Action for Happiness Coping Calendar

Welcome to our Coping Calendar daily challenge, designed to improve and encourage our well-being whilst we are all in isolation.

Action for Happiness issue a series of monthly calendars throughout the year. With the ongoing situation regarding coronavirus, they have issued this special coping calendar to help us all get through this unique time.

We will be using this calendar to keep up our team morale. Releasing an action a day to let you know what team Livius are up to. Along with ideas for you, your business & your family life.

New Action added daily, join in our challenge on social media

Scroll through our daily challenge

or go directly to your next action day

Day 1

Day 6

Day 2

Day 7

Day 12

Day 17

Day 22

Day 27

Day 3

Day 8

Day 13

Day 23

Day 4

Day 5

Day 20

Wednesday 1st April 2020

Day 1 action for happiness coping calendar

Team Livius:

Our plan to stay calm & in contact is;

To set up a staff WhatsApp group, which is for social contact ONLY (no work chat)
Scheduling regular video chats using Zoom to stay in face to face contact
We love staying in contact with our clients anyway, but have offered a “coffee break” chat with them to help keep their mental well-being going
The whole team have also been contacting at least 1 friend/family member a day to have a chat & check up on them

Ideas:

To create your plan today you could;

Schedule a Call with a friend/family member
Arrange a video chat with someone (Facetime, Zoom & Skype are all free tools to do this)
Create a family messaging group (Whatsapp, imessage, facebook are all useful for this)
Engage with an influencer on social media, maybe you follow a fitness trainer, chef or beauty blogger, comment or share their content to start conversation

Thursday 2nd April 2020

Team Livius:

As a safety company we are extremely keen on good hygiene, so we;

Always ensure our hands are washed; Before prepping any food, Every time we leave & re-enter the house and of course after we have used the bathroom
To make it more enjoyable at the moment, we have been using some of the songs going around. Before we left the office our director was making good use of “Happy Birthday” to make use all smile!!
Remember how important our hands our!! I certainly couldn’t type this blog without mine

Ideas:

Making this simple task more enjoyable could really work for your family;

Realise how important your hands are, as a family you could try to carry out your normal tasks for an hour & see how much/little you can still do
Have you seen or tried some of the videos going round social media, we particularly like;
1. Tom Fletchers, How Soap Works with the Kids – well worth a try at home
2. The Handwashing technique demonstration with black ink, again you could try at home with paint
If your family is more musical, get the children to write a song about handwashing that lasts at least 20 secs. So they can sing it each time.

Day 2 action for happiness coping calendar

Friday 3rd April 2020

Day 3 action for happiness coping calendar

Team Livius:

We are so grateful for many things at team Livius, but I asked the team to tell me one from their list;

“I’m grateful for working with such an amazing team, in times like this it’s nice to still feel part of a team.”
“I’m grateful for all my friends & family, being a very sociable (Gemini) person, I couldn’t manage without everyone.”
“I’m grateful for living in this country, not everyone has access a free society & civil country.”

Ideas:

It’s great for our mental well-being to actually write down what we are grateful for as it helps us focus on the positives at this difficult time, try;

Ask your family round the dinner table to name one thing they are grateful for & ask them why
Once you have your list, can you thank anyone? Maybe your grateful for your parents, tell them thanks or maybe your grateful for the spring bulbs flowering, go and weed around them to say thanks
Keep your list somewhere safe, so if your having a bad day you can look back over it for some positive thoughts

Saturday 4th April 2020

Team Livius:

Staying healthy is rather important for us at the moment, one to fight off the virus if we get it & secondly for our mental health. We have chosen to try;

Drinking our water from a bottle so we can aim to drink at least 2 bottles a day. Great for your skin, health, immune system & flushing out any virus.
Eating local honey, this is made by our director’s own bee’s. Honey is amazing for our immune system. We have been eating at least a spoonful a day to try & keep any spring blossom sneezes away.
Balancing our meals. Having a little extra time in a day has also got us thinking. I know I have been aiming to get the correct balance of protein, carbs, veg & health fats on each plate.

