Our very recent Masher of the Month Christiana Dobbie has very kindly put together some helpful hints to get the most out of a day in the field with Mash.

You have been selected as one of our Mashers who we consider to be extra hard-working and who performs well over long shifts requiring high-energy, which is why we thought you would be suitable for this fun activity! We want you to have the most enjoyable working day as possible and to perform at optimum level right the way through!

Below are a few hints and suggestions we have to make your day go by as comfortably as possible. While they may seem incredibly obvious (or amusing!) to you, and we imagine you will have many of them covered already, please take a minute to go through them as they have been compiled from direct feedback from Mash staff working on previous jobs similar to the one you will be undertaking, so these suggestions from your fellow Mashers may be handy to you:

1) Bring extra water and soft drinks with you than you would normally to work.

2) Eat a good breakfast. And bring plenty of lunch and energy snacks such as bananas, nuts, cereal bars and any other protein-rich snacks. NB. Caffeine and energy drinks only provide short-term boosts followed by an energy ‘slump’! Also avoid too much sugar as it can make energy levels fluctuate.

3) Consider bringing a pack of mints for your breaks (particularly peppermint) which apparently have revitalising properties.

4)Consider bringing extra pair of socks (and foot sprtiz) to keep your feet comfortable.

5) Consider bringing an extra pair of comfy shoes to slip on during breaks. Even if you’re wearing comfy trainers or flat shoes as part of your uniform, a pair of flip flops/sandals etc worn on your break gives feet the chance to cool down and get some air.

6) Consider bringing spray deodorant to pep you up.

7) In a break, rubbing the back of your neck for 60 seconds can stave off an energy slump by improving blood flow to the brain. Try splashing your face for a second with cold water too.

8)  If you are taking part in vigorous activity it might be an idea to stretch beforehand and even on your break if you feel a little achy.

9) Get a good night’s sleep the night before.

10) Avoid drinking excessive alcohol the night before, even the smallest amount can affect your sleep or make you feel a little fatigued the next day.

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Thanks for reading over this, we hope you enjoy the activity and thank you in advance for your hard work!