Stressbusting during the COVID-19 crisis

March 26, 2020

A few tips on self-care!

Over the last couple of weeks, you may have found yourself doing some weird stuff.  Compulsively seeking out new information, speaking a little too fast, not thinking straight or feeling unexpectedly teary, restless or irritable. Maybe waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to get back to sleep…or buying a big bag of rice, even though you don’t really eat rice!

All these things are warning signs that you need to be taking extra special care of yourself right now.  Upping the ante on the self-love!  There are SO many great stress-busting ideas floating around out there at the moment… so we’d like to share our Top Tips to guarantee they work for you!

Plan your relaxation time. 

That’s right – schedule it in, put it in your diary!  Block out at least one hour every day that is dedicated solely to your mental health.

What does that look like?  Well, that depends on what makes you feel happy and content, but here are some great ways to start:

  • Breathe  Controlling your breathing will send a message to your brain that there’s nothing to fear; all is well, no adrenaline needed here thanks brain!  Pretend you’re holding a steaming mug of hot chocolate.  Close your eyes and breathe in the delicious smell, then blow out gently to cool it down, long and slow.  Repeat three times and you’ll be calm as a yoga teacher in a health food shop.
  • motorhome hire self careMusic  Toss your phone in a drawer, turn off the telly and put on some upbeat, happy tunes.  Extra happy-points if you sing along and even more if you shake your groove thing!
  • Sunshine Find a sunny spot (even if it’s just next to an open window), close your eyes, feel the warmth on your face and take slow deep breaths. If you’re able to go outside, take a stroll and count how many different plants and flowers you spot.  Connecting with nature is like swigging from a little bottle of calm.
  • Dream There is a reason why as kids we loved magic and dreams!  Dreams + exciting plans = hope, and happiness…and that’s magic, friends!  If you need a hand conjuring up a little magic, the Gallivanting Oz website will inspire you with lots of bewitching destinations for your next magical motorhome quest!  You could pick up a camper in Cairns and travel back in time to the lush, ancient rainforests of the Daintree, or hire a luxurious motorhome in Sydney to be spirited down the East coast; wandering long sandy beaches, spotting dolphins and sipping soy chai lattes in funky little surfing towns. And what about WA’s pink lakes?  There’s surely got to be a little magic involved in that!  Hire a 4WD campervan in the mystical pearl capital of Broome, then make your way through croc country to Kakadu National Park and tropical Darwin. That’s what dreams are made of – so start planning for the magic!
  • Exercise  We’re not suggesting you run a marathon – in fact, you don’t even need to get all hot and sweaty…you’ll be amazed what even a quick stroll around the block will do for your happiness levels.  Raining? Grab a brolly!
  • Connect  Pick up the phone and call a friend, someone you like and trust.  Let them know that they’re part of your stress-busting plan. Of course, it’s important to voice your fears – to have a rant or a cry…but then rein it in!  Make a conscious effort to chat about good things that have come out of this time; acts of kindness that are happening in the community, or the gratitude you’re feeling for good friends!
  • Take a nap  Sometimes, the thing you need most is sleep.  Put your phone on airplane mode and if your mind is still racing at a million miles an hour after you’ve hopped into bed, try putting on some calming tunes, then slowly tense and release one muscle in your body at a time.

These are challenging times, there’s no doubt about it. Self-care really is so important. Please make sure you have someone you can reach out to for support if you need it.

We know with the current global pandemic that immediate travel may not be on the cards, but when the dust settles, rest assured that the Gallivanting Oz team, will be here to work with you to create your dream motorhome holiday.

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