Ideas:

You can easily get stuck in a rut with trying to stay hydrated & healthy. Why not try a couple of these ideas;

Track the amount of water you drink in a day & make it into a household competition
Chop fruit into your water & let it infuse to give it a sweeter taste.
Create a weekly tick list and aim to get your 5 a day, every day!
Plan your meals with a food calendar, to keep your shops simple & ensure each meal is healthy.
Get your vitamin D to boost your body by spending time outside. Best of all it’s FREE

Day 4 action for happiness coping calendar

Sunday 5th April 2020

Day 5 action for happiness coping calendar

Team Livius:

Being active isn’t so bad when you can outside, but when the weather is cold, windy & rainy it can make it much harder. We are trying to;

Take daily walks to enjoy the fresh air as well as getting exercise
Some of us are still doing our normal evening classes like ballet & yoga using video conferencing software, so we can even chat to everyone too.
Joe Wick’s PE live on Youtube each morning isn’t just for children, we love it!
One member of the team has also begun NHS Couch to 5K. What an amazing achievement that will be at the end. We are super proud of her.

Ideas:

So, how can you stay active during isolation;

Find a workout video on Youtube, there are loads of different types of exercise available most don’t use any equipment either.
Download a workout App on to your phone, we use LSF, FitStar Yoga & Nike Training Club
Join in with The Green Goddess, Diane Moran on BBC breakfast 3 times a week for a quick fitness hit, you could even video call your grandparents to encourage them to do it at the same time.
If you prefer a less planned version of fitness, how about adapting your normal cleaning routine. Make more trips around the house by moving washing in smaller amounts or do the hoovering as fast as you can to get your heart rate pumping

Monday 6th April 2020

Team Livius:

Some people find it really hard to accept help and it isn’t just the vulnerable that are finding isolation tough;

At the beginning of this pandemic, I wrote a little note card for our elderly neighbour’s next door so they can ring for a chat or let me know what shopping they need.
Team Livius have been ensuring we contact our friends and family regularly & making a note so time doesn’t run away with us.
We have also sent a message out to all our clients to see if we can help them.

Ideas:

Have you thought about how you could contact people? We suggest;

Writing a little note to let a neighbour know they can contact you
If you have a front garden, just getting outside enables you to see many people on their daily exercise
Make a list of family & friends that you could contact and make a note of when you should speak to each person
Why not have a calling day, choose a day each week where you ring round a few people

Day 6 action for happiness coping calendar

Tuesday 7th April 2020

Day 7 action for happiness coping calendar

Team Livius:

Sharing your feelings. A tough one for us all today, but be brave today! A problem shared is a problem halved.

In general, I’m not one to talk about my feelings and I have really been getting back in to journaling (diary writing). Its a great way to get your thoughts down from the day, I also like to write down 1 positive from the day & 1 goal for tomorrow. By writing this down, I feel like i have “put the day to bed”.
Sharing with your work team is also really beneficial, we have been continuing our daily Zoom. We don’t have to join everyday if we don’t want but we can check up on each other. When we have concerns about something we need/want to do we have gotten each others opinions. All in all asking for help!

Ideas:

How can you share your feelings? And ask for help if you need it;

Journaling or writing a diary is the brilliant. No one else needs to see what you have put down, but looking back on your day means you can recognise where you need extra support.
Why not ask your family honestly how they are doing? Is there something in their day that you could help them with? You can have a really open conversation and finish by thinking of 1 positive from the day/week.
Share with someone outside your normal friendship groups. I realise this unusual but hear me out. Sharing with someone that doesn’t know you as well means you can talk about everything without fear of upsetting your family. They can also give you unbiased help.

Wednesday 8th April 2020

Team Livius:

Breathing. Something we all do every minute of every day, but taking time out to focus on it can really calm your body & mind. We are;

Using Yoga breathing techniques at the end of our workouts to calm our bodies. Lie on your back, close your eyes, & focus on each breath in and out for 5 minutes. Only let your mind think about the breathes so all other thoughts drift away.
Take a deep breath in and hold it for as long as you can. Repeat each day and try to beat your time. If you are working on your fitness at the moment, it could be a test of your lung capacity.

Ideas:

Finding the time & breathing technique to suit you can be awkward, why not try;

Finding a breathing technique to suit you. Yes this may seem simple but there are actually a lot of different techniques out there. This is a great resource with 10 different exercises to try.
Fit your breathing session into your daily routine. Do it when you first wake up in the morning or last thing at night when things are normally quieter in your house.
Do your breathing exercise after your daily exercise, a great way to centre your body, relax your muscles & steady your breathing back to normal.

