This month’s health and lifestyle column from Corinne Yeadon, of the Being Better private therapy practice in Skipton

I AM hard pressed to choose between December and June as my favourite month, both equally joyous for different reasons.

I do have my birthday in June and it shocks me when people report not being bothered about their birthdays, for me no-one should work on their special day.

Speaking of not working, holiday season beckons. There may be maximum benefit to health and wellbeing going away, but that’s not always possible. Often people hang on by their fingernails in the lead up to a break, working all hours and cramming as much in as possible before going on leave. No surprise this can lead to being physically unwell during what was supposed to be a restorative break.

We need breaks from the norm, it’s crucial to living a balanced life. Health and wellbeing practitioners ironically can be the worst culprits. The focus is often on the needs of others with a detrimental effect on practitioners’ wellness.

The reality is if practitioners don’t ensure they are topped up and have a battery supply in reserve how can they truly meet the needs of others? Arguably it is also not the best practice.

I recently was fortunate to take part in delivering a workshop caring for carers, the emphasis being on time out and creating space for what is undoubtedly an exhausting and not always chosen or paid role.

I myself am a carer of an adult daughter and this triggered me to heed my own advice. I made the decision to take a two-week summer break. There was a process of dithering but the conclusion was it felt downright sensible and responsive to need.

As I often say to clients, it’s a process, an ongoing balancing act that requires attention and adjustment to genuinely look after ourselves before attempting to be there for others.