By Ruth Stevenson

In the demanding world of PR, stress is everyone’s least favourite colleague. While I’m no expert on stress management, with my fair share of hours clocked, I’ve found a work-life balance is crucial. Engaging in foraging, cooking, and regular social exercise has become my secret recipe for maintaining positive well-being amid the hustle.

Living on a farm sparked my interest in foraging, beginning by finding mushrooms and jack by the hedge while checking the sheep, and naturally evolving. At the same time, I took on more of the cooking for my family, going hand in hand with finding wild ingredients to spice up our meals. There’s a certain satisfaction in sourcing directly from the fields and woodlands, and not just because it’s free! It’s about taking time out in the fresh air and doing a simple task that gives the mind space to process all the information it has been busy foraging.

Back indoors, the challenge becomes transforming your foraged treasures into a tasty meal. While cooking for others can be stressful in theory, the reality is, that even if it doesn’t turn out perfectly, they’ll survive one subpar meal. There’s no grand philosophy here, just the joy of creating meals with fresh and sometimes unusual ingredients. After a whirlwind of a day, there’s pleasure in the basics of cooking, and even more pleasure in eating… you hope!

You’ll be pleased to know that, alongside my heaped plate of food, I also serve myself a side of responsibility. In the words of my family, neglecting your body is akin to leaving your best tractor ungreased. To offset the desk-bound days, I try to be active after work, during lunch breaks or at the weekend. However, motivating myself to don my exercise gear and start can be difficult. Being the social PR agent I am, my solution is to see these activities as social endeavours.

More than just food, nature also offers a sense of freedom. During the quieter days of Covid, daily walks became a lifeline for myself and many others – an escape from the confines of home. What began as a necessity has turned into a cherished routine, an opportunity for exercise and connection with friends. Although I no longer do this daily, it’s something I have continued post-Covid, along with starting regular exercise classes and swimming with friends.

What makes these walks special, is the chance for genuine conversations. For me, walking somehow creates a space for open dialogue, where it feels more comfortable to share thoughts. Maybe you find that while driving or doing household tasks. A problem shared is a problem halved as they say, and even if there’s no solution to the cause of your stress, it feels good to get it off your chest.

Engaging in these hobbies has helped me to maintain a balance between my sometimes busy work schedule and moments of relaxation and social activities. The common thread in all these activities is that whatever my mood beforehand, I always feel better afterwards.

In conclusion, my advice to you is to find your ingredients for balance. Whether it’s a walk in the local park, spending a few moments in your garden, or learning how to keep pot plants alive – nature has a way of cultivating and preserving positive well-being. While many skills will help to prevent stress, here’s to finding your recipe for conquering it when it arises.