Day 8 action for happiness coping calendar

Thursday 9th April 2020

Day 9 action for happiness coping calendar

Team Livius:

We have been ensuring we call our friends & family over the last few weeks, but are we truly listening.

We have called our loved ones today away from distractions to ensure we are truly listening to them, not putting the washing out while on the phone for example.
We have also tested some active listening techniques, often used in business sales. It really makes the other person know you are truly listening, which is so important at this time.

Ideas:

Have a go at using active listening while calling your loved one, try;

Asking an open ended question, something that they can’t answer in 1 word.
Paraphrasing, repeat a small section of what they have just said to you before expanding. Although don’t do it constantly otherwise the conversation won’t get anywhere.
Clarify, if they ask you a question ensure you understand what they mean by asking.

Just a brief look into active listening over the phone, but great for your relatives & for improving your techniques so once we are back to business as usual you can strive for increased sales.

Friday 10th April 2020

Team Livius:

Getting a good nights sleep is of upmost importance when it comes to our health. It can make or break our days. We are trying;

Journaling on an evening to put the day to bed. We spoke about this the other day, but it really does help with releasing your mind of the days worries.
Have a warm drink, uncaffinated is better. Try a herbal tea (sleep blends are available), Milk or even honey & lemon water.
Keep your bedtime consistent, going to bed at different times can really upset your body clock. Although you may not be working, sleeping for the same amount each night will make you feel much better.

Ideas:

Other ideas that you could try;

Read a book in bed half an hour before you go to sleep, again this takes your mind off normal thoughts & relaxes the body.
Exercise in the evening to tire your body, this doesn’t have to be a full blown HIIT workout just a little light yoga will work too.
Stay away from screens, although many now have dimmed lights in the evening, its still best to stay away from the distraction of scrolling through social media. Some people even recommend “putting your screen to bed” in another room.

Saturday 11th April 2020

Day 11 action for happiness coping calendar

Team Livius:

Noticing the world around us and finding the beauty in our current world can often be tricky, this is what we have found beauty in;

People coming together and caring for each other
Our family and friends
Natures signs of spring with the growth in our gardens
How still the world is during this current pandemic
The cleanliness of the water across the world (ie. Italy)

Ideas:

You can find beauty in the world by;

Finding an item in your house/garden that makes you happy
Consider an activity you do regularly that you look forward to doing. Or maybe it helps you relax.

Sunday 12th April 2020

Team Livius:

Firstly Happy Easter everyone, we will certainly remember this one for a while! Today is a certainly a day for relaxing & family downtime. So a great idea to find a new book, podcast or TV series. We are currently trying;

Race across the World (BBC), great if you love travel with a little reality TV. The next episode is on tonight.
The Nest (BBC), this has really gripped a few of team Livius. All currently available on catch up, well worth a shot.
BBC good food website, they have been great at suggesting recipes for the current situation including their storecupboard collection.

Ideas:

There are so many series out there to try, depending on your interests. You could also have a look at;

Watching back an old loved series, my favourites being (Outnumbered, Miranda, Call the Midwife to name just a few)
Have you tried the virtual tours that are on social media, visiting Zoo’s (chester zoo is great) and Museums.
If you prefer to watch something a little different this channel on Youtube is showing a west end musical every Friday night, all previous ones are also available.

Day 12 action for happiness coping calendar

Monday 13th April 2020

Day 13 action for happiness coping calendar

Team Livius:

Positivity is forming a huge part of keeping our spirits up at team Livius. So today we are going to try;

Turning any negative into a positive – no matter what someone says to you try and find a positive in it.
When we are out on daily walks we are going to ensure we have a chat with everyone we see to spread the positive vibe.

Ideas:

If your looking for ideas of how to spread some positive cheer, have a go at;

Sending someone a positive message
If you have an array of flowers in your garden at the moment, cut a few and form them into a small bunch. Leave them on a neighbours doorstep.
SMILE – the simplest thing we can all do to share happiness. Keep smiling today with all your family.

