Bluebird Care’s Family Carer Podcast strives to cover topics and discuss everyday issues that carers face. In this episode, Melanie Cohen, managing director of Bluebird Care Bournemouth and Poole, meets with health and wellness coach Olly Leicester.
This article will take a deep dive into the episode, summarising and breaking down what was discussed so you won’t miss out. Read on to get some great advice, or listen to the episode!
For personalised advice, contact our team at Bluebird Care today.
Discussing Mindfulness With Olly Leicester
In Episode 5 of the Family Carer podcast, Olly Leicester speaks passionately about helping carers maintain their well-being while caring for others. He elaborates on how mindfulness and physical activity can help carers feel better, manage stress, and avoid lifestyle-related health issues.
He starts by saying, ‘I'd like to use that analogy of when you're on the aeroplane. The oxygen mask is dropping down, and you're told to put on your own mask first before you assist others … So that's a really good example of how you can use mindfulness and physical activity to promote your own health.’
Here he highlights the importance of caring for yourself before helping others. He then emphasises how much your caring ability and passion can improve when your own needs have been met, making you a better version of yourself.
Olly’s Top Tips and Exercises for Your Wellbeing
Olly works part-time at a GP surgery and also provides private coaching. He focuses on making small, practical changes that can lead to long-term health improvements.
He shares specific exercises that carers and family can use to help improve their overall health as well as their mental well-being. Here, we’ll elaborate on each of them so you can use them at home.
Five Minute Kitchen Workout
Olly’s ‘five-minute kitchen workout’, is a concept he adopted from Rangan Chatterjee, a lifestyle physician. It involves doing simple exercises while waiting in the kitchen, such as while boiling a kettle or waiting for tea to brew.
Exercises can include squats, push-ups, or calf raises—all done without needing to move location or change clothes. The idea is to use small moments throughout the day to improve physical health.
Olly elaborates, ‘Over a 24-hour period, say, if you make five cups of tea a day, you could do … X amount of squats or X amount of wall press ups or things like that. So it's just getting creative and having fun by doing these things. Then, hopefully then that will lead you into a happier and sort of healthier day’.
Tiny Habits
Olly discusses ‘tiny habits’ as a method for building sustainable lifestyle changes.
He starts by stating, ‘I think I always emphasise progress rather than perfection as well because there's no perfect humans. Too big a goal can often be too overwhelming to even bother starting. So small changes are really big. Let's put it that way because of a book by B.J. Fogg called Tiny Habits.’
In the book, Fogg talks about the concept of creating habits so small that they seem almost too easy to fail. For example, Olly mentions that instead of aiming for a long workout, someone could start with a single push-up or a minute of stretching.
The idea is to establish small, manageable habits that are easy to repeat. This creates a sense of accomplishment and makes it easier to build consistency. Over time, these tiny habits can be expanded, leading to more significant behaviour changes.
Reminders to Breathe
Taking a moment to think about something as simple as breathing can encourage mindfulness and improve your well-being. During our Family Carer Podcast Olly elaborates on how ‘breath reminders’ can help support that.
He talks about his own experience, saying, ‘I like to have like, just pauses throughout the day. … What works for me is I set an alarm on my phone every two hours and it just says breathe. … So it's having these reminders and triggers that get you to sort of reflect and have those breaks in the day.’
He goes on to suggest using common cues throughout your day. These could be waiting at a red light, hearing a phone notification, or transitioning between tasks as reminders to pause and take a deep breath. This helps break the cycle of stress and promotes moments of relaxation.
Specifically, he recommends the 3-4-5 breathing technique. This is where you inhale for 3 seconds, hold your breath for 4 seconds, and then exhale slowly for 5 seconds. Practising this method can lower anxiety, improve focus, and help you feel more present. This can turn even the most mundane moments into opportunities for self-care.
Advice for Carers at Home
For carers unable to take time for themselves, Olly suggests engaging in activities that can be done with loved ones. Walking in nature, dancing, or listening to calming sounds are just a few simple options.
‘You're getting sunlight, you're getting fresh air. You're getting vitamin D and you're moving and hopefully bonding with that other person you're caring for. And it doesn't have to be complicated, like walking or if you've got a dog as well. Try and tick multiple boxes with one activity.’
Every moment counts, and taking just a few minutes for yourself can make all the difference.
Navigating the NHS and its Services
Health coaches or social prescribers are also available at almost every GP surgery practice across the country. These roles, though non-medical, can help you to achieve your wellness goals. Whether that be to guide behaviours or reassessing you and your loved one’s needs.
Olly mentions that you can ask after these services with your GP or even a receptionist. Your GP is likely to provide a referral or guide you towards information about these services in your local area.
‘It's kind of solution-orientated and helps people to help themselves really at home and maybe prioritise or reassess their priorities in life. And maybe identifying what things they're maybe not doing and suggesting ways that people can add in healthier ways of life.’
The National Health Service is there to help you and your family receive support with free or partially funded services. It’s important to take advantage of any available resources so that you can feel more prepared and equipped to face challenges.
Hear From a Range of Care and Wellness Professionals
Being able to discuss different health and wellness topics, techniques and advice with a professional is a great way to get invaluable information. When we provide care for our loved ones at home, it can be easy to become overwhelmed with tasks, expectations and responsibilities. In this podcast, Olly talks about the different methods you can use to help alleviate some of that pressure.
If you want to explore other episodes of our Family Carer Podcast or listen to what Olly Leicester has to say directly, don’t hesitate to jump in. Every episode features a new guest interviewed by our host, Melanie Cohen, to discuss different care topics to support you and your loved one.
