As we find ourselves in yet another lockdown, check out our monthly guide of the best music, books, websites, apps, podcasts, workouts, You Tube videos and other recommendations to help you unwind and escape from the madness for a while. 

Listen: Celeste – Not Your Muse
Not Your Muse is the debut studio album by 26-year-old British singer/songwriter Celeste, winner of both the Brit Award Rising Star and BBC Music Introducing Awards. Initially scheduled for late 2020, the album’s release was repeatedly rescheduled due to Covid-19. This solid debut features the tracks Stop This Flame, A Little Love and Love is Back. Out now!

Read: Truly Like Lightning by David Duchovny
X Files star and New York Times best-selling author, David Duchovny, is making a name for himself in the world of literature. Truly Like Lightning, David’s fourth novel, is a heartbreaking meditation on family, religion, sex, greed, human nature, and the vanishing environment of an ancient desert. David also reads the audio book! Available now.

Fitness: Dare To Be Active with Dr. LA Thoma Gustin
LA Thoma Gustin is a doctor of physical therapy and former D1 athlete who’s all about teaching us how to move better and stay active. She offers a wide range of workouts on her page—from a 10-minute plank series for beginners, to a 30-minute intense full-body dumbbell routine, to a round-up of simple desk stretches—so there’s really something for every exerciser.

Fitness: Indoor Cycling Videos
Unless you’re in a group class or have a Peloton, stationary cycling can be quite boring. This You Tube channel combats that with loads of virtual cycling content to keep you pedaling through workouts as long as four hours. New videos are released weekly, and the scenery is stunning. Think: A 75-minute pedal around Italy’s Lake Garda, a 60-minute workout in the Austrian Alps, and a 120-minute ride in Southern France.

Listen : Foo Fighters – Medicine at Midnight
The tenth studio album from American band Foo Fighters was originally scheduled for 2020, but was also delayed due to Covid-19. Three singles were released ahead of the album’s release, Shame Shame, No Son of Mine and Waiting on a War. Dave Grohl has likened the album’s sound to David Bowie’s Let’s Dance LP. Out now!

Celebrate: Valentine’s Day
We all need a bit of love right now, so Valentine’s Day has come along just at the right time. Good Housekeeping has some lovely ideas on how to treat your loved ones this year, whilst Country Living shares an inspiring list of 25 Things to Do on Valentine’s Day. Check out the links below.

https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/valentines-day-ideas/

https://www.countryliving.com/entertaining/g5119/things-to-do-on-valentines-day/

Podcast: You’re Dead to Me
Whether or not you can remember what happened in 1066, You’re Dead to Me is the podcast making history accessible for the masses. Self-described as ‘history for people who don’t like history,’ in this podcast Greg Jenner of Horrible Histories is joined by an expert historian and quick-witted comedian. Taking on a new historical period or figure each week, the panel talk through the facts and misconceptions of a topic, from Stonehenge to LGBTQ+ history.

Helplines: We’re all going through a really tough time at the moment, with increased pressures and worries and even more restrictions on our lives. But there is hope of brighter days to come thanks to the rapid roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccinations. Please seek help if you need it and remember to keep talking. 

The Theatre Helpline is a free telephone and email service that provides help and advice to theatre professionals.

Trained staff are available to talk to anyone working in the theatre industry to support you with a wide range of topics that might be affecting your personal or professional life such as bullying or harassment, health issues including mental health, injury and mobility problems, career issues including professional development and training, retirement and care in later life and debt and financial issues.

For all non-theatre staff, the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) offers telephone counselling, health advice covering a wide range of medical and wellbeing issues, personal legal and financial information with an online portal system loaded with further information and templates for your use.

Both services operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and all calls and communications are 100% confidential.

THE THEATRE HELPLINE
Call 0800 915 4617 or email [email protected]

EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME
Call 0800 107 6147 or visit the online portal  www.colleaguesupport.co.uk
(enter code 72135 as your username and password)