Tuesday 14th April 2020

Team Livius:

A little bit of fun & nostalgia for you all today. And we would love to hear which games you will be playing, make sure you tag us in your social media. I asked the team this morning which they love, we got;

Monopoly – Yes it causes upset when your loosing but it must be the longest game known to man. Perfect for lockdown.
Snakes & Ladders – A classic in our homes
Kerplunk – Remember pulling those sticks out & being guttered once the marbles dropped. O and who could forget the setup time!!!!
Fustration – The title said it all with this game
Twister – The start of the yoga master, although you used to slip everywhere on that mat.

Ideas:

Some other ideas to try out;

Jigsaw – I have a Wasgij one in the cupboard where you don’t get a picture, maybe time to give it go.
Skittles – In our house we have been saving all the plastic bottles from the recycling so we can have a round of skittles. Great FREE entertainment.
Board Games – Most of us have these hidden somewhere in our homes, but if not many are available online, on phones & tablets. So you can play together as a family.

Day 14 action for happiness coping calendar

Wednesday 15th April 2020

Day 15 action for happiness coping calendar

Team Livius:

We all have projects on our lists, some may have even been there for years. The question is what projects are we tackling.

Personally, I have been tackling my home office. My files were full of paperwork that I didn’t need anymore. Its important to me to make my day to day filing as quick & simple as possible so it doesn’t become a big job. There are some great blogs for this and I like Organise my House.
Health & Fitness is probably featuring more in our lives now than ever before. It can feel hard to improve this during our normal working lives, so take this time to create a programme and work at it now so you can continue once we are back to normal.
Self sufficiency, well sort of! I have a very small garden but growing as many fruit & veg as I can is such a lovely thing to do. This spring I have had so much more time & everything has been planted on time, which is a first.

Ideas:

Most projects will be personal to you, but if your not sure you could try:

Upcycling a piece of furniture that you are not loving as much. We are now trying to recycle & be kind to our environment, so instead of getting rid of your unloved items, turn them into something new.
It is a great time to do that garden. You can still buy plants online or delivered from local nurseries, get designing, weeding and digging that ground. Also great exercise!
Decluttering an area of your home can make life much easier each day. The children could also do this in their rooms all you need are 3 piles; Keep, Donate, Rubbish.

Thursday 16th April 2020

Team Livius:

Music can have a huge impact on our wellness. If you can sing along this is also likely to raise your spirits. So we are looking for;

Random but very uplifting. The Lion King. And know I think of it a lot of Elton John would work for me too.
One of our team members loves a bit of Lionel Richie to get her day going.
Another favourite is George Ezra’s Pretty Shining People

Ideas:

Instead of suggesting songs to you, I thought I would suggest where to look or what to look for. So,

Spotify has a huge range of music. It is particularly useful if you don’t know what to listen to as they have playlists suited to moods, decades & genres.
Youtube is also an easy free music tool. Many people have created playlists so you could just search what you are feeling. Eg. “Thursday Happy Songs”
If you fancy a sing along, Youtube also has many Karaoke channels. Just search your song title followed by karaoke.
Another suggestion is trialing a new radio station. So many of us listen to the same well-known radio stations, see if you can find another one today.

Day 16 action for happiness coping calendar

Friday 17th April 2020

Day 17 action for happiness coping calendar

Team Livius:

Learning something new could give a greater feeling of achievement in this tough time. If doesn’t need to be a huge task. We are trying;

Revisiting old skills. I used to love being creative but rarely have time now. April seems to be a busy month for birthday’s in our family so I have been making cards again.
Moving your home artwork can be a simple yet creative task. Maybe you want to just move these round your rooms or group them together a little more. If your artistic you could create a piece to go in your home.
Cooking. We all need to eat still so you won’t be wasting your time here. Our team are loving baking & learning new skills. Last nights attempt was Mini Egg Cheesecakes which looked incredible.

Ideas:

Other skills you could try;

Learn a new language, great if you are planning a holiday next year.
Make a batch of salt dough & create some decorations with the children. Once baked you can then paint these too.
Do you enjoy being active? If you haven’t tried dance, yoga, pilates & many more, Youtube is full of classes for beginners.

Saturday 18th April 2020

Team Livius:

I think most of us started this period with great intentions to exercise every day. I know I have been rather on and off with this, however we are trying and that is what counts. So today we are;

Create some competition with a few sports day type games in your garden. Egg & spoon, sack race or even skipping.
Just like they did on an episode of Friends many years ago, find a soft ball (or socks) and see how many passes you can do before dropping it.

