Alex B Cann Column - 30th January 2025

A study out this week for breast cancer charity Walk the Walk looks at how much time we each spend looking after ourselves, and the 'me time' tank is collectively running pretty low, with the average person only enjoying 40 minutes' worth. A significant 44 per cent of those questioned acknowledge that they don't make enough time for self care, but nearly all (90 per cent) recognise the importance of doing things that benefit their physical and mental health.

I've taken a week off from my Tameside Radio breakfast show this week, and it's been cathartic to spend time catching up with friends, wake up a little later than usual, and I've even started reading a book for the first time since I went on holiday to Fuerteventura last April. In case you're curious, the book is Butter by Asako Yuzuki, and it's excellent so far. It's a real simple pleasure in life to switch your phone to silent and dive into a good book, and I need to do it more often.

So, what are the most common things people do with their paltry 40 minutes of relaxation time? Let's have a look at the top ten in reverse order...

Go to the gym / exercise - I recently ditched my smart watch, as the paltry step totals achieved were doing nothing to cheer me up. These days, I'm back to an old fashioned digital watch, and making excuses for why I haven't been to the gym since October. I really ought to go, as I paid for a year upfront, and I might as well have set fire to a pile of tenners at this rate. I'm hoping confessing my tardiness in this newspaper inspires me to actually go.

Cook nutritious meals - does popping a 'gym kitchen' ready meal in the microwave count for this one? Probably not. I enjoy it when Mrs C makes healthy veggie meals, if that counts.

Listen to uplifting music - the power of music in affecting your mood is immense, and I'm lucky enough to choose much of what we play on Tameside Radio (your feedback is always welcome!). There isn't much I don't enjoy listening to, and discovering new stuff is always a treat. Streaming has obviously made this a lot easier than the days of mix tapes, but I still think radio has a big role to play in the mix of music listening. Over 90% of people still tune in every week, according to regularly updated industry figures, and there's something special about hearing a song on the radio that you've forgotten all about.

Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables - an Aldi survey out this week shows the average household bins 114 bananas, 99 tomatoes and 94 carrots every year. That's a lot of wasted food!

Drink plenty of water each day - I'm not a fan of those Stanley cups that have become a must have accessory, but I'm working on drinking more water. Doing early mornings since the start of 2017 has made me a little bit of a caffeine addict, so I'm trying to graduate more towards herbal tea.

Spend time in nature - you always feel better after a walk. Especially when you don't bother to count the steps, and don't check your phone along the way.

Read books for relaxation - as mentioned, I'm trying to do more of this, and have imposed a ban on buying any more books this year until I clear some of my backlog.

Watch a TV series or film - so many TV series I haven't seen that have been recommended to me. However, I'm definitely doing my bit on the cinema front, having seen a dozen films on the big screen so far this year.

Get regular sleep - the other advantage of ditching my smart watch is not knowing how rubbish my sleep totals are. I can't understand how anyone fits in eight hours a night, but am trying to get a bit more these days. The 5am alarms hurt too much otherwise.

Go for a walk - this finished at number one in our Top Ten, and is definitely something that's good for your mental health. I sometimes listen to a podcast on my travels, or just enjoy the sounds of nature.

In short, we all need to look after ourselves a bit better, and take a break from the treadmill of life. After all, even though January has felt like a long slog at times, we are not here for a long time.