Listen to yourself.
We caught up with Rachel Wallis, Crew Services Manager who’s been finding ways to keep busy on board Queen Mary 2 during lockdown.
We all face challenges and have different ways of coping and managing our wellbeing. Particularly in the last year we’ve had to live in such uncertain circumstances and adapt to long periods of isolation and not seeing our loved ones.
The last 12 months have taught me that anyone is susceptible to mental health challenges; even people who come across as so upbeat and held together. They too can have their own internal struggles.
I’ve learnt a lot about myself in the past 18 months and how I deal with my own feelings and emotions. I’m definitely more aware of myself and am working on looking after my own wellbeing more than ever before.
I try to present myself as a person who makes people feel comfortable when talking, whatever the topic. A simple conversation can go a long way and when providing support to others I find it’s important to just listen and never dismiss or invalidate a person’s feelings.
I’m not one to shy away from making a fool of myself, and I believe that everyone should have the opportunity to let their hair down. At Christmas, I paraded around the ship dressed as The Grinch, generally acting like a clown. It felt good to make people laugh and not take things too seriously for a moment.
I’m a very social person and I value the connection I have with friends and family. Working at sea, I’ve built strong relationships with my colleagues and made lifelong friends. At the moment, they can’t all be with me on board but I’m often making the most of the free internet and land 4G to keep in touch over video calls. I do the same with my family and friends at home.
I’ve never been a gym bunny, but I have found exercise that I enjoy. Boxing is a great way to release stress and increase your heart rate. It’s a great cardio and strength workout! If the sun is shining I’ll take the opportunity to walk the deck. I love listening to music, so I have my headphones on and take in the fresh air and vitamin D.
As much as I love technology and keeping in touch with friends on social media, I’m also conscious of minimising my screen time. I’ve recently taken up embroidery which I find very relaxing and I’m currently working on a newborn baby gift for one of my close friends. Hopefully I can finish it in time for her due date!
If I had one top tip for staying positive it would be… find something you enjoy, and build variation into those activities. There are so many options like movies, TV shows and gaming which is great; but try to find things that take you away from the screen and promote mindfulness and relaxation too. Exercise is so important. Don’t be too hard on yourself; even just 20-30 minutes a day will make you feel so much more energised. Do what works for you.
Something I often say to myself when I know I’m about to have a particularly busy and stressful day is “the day will end, no matter what the sun will rise and set like any other day” . This really helps me not to get too worked up. Much like this pandemic will also pass or evolve in a way where we can get back to some sort of normality. You can’t stop time, but you can control what you do with it.
My recommendations:
- ‘Yoga with Adrienne’ on YouTube is suitable for beginners and there’s lots of choice depending on what you feel like doing.
- Painting by numbers is a great way to pass the time and be creative; you don’t have to be artistically gifted for this. During my time at home I had some of my favourite travel photos turned into paintings.
- Get a fitness watch. I bought one during lockdown and it’s been great in motivating me to keep active. For those with an Apple Watch, I recommend Water Minder (hydration) and The Seconds app (for HIIT training).
- Other apps for positive mental health I’d recommend are ‘ Feeling Good: positive mindset’ (audio tracks to help relax your body, mind and build your confidence), ‘Catch It app’ (learn to manage negative thoughts and look at problems differently) and ‘ Mindfulness’ (Meditation, Sleep & relaxation).
Navigating change can be an incredibly stressful and unsettling time. If you’d like to find out more about how you can improve your wellbeing, visit The Insider. To find our wellbeing pages visit our homepage and select either ‘shore’ or ‘fleet’ from the main menu bar. From there select ‘your wellbeing’.