Ideas:

You could also try;

Share a skill in your house, if your partner is good at Yoga, learn 15 mins with them.
Play with your pet. Run after their ball or toy with them. This will certainly tire you out.

Day 18 action for happiness coping calendar

Sunday 19th April 2020

Day 19 action for happiness coping calendar

Team Livius:

Let’s have a kindness Sunday! This is what we are planning;

We mentioned picking some flowers from your garden & leaving on a neighbours door step the other day, but why not do this again for someone else.
Neighbours are our closest contacts at the moment so if you enjoy baking take a little cake next door for them to enjoy.

Ideas:

If you are in need of some other ideas, you can also do these;

Cooking is forming a huge part our days at the moment, but if its not normally your job cook today to help out. Not only does this help the chef have a night off but it really shows you appreciate them.
Breakfast/Coffee in bed is one of my favourite things on a weekend. Do this for someone in your household to give them a little luxury.
Write a loved one a note to say thank you for something they have done for you recently. This would certainly brighten up my day!

Monday 20th April 2020

Team Livius:

This weekend we showed kindness to others around us, but we must not forget ourselves in this lock down. We promise it’s not selfish! Our self care involves;

Enjoying a bubble bath with a face mask
Having some time out to practice Yoga
Pottering in the garden
Baking goodies

Ideas:

Why not try;

If you like walking or running, get outside and enjoy it.
Skincare is also a great idea if you enjoy face masks and lotions
Indulge in a TV series or film you love.
Crafting is something many enjoy. Maybe that’s art, sewing or making something else.
If you enjoy cooking, find a new challenging recipe and give it go.

Day 20 action for happiness coping calendar

Tuesday 21st April 2020

Team Livius:

I love getting a letter or card through the post although this only really happens at Christmas or Birthdays. Sadly most of the time it’s a bill instead.

Grandparents love receiving cards and letters, so its time to get creative and make a card.
We are delivering food to our loved ones at the moment too, so thought we would slip a note into the bags as an added surprise.
Most of us also have family friends that we don’t speak with regularly, so today is a great day to pop a note in the post.

Ideas:

Looking for some inspiration, how about;

Kirstie’s Keep on crafting has started on channel 4 this week with loads of ideas you could use to put on a card.
If you are good with words, try creating a poem for someone.
A great alternative to contacting some one you know is to write a letter to someone & send it to a care home. You could even begin to have a pen pal.

Day 21 action for happiness coping calendar

Wednesday 22nd April 2020

Day 22 action for happiness coping calendar

Team Livius:

Let’s find some great positive stories out their today, we have seen;

The sky on Monday night when the satellites took to our skies.
The amazing people that are using their time to help others
Businesses that have adapted so quickly to serve their community.

Ideas:

You can find your own positive stories to share by looking at;

Your BBC local news, although they are no longer airing this on TV, it is still available on the BBC website.
A local radio station will let you know everything that is going on in your area.
Social Media, this is probably the quickest media to share a story with your friends.

Thursday 23rd April 2020

Team Livius:

Many of us are using tech a lot at the moment. Of course this has been amazing in terms of keeping in touch with everyone. However today we are;

A social media free day, of course I will be starting after this!!!
Leaving our phones to one side so we don’t see all the news highlights that pop up.
Trying to find other things to do, so no phones, tablets, computers or games today.

Ideas:

How can you go tech free today;

If you can’t quite manage tech free, have a look what your screen time has been this week and try to reduce this today.
Instead of playing electronic games, grab a board game instead.
Put the TV to one side and read a book instead.

Day 23 action for happiness coping calendar

Friday 24th April 2020

Day 24 action for happiness coping calendar

Team Livius:

It is so easy for worries to blow out of perspective at the moment as we have so many things going on! We are going to try letting go by;

In order to let our worries go, we are looking at why something is concerning us, giving it a worry number and then thinking back to when we have a worry of similar value. All of sudden it makes us realise we did overcome these so can do it again.

Ideas:

If you would like to put your worries to one side try;

One tactic to give yourself some time without thinking is to have a background noise. Maybe radio, tv, muic, whatever suits you.
Realise your worries are genuine and you should not be embarrassed by your worry.
Try to put your worry into perpective but only against your own previous worries. Do NOT compare this with other peoples worries.

