A 2019 survey by online estate agent Yