfish’ evening, sometimes a day if necessary/possible. Time home alone kept free for a bath, a mope, a good feed or terrible film — it doesn’t matter. It’s one night to myself to be quiet and ‘hit reset’. I’m very much a ‘yes (wo)man’ accepting every invite and agreeing to do more than I can sometimes manage —
this paired with work and life commitments, no matter how small (what should we have for dinner? Remember to buy that birthday present. I’m four days late replying to that text. I’m getting texts telling me I’m four days late replying to that text. Must book that doctors appointment. Need to put a wash on. I don’t see my best pal enough. Do we have oregano in the cupboard?… I’m stressing myself out even thinking about it) can be overwhelming. Taking the time to make myself unavailable for the evening or day is my selfish remedy, and one I recommend to all.
Now, who wants my tuppence on the importance of ignoring your mobile phone?
Heather Campbell
Hiya — I’m Heather and I am a compulsive list writer. Even on a day off. When there’s stuff to do and it feels overwhelming — whether it’s work, or trying to fit in a run before seeing your pals, putting up that bloody shelf that’s been sitting there for four weeks AND putting a wash on, and it’s 3pm on a Saturday — writing it all down always makes it feel more manageable, and a good way to prioritise what actually NEEDS done, what can be done later, and when you need to ask someone else for a hand ticking things off that to do list. But it’s important to always have fun and self care things on that list. Swim? DONE. Get drunk with pals? DONE. I make a point to squeeze in something for me on my to do list. Every. Single. Day. Sometimes that is just taking that extra two minutes to blow dry my fringe properly.
I also find exercising really great to just, digest the world a little bit. Particularly running or swimming. It’s really good to just focus on what you’re body’s physically doing — breathing, moving. It’s almost like, “ok, I’m nailing the basics of being a human, come at me brain with what’s next for me to think about.”
And then there’s talking about it. Even something as simple as saying to someone “I’m not feeling myself right now” can be SUCH a relief. You don’t have to shout it to the world if you don’t want to. Not everyone has to know. But you need to have a strong support network around you — whether that’s just your partner, your boss and your cat, or your full squad of 12 BFFs.
Oh and final thing — the power of saying no is HUGE. If you can’t be bothered going to dinner with your pal because you’re really tired, just say no. If someone’s making you feel bad, just say no. There’s a time for yes, but no is really important too.
Jordan Laird
I’m Jordan and Running has saved my brain. It makes me feel good in so many ways. It is the place I think, it’s the place I can get away from everything else, it makes me mentally stronger and I come home grateful for what I’ve got it. Every run I come home from I am infinitely more grateful for what I am coming home to. It sparks ideas. It allows me to find some perspective and it gives me a level of achievement that can be hard to find in my day to day, where projects keep going and the ambition of ‘building a company’ is a never ending goal that if you are not conscious ‘wins’ can be hard to find.
When I ran, I started posting photos on Instagram every mile as a way of giving myself little wins every mile and to force me to keep my eyes up and look for visually interesting things around me, when I did this I was inundated by people asking ‘how I started running’ or looking for some guidance on starting. I felt a wee bit guilty about this as I don’t feel like a ‘runner’ and therefore qualified to impart ‘wisdom’ so to try to find a way to help out I set up a thing called ‘Run Ya Brain’ which is basically a time and a place for people to meet once a week to go run together and if they feel the need or want to, to chat to each other.
Running. Good for ya brain. If ya wanna come run together MAIL me or DM me on the Instaham.
Ken Clark
I’m Ken and there are few things that help me keep the down days at bay. Exercise — It makes you forget about the stuff that worries you. It doesn’t have to be lifting twice your bodyweight or running from one end of the country to the other, it’s whatever you can manage and it helps me more than I could EVER have imagined. Work hard — This may sound counter-intuitive but being busy and staying mentally active is really important for me but also remember that the world won’t end if you don’t get stuff right straight away. I try and stay off my phone before bed and read instead.
Finally, talk to people, open up and let them know that you’re struggling — It’s the hardest bit, but the most important. People care more than you know.
Robert Borthwick
Hello there, I’m Rob and I stick the headphones in and go for a walk. A long walk. If ever there’s a day when anxiety hits or the sads appear, I set about sticking one foot in front of the other. It clears the mind, puts air in the lungs and allows me to add perspective to a day or time that’s not going so well. It’s not just the walking, though. Listening to music has always been a mechanism I’ve used to assist with whatever mood I’m in. Happy? Listen to uplifting music. Sad? Listen to some downbeat tracks. For me, music isn’t about changing the mood you’re in but more about being right there with you; comforting you, celebrating with you, walking with you — whatever it is. It helps me to embrace what my brain’s doing.
Also — working as a Community Manager (social media guy to me and you), it’s given me quite a big realisation of quite how damaging an excess of social media can be for your headbox. When I can, I turn off all notifications and stick my phone on do not disturb. It’s amazing how productive you can be when you’re not glued to your phone, refreshing constant reminders of how fucked the world is just now. I’m going to start doing it more :)
Ian Greenhill
Hiya, I’m Ian and simple things like always making sure I make my bed help me with anxiety, it’s such a simple thing but makes sure I have order right at the start of my day.
I also try and stay off my phone when I’m at home. I can find the ‘keeping up with the Joneses’ aspect of social media as very demotivating and comparing yourself to other is never healthy. Everyone does it — it’s seductive! My wife will often take my phone off me and tell to to read a book, cook something, or even just have a chat with her.
I also think it’s really important to tell the people you care about that you care and appreciate them. As a Scottish man, I think this is the opposite of what my upbringing has taught me — but I’m trying everyday to get better at it.
I also do a thing every morning on my walk to work, in my head I choose something, a tiny thing, that I’d like to achieve in that day. Something that’s so easy you know you can achieve it. It allows me, no matter how bad a day I’m having, to have at least one little win. I don’t need to tell anyone about it, it’s just for me and allows me to feel good even if I’m not feeling so good. ‘Life goals’ are so huge that they can feel impossible — but a personal ‘day goal’ makes you feel like you are getting somewhere.
Also — drinking water, exercise and getting plenty of sleep but don’t beat yourself up if one or all of them slip. You can start a new chapter the next day.
Ruxandra Dragan
I’m Rux. Whenever I’m not busy falling down the stairs or overthinking why I said Hello to someone’s dog in the park, I go grab my bike and head for the hills. Riding my mountain-bike is what saved me from a bad case of anxiety attacks a couple of years back and it’s the best thing I could have ever picked up at the “young” age of 24 (it’s never too late, guys, for reals). The fact that the ol’ mighty brain has to focus on keeping the balance on two wheels when going fast downhill is what helps it take a break from everything else and just be there, on that trail, at that moment.
The fears, the thoughts, the habits, the way I look and sound, what I’ve done or what I’ll have to do, the To do lists and the I’m so done withs — all of that doesn’t matter in the forest. And that’s where I try to be as often as I can. Even when I’m here, writing this.
If you wanna speak to someone mail anyone of us, just go to someone@studiosomething.co, DM us on the tweets or Instagram or EVEN Linkedin (which Ian seems to like for some weird reason), just come say hello if you want to chat.
