It’s the middle of winter, the nights are getting darker and colder, and the weather is pretty damn dull. It’s that time of year when people feel the urge to hibernate. You know exactly what I mean, especially the freelancers out there.
For the humans that work from home, hibernation is a constant lure. When you don’t have to leave the house, why should you? It’s darn cold out there, and snuggling up in your bed is way more appealing. Those of you who have experienced feeling like this will no doubt identify with these symptoms:
- Addiction to fluffy hot water bottles.
- Wearing sweatpants and or PJ’s in the day time.
- Not leaving the house all day because you don’t want to brave the winter blizzard.
- Feeling more sleepy than usual and constantly wanting to take daytime power naps.
- Having a constant supply of hot drinks, cold drinks are banished until spring.
- Wanting to snuggle up with your dog/cat all day, having them on your lap while you try and work.
- Ordering all your shopping online because then you don’t have to go anywhere.
- Surviving on homemade soup, the best hibernation meal of them all, oh the hot soupy goodness.
- Avoiding washing hair for days at a time, going through four cans of dry shampoo a week.
- Bringing your duvet downstairs to snuggle up on the sofa during the day.
- Making meals out of whatever scraps you can find in your cupboards because you can’t be arsed to go to the supermarket.
- Eating more than you should considering the amount of exercise you do has considerable dropped. Doing anything to avoid going out on a run in the blizzard that is taking place outside.
- Inviting people over to your house even though you have to cook because then you don’t have to travel to their house and leave your hibernation nest.
- Having the heating on too high because you have to stay warm during hibernation, right?
I may have been doing some of these things, but not all of them or I wouldn’t be getting any work done. The truth is lately I have been feeling more tired than usual, and this can be particularly frustrating when you are trying to write.
If anything I feel more awake and creative at night. Tonight I went to bed, but I knew I wasn’t going to sleep because I just couldn’t resist the urge to write this article. Anyways, back to the point, I wanted to share some tips on how you can try and resist the urge to hibernate and bury yourself in your duvet for winter.
Image courtesy of Monocromia Photography
Get outside every day, even if it’s just for a walk
Thankfully, I have to walk my dog every day. Each morning I wake up and the last thing I want to do is go out in the cold for a dog walk. However, once I get outside, I feel the fresh air on my face and feel more awake. My daily dog walk is my escape from the world.
Get dressed instead of crawling into your dressing gown
This is a major error. There might be the odd day where you wear your PJ’s all day, but the majority of the time you should be dressed in normal human clothes. I find getting dressed properly and making myself look nice means I am more likely to go out, and I feel much better about myself. Answering the door to the postman in your PJ’s every day is not a good look.
Arrange to meet people
This is more applicable for people who work from home. I sometimes don’t have a conversation with anyone in person but my boyfriend for a few days. That’s when I know I need to head out and find somewhere else to work.
Try and arrange to meet someone, attend a class or go to some sort of club once a week. It will keep you connected to the outside world. One of the things I do every week is volunteer for a local befriending scheme. I also do kickboxing, which is great for getting rid of all that pent up energy from being stuck at home. Which leads me on to my next piece of advice…
Exercise regularly
I have been seriously slacking on the exercise front the last couple of months. It’s partly due to an injury, but also down to my laziness. When I am cold, I find it really hard to get the motivation to do exercise. I love running in the summer sunshine, but the thought of going out in the winter gives me the shivers. Though I know once I make it out I always feel much better afterwards. You don’t have to go out running in the freezing cold, go to the gym, do a home workout or go swimming instead.
If you need a power nap, have one
If you feel exhausted and sleepy, there’s no point trying to carry on with what you are doing. Just take a break, have a quick nap and then try again. Napping for hours on end obviously may not be the best idea, but the odd power nap can recharge your batteries.
Avoid staying at home all day
I get it, there are some days where you just want to stay at home. It’s fine to do this every once in awhile, but don’t make a habit of it. As a freelance writer, I go stir crazy if I stay at home all day. Even if I want to work in my office all day, I force myself to spend at least half the day elsewhere. In a coffee shop, a country pub, or even in the library (OK, I admit it, I got to the library A LOT).
Keep hydrated
Something as simple as not drinking enough water can make you feel sleepy. People often forget to stay hydrated through the winter as temperatures are cooler. Have a big bottle of water constantly at your side and keep drinking throughout the day.
Book yourself in for a pamper
We all spend money on things we don’t really need. I thinking spending some money on some ‘you time’ instead of some new clothes or a handbag is a worthwhile investment. It’s important to take time to relax and do things that will make you feel human again. Book yourself a massage, a spa treatment or a facial. My favorite treatment at the moment is reflexology, it’s a fantastic way to relax and revive yourself.
Eat well
This one goes without saying. Eating absolute crap will only make you feel more tired. Revive yourself by eating some foods filled with goodness for an instant immune system boost. Your diet really does have a huge impact on how you feel. Avoid eating too much sugar, as your energy levels will peak and then quickly drop.
If you feel really exhausted all the time, pay your doctor a visit
If you are really struggling with feeling tired and lethargic, make sure you go to the doctor to rule out any medical issues. There might be something specific that’s making you feel shattered, such as an iron deficiency or having SAD (seasonal Affective Disorder).
Good luck,
The Content Wolf. x
