Let’s be honest, after a summer of adventures and long sunny days spent bare feet on the beach, getting back into the swing of school and work can be hard! Any kind of change, including our system adjusting to the return to school or the office, can cause stress. But one thing that can help us cope with stress is how resilient we are.

What is resilience? Resilience is the ability to reframe stress in a positive light: stress can become something to accept and embrace as a regular part of our busy lives, rather than something to fear. It starts with taking care of yourself so you’re able to navigate change and challenges that are a normal part of life.

Here are some things you can do right now to help you and your family with the back-to-work-and-school transition.

Spend time in nature

There’s plenty of research that shows spending time in nature enhances our wellbeing, including reducing our stress hormone levels. Go for a walk in the park at lunchtime or make the most of the extra daylight with a post-work or after-school beach visit.

Eat well

A nutritious diet supports our vitamin and mineral levels, balances our blood sugar and mood, and supplies good energy. Allocate five to ten minutes in the morning to sit down for breakfast and step away from your desk at lunch. Kids benefit from a low sugar breakfast, lots of healthy protein in their lunchbox and wholefood snacks once school is over.

Connect with your community

Connecting with friends, whānau and the wider community is so valuable in building resilience. Being present, playful and having a laugh together is essential to our sense of optimism – one of the cornerstones of resilience. Meeting loved ones for a walk, picking up the phone or signing up to learn a new skill are all great ways of connecting with others. Maybe 2020’s the year you finally learn how to bake as good as your mum, ballroom dance or knit your fur baby a scarf?

Sleep soundly

Prioritising good sleep, even if this means sacrificing some fun stuff at night, will make a world of difference. Feeling rested helps us deal better with the stresses of the day ahead. Start a soothing bedtime routine to help you drift off. It doesn’t have to be complicated, it could be simply switching off your phone and TV one hour before bed, enjoying a cup of sleepy tea or indulging in some meditation (we love apps like Headspace).

Build resilience with Kiwiherb products

For you, try Kiwiherb StressCare. It combines the stress-relieving properties of Lemon Balm and Withania with essential B vitamins. Lemon Balm can help support mental clarity and focus. Withania helps the body adapt better to stress - in other words, increases resilience. This formula can help reduce the effects of worry and nervous tension. Use it every day to boost your stress resistance and help protect against the negative effects of stress including sleep and mood disruption.

If you need immediate stress support, try Kiwiherb StressArrest. This fast-acting liquid formulation combines the traditional relaxant properties of Kava, Passionflower and Withania - try a shot and feel the tension melt away. Use it when needed, like when you’re checking your emails on the first day back!

For little ones, reach for Kiwiherb Kid’s Calm. It’s a dual action formula that soothes both the nervous and digestive systems. The certified organic Chamomile helps relieve irritability and restlessness to support sleep, as well as calm mild digestive discomfort. Sometimes kids feel nervous tension in their tummies, and Kiwiherb Kid’s Calm can support this on both levels. This delicious (read: yummy) formulation can be used for all ages for back-to-school or daycare nerves or even over-stimulation.

All Kiwiherb products use organically certified and locally grown ingredients wherever possible, for maximum goodness.

Always read the label and use as directed. If symptoms persist, see your healthcare professional. Phytomed, Auckland.