Saturday 25th April 2020

Team Livius:

We all have different strengths and I think we have become better at spotting these over the last few weeks, our team has shown strength in;

Giving us a new routine to stick with, by having regular scheduled conversations
Keeping us smiling, by sharing funny stories, photos & videos
Optimist, by sharing their hope with us all.

Ideas:

How can you find the strength in others;

With the people in your house, look at what they give you in terms of support.
Decide whether the people around you offer physical or emotional support, maybe its both.
Look at what you are doing at the moment, does anyone have a strength that could help you more.

Day 25 action for happiness coping calendar

Sunday 26th April 2020

Day 26 action for happiness coping calendar

Team Livius:

Back on Day 15 we looked at projects that matter to us, so we thought we would use today to work on our projects that aren’t quite finished;

The office project for me has been happening slowly most days, so today I am going to sort out my final bits and get ready to enjoy the new surroundings from Monday.
Health & Fitness is a continuous goal for all of team Livius, so a step for today is to find a way for each of us to ensure we continue. For me this is using a checklist for each day, others are sharing there journey with friends for accountability.

Ideas:

What steps towards a goal can you take;

The key is to keep it small, don’t take a massive task on as it can feel overwhelming and then lets face it we don’t get anywhere.
Choose a goal to suit the day. Yes this sounds very weird, but if its a sunny day achieve an outdoor goal & if it’s a rainy day do an inside goal. You will be much more likely to achieve.
If your goal is more long term, now is the perfect time to plan how you will maintain it. This could be something simple like making the timing fit your normal life so it will be a habit once we are back to work.

Monday 27th April 2020

Team Livius:

We are supporting each other more than ever at the moment and we must be so grateful for this. So we would like thank;

Our families that we are currently living with. They are always there to help us out when we are feeling low.
Our team members. We were already a close team but I think the way we have all come together has improved our team work even more.
Our lovely clients. I have received so many amazing emails from our clients checking we are ok and I can’t thank you all enough.

Ideas:

Lets make sure no one is taken for granted today;

Your partner or children will be supporting you in some way, even if it’s just making you laugh. Work out what they are doing for you at the moment and thank them.
Your neighbours may have done jobs for you, bought a treat round or just had a chat over the fence. Again this is going to make us all feel better.
Everyone who has sent you a message to say thinking of you.

Day 27 action for happiness coping calendar

Tuesday 28th April 2020

Day 28 action for happiness coping calendar

Team Livius:

It is still hard to plan at the moment we know, but planning something can really give you light at the end of the tunnel. We would like to;

Plan a meal out with our family, we love food and it is often a topic of conversation in the office.
Catch up with friends over drinks. We have missed chatting with friends on a weekend so this will be on our list.
Going out across Yorkshire for a drive, picnic & a walk. We love getting out and about.

Ideas:

What plans would you make;

Plan to go out to your favourite restaurant or pub to support their business.
Visit a beauty spot that you love and make the most of it.
If your children love an attraction arrange a day out. This could be a farm, theme park or place.
No one knows what may happen with holiday’s yet but you could think about places you would like to visit and research these.

Wednesday 29th April 2020

Team Livius:

Connecting with nature generally helps us all feel relaxed. So we are going to;

Get outside for a walk even though the weather isn’t quite what it was.
Continue to keep our gardens in good condition, we are certainly noticing those pesky weeds!

Ideas:

How can you connect with nature;

We think getting outside is the best thing to do. Just getting some fresh air can make a huge difference.
Some flowers have now finished like daffodils but make a note of what flourishes next.
If you are lucky enough to have a garden, see it as relaxation not a chore today and potter.

Day 29 action for happiness coping calendar

Thursday 30th April 2020

Day 30 action for happiness coping calendar

Team Livius:

As we reach the end of our coping calendar today, we need to focus on the work we have done so far to help ourselves & others. So today we are;

Focusing on the feelings that this calendar has bought up over the month
Noticing how we were feeling on Day 1 and the change we have had.
Appreciating what we have achieved over the month.

Ideas:

Have a day of reflection and let’s create a plan for next month;

Look at how you have changed over the month
Notice how much better you feel by having small tasks each day to help ourselves as well as others.
Most of all remember this pandemic will end and we will come out the other side. Stay Happy!!!