aromatherapy in lockdown: separating work from home
November 11th, 2020
Aromatherapy can work in many ways with the mind, body and transforming your space. Over these next few weeks, I am going to be working on advice that I can share with you all to help with the rollercoaster of lockdown and how to find comfort in more difficult times. With everyone being encouraged to work from home if possible, my focus point for this week is to showcase how we can create some separation from our essential living space to our working environment. Working from home is different for everyone. For some, it’s a relief. For others, it’s a difficult predicament in which they might not have the space, physically or mentally, to live and work in the same space. Others might fall somewhere in between. With the next lockdown now in full swing, I wanted to share some ideas on how to separate work from home using essential oils.
Diffusion & Inhalation
If you’re living with others, options might be limited and you might have to work in your bedroom. In this case, turning off from your work day and transitioning into ‘down time’ might feel like a task in itself. It’s important to keep an aspect of your bedroom as your ‘safe space’ or your own personal sanctuary. We can create rituals or habits to help cleanse the space to transform it from one to function to another. Working with my clients, one product I usually offer is a surrounding spray which they can use in their bedroom or living area. Most of the time, clients use this before bed to help encourage their mind to fall into a deep relaxation for sleep. In this case, we can use the spray to create a metaphorical line under your work time going into your own time and reset the space. Oils such as Bergamot (Citrus Aurantium Bergamia) and Frankincense (Boswellia Carterii) work really well in cleansing a space and mood alteration. Frankincense is traditionally known for its clearing and cleansing properties, in particular preparing sacred spaces for ritual, meditation and connection. It’s grounding quality works very nicely with the clean clarity of Bergamot. They are both great regulators and have a fantastic quality for balancing out emotions and providing a gentle uplift. Together they create a blissful sense of calm.
Recently, items like diffusers and oil-burners have become more popular in people’s homes. These can also be used to cleanse spaces, alter our moods and reset our energy in between working hours. Essential oils such as True Lavender (Lavandula Angustifolia) and Basil (Ocimum Basilicum) are fantastic for diffusion to help disperse and soothe crowding thoughts from a busy day and to help encourage relaxation. On the flip side, you can also use essential oils to get your day started. If you’re struggling to move away from your home mindset - taking the leap of faith from the sofa to your desk - you can use aromas to help transform your working day. Essential oils such as Rosemary (Rosmarinus Officinalis) and Eucalyptus Globulus are a great way to kick-start and boost focus. You can have the diffuser or oil burner working away in the background whilst your mind gets to work. Recommended use for diffusers and burners: 10-15 drops of essential oil in a water base, using the device for 30 mins max at a time with a break in between. If you don’t have a diffuser or oil burner at home, a couple of drops of essential oil onto a tissue and having it nearby to inhale is just as good!
Creating a ritual for you
There are a variety of ways in which we can help with separation from work life and home life. I recommend always opening a window at the beginning and the end of each day to clear your breathing space. It’s also important to set yourself boundaries and time limits for work and to carve out time for self-care. Simple things like washing your face, spending an extra five minutes to moisturise your face and body, singing in the shower, going for a quick walk and stretching or moving the body are all beneficial. We can count these things as self kindness because we are making the conscious effort to acknowledge body and mind. They all help prioritise our ‘home self’ separate to our ‘work self.’ Building on the idea of aromas, incense and candles can also be a small ritual. Lighting one after each day to tell your brain ‘it’s time to wind down now.’ Using therapeutic methods such as self-massage are also a fantastic way to disconnect and ground ourselves. Head to my instagram (@ek_aromatherapy) where you will find techniques for hand and neck massage as well as facial massage tips. Other options could include a bath or alternatively a foot soak with detox magnesium salts. The feet hold onto a lot of tension and can be easily ignored, so giving them some extra TLC is a fabulous way to help de-stress the body and mind. For massage and baths, I recommend using oils like Roman Chamomile (Chamaemelum Nobile) and Sweet Marjoram (Origanum Majorana) as they’re effective in releasing tension and providing gentle support. Always use a carrier base, such as an oil or lotion, before using essential oils on the body. I recommend using 10ml of a carrier with 8 drops of essential oil.
It’s essential to highlight the importance of allowing your body to relax and find some peace. With the constant demand of our attention, in being so accessible on our phones and now working from home where work hours blend into our own time, we have to find the difference in healthy stress (yes this exists), being over-stressed and allowing the opportunity for our cortisol levels to balance out. These small rituals can create a degree of separation and help with relaxation, which is vital during this time where some of us are limited to one space.
Of course, sometimes even creating these small rituals can seem like a task and hard work, depending on our emotional health and mindset. However, even if we achieve one of them, that’s a good effort towards self kindness. Even if we manage to tip the bottle of Lavender onto a tissue, holding it near you to inhale, you have achieved conscious self kindness and care. As you will hear me repeatedly say, aromatherapy can be your friend in helping you balance out your everyday life and in some ways create a sense of escapism. In this case, we can manage our requirements from work life and home life all in one space, using therapeutic tools like essential oils, massage and a general prioritisation of ourselves. Be kind to yourself because you’re important!