Although written at various milestones of the past months, many of the columns may still resonate with how you’re currently feeling, and help provide advice and support.
For when you feel screen fatigue
In the depths of lockdown, our world shrank to the size of our computer screens, but we quickly realised this wasn’t a healthy way to live. Despite the need to log on every day, Kitty helped us to recognise and combat the effects of being trapped on screen, following the latest research and translating it into practical actions we could all make use of.
Zoom fatigue: staying embodied online introduces us to the phenomenon, explaining why we all find the endless Zooms, FaceTimes, Teams and Skype calls so exhausting. Her reminders to move our bodies, and take breaks are still helpful today. Read it here.
When Zoom fatigue becomes Zoom burnout came when the realisation dawned that we may not be returning to normalcy for a while. Kitty gently reminds us that this exhaustion and inability to face yet another video call is completely normal, and again shares advice for being kind to ourselves and making the calls as painless as possible. Read it here.
Nervous system: what the research says about Zoom fatigue takes stock of how far we’ve come, and looks at the latest research about how to continue to function without an end in sight. Kitty translates the research into bitesize (and achievable) tips that are easy to digest and use. Read it here.
For when you feel out of sorts
For many of us, the pandemic had a huge impact on our mental health and wellbeing. Kitty encouraged us to make more time to notice how we’re feeling and offered help and advice for when we feel overwhelmed.
Interrupting a spiralling mind helped at the start of the lockdown in March 2020, to soothe those frantic thoughts that threatened to take over. Read it here.
Finding comfort when you are sick explains how you can use mindfulness to help when you are feeling unwell (whether Covid-19-related or not). Read it here.
Trouble sleeping shares practical tips for getting you through those sleepless nights, which many of us have suffered from over the past year and a half. Read it here.
For when you need a new perspective
Being stuck inside for months on end led to a lot of us reporting a sense of feeling stagnant and deflated. Kitty’s columns also looked to encourage us to think about things differently, using mindfulness to get out of our own heads, and bring variety to our days.
Stepping out of clock-time encourages us to re-evaluate how we think about time and shows us a new way to appreciate each moment in a mindful way. Read it here.
How to home from work helps us to set important boundaries while spending our entire lives at home. Kitty identifies common stresses and strains, and helps guide us through the delicate balance of working from home during a pandemic. Read it here.
Anxiety: an owner’s manual examines feelings of anxiety and how they can take over. Kitty’s analysis is soothing, and reminds us that we are all just doing our best. Read it here.
Kitty’s MindLetters will return in the next edition of bulletin. To subscribe to the MindLetter, email mindfulness@ed.ac.uk.
Kitty’s five-week Mindfulness and Compassion Course, with Harriet Harris, starts Thursday 4th November: Mindfulness and Compassion Course for Staff,
Images: Sam Sills