Dr. Simone’s Mind Space

Back to school: Transition phase and new academic milestones

Starting a new school year is demanding for everyone within the family. New routines need to be established, stress regulated, adjustment to new academic and social settings digested and contained.

This requires a lot of emotional capacity and stress tolerance by the parents. Being aware of this crucial role as parents is very relevant and parents will notice the positive outcome of a more harmonious home, when providing that emotional outlet. For parents of children of all age groups, building buffer zones is crucial, in order to have the mental space to deal with the children’s emotions. Especially, during the first weeks after the long summer break.

 

A practical family guide:

• Take turns in attending the children vs. alone and couple’s time.
• Structure your family’s week to get an overview of peek times.
• Plan space in your schedule for spontaneous changes.
• Be attuned to your child’s needs and meet them, yet not without boundary setting and consequences.
• Dare to say no. We all reach our limits.
• Give your child the time she/he needs to get ready.
• Provide room for outmost amount of autonomy to children of any age (reduces frustration in the child and parent).
• Allow the child’s physical and mental metamorphosis to happen.
• Include outdoor activities to decompress as a family.
• Spend time with each family member independently.
• Share cooking and meals together to create space for communication and quality time.
• Be a thriving role model for your child.

@drschwank

@unesurcent

@optimalperformancezurich

 

 

State of the Art Fertility Treatment Episode 1

Today’s conversation and first episode of a public health series, with Anna Raggi, MD, gynecologist, reproductive medicine specialist and gynecological endocrinologist. Women's health has always fascinated her, and even as a young doctor she enjoyed listening to her patients, consulting, and advising them. She is very passionate about her work at the Fertisuisse fertility treatment center in Olten and Basel, Switzerland, which she founded with three partners in 2014. She is very grateful that she has became a mother of two children at a relatively young age. www.fertisuisse.ch, www.wirwolltendich.ch

 

@drschwank

@unesurcent

@optimalperformancezurich

Back to school

A time of excitement, anxiety, and increased stress for all family members.

 

How can we best navigate this time to keep the calm and support our little ones the best?

 

• Start the day with a family routine.
• Make every day a special day.
• Prepare school bags the day before to reduce stress in the morning.
• Discuss who likes which snacks and pack them for break times.
• Keep time without plans in the kids calendar.
• Facilitate play dates, sleepovers, etc
• Have time to spend as a family that’s quality time.
• Encourage sports as balance to mental school work.

 

@drschwank

@unesurcent

@optimalperformancezurich

 

Summer time, play time

Many parents around the world are currently spending more time with their children than during their usual working days. School holidays are usually longer than parents holiday weeks off work, resulting in lots of organization, additional financial costs, challenges to meet all family members’ needs, tension, family, couple’s vs. alone time.

 

How to deal with summer break as a family, couple, and individual parent?

 

A practical guide to summer school break:

• Discuss in advance your expectations.
• Plan extra buffer zones to remain spontaneous, flexible, and, reduce tension.
• Engage in activities as a family, yet also set aside time as a couple, and me time for each member.
• Organise support and child care in advance to secure the availability.
• Plan couple‘s time together.
• Agree on times during the day each one takes for me time.
• Meet friends over the day; your house isn’t a hotel.
• Surround yourself with people that feel like sunshine.
• Meet fellow ladies to spend some girls time and chat.
• Choose your own four walls, especially with small children!
• Order dinner in at nights heading to an overcrowded restaurant feels too much.
• Tension and conflicts are normal, when suddenly spending more time together and often in more constrained spaces, outside of anyone’s everyday routines. Get out and get some fresh air!

@drschwank

@optimalperformancezurich

@unesurcent

How to cope with loneliness

After a wonderful time as a couple, leaving the baby with hid grandparents, to suddenly be all alone, needs adjustment!

Such a tough day, making one very sensitive, vulnerable, and thin skinned.

On such a day, it’s important to be extra kind and generous to ourselves.

 

Here comes a list of recommendations:

• Go to a cafe by yourself.
• Stroll around without clear agenda.
• Relax at a place you’d usually would go to.
• Take a nice yoga class.
• Enjoy nature.
• Ring a friend.

@drschwank

@optimalperformancezurich

@unesurcent

Quality of life

How do we define life quality in its core?

Living in today’s societies, constantly being on is difficult. We run around 24/7 in our mind and physically always being on the go, planning the next activity, task etc.

Being and living in the moment isn’t even existing anymore. That’s very sad and concerning, with regards to our mental and physical health. It takes a lot of effort to get into a state of calm and relaxation, when the mind is constantly on overdrive.

 

Tips to unwind:

• Schedule some time in nature, a relaxing class.
• Go offline, everyday for an extended time.
• Observe yourself and your interpretation of relaxation.
• Set a 5min with no plan.

 

@drschwank

@optimalperformancezurich

@unesurcent

Couples time: looking in each other’s eyes

It’s essential for young parents or busy working couples to take time to look into each other’s eyes. Dedicate time just for one another! It will maintain the relationship and spread happiness to all family members.

 

 

@drschwank

@optimalperformancezurich

@unesurcent

Me time at the beach

Happy wife happy life, happy mommy happy family! In order to give, we need to be able to breathe ourselves. Make sure you spend some time alone. May it be a walk along the beach, a yoga class, reading a book uninterruptedly, getting a massage or good night sleep. We can only share our energy if there’s any left.

@drschwank

@optimalperformancezurich

@unesurcent

A practical guide from a global female traveler

Working around the world calls for experience in preparation.

Travel planning:

1. Start your mental inspiration well in advance to imagine the place and increase your “Vorfreude” (anticipation excitement)
2. Pack outfits not clothes!
3. Work with accessories (scarfs, bags, shoes)
4. Shoes: pack a variety of comfort styles for all occasions and long walks!
5. For the flight: a comfortable outfit both for ground and up in the air (a list follows below)
6. For the lounge: focus on light meals, lots of water
7. Relax

 

Flight outfit and essentials:

• Compression socks
• Noise cancelling earphones
• Silk eye mask
• Skin care (sheet mask, cream mask, calming mist, hand cream, lip balm)
• SNACKS the more the better! You never know!
• Wear: cashmere sweater, tights, top, oversize shirt, silk scarf, mules!

@drschwank

@optimalperformancezurich

@unesurcent

Morning Routines for a Confident Day

A guides for a morning routine designed to boost self-esteem and reduce anxiety for the day ahead.

 

Morning steps to self-esteem:

• Get up, look into the mirror and tell yourself: hi good morning, I’m just good enough right the way I am!
• Refresh and pamper your face with a daily practice.
• Practice a morning routine; yoga, meditation, running, a nice walk around the block, a swim. You’ll feel energised and calm for the day.
• Dress for success: choose an outfit you like, flatters your silhouette, and there with boost your self-confidence.
• Breakfast

@drschwank

@optimalperformancezurich

@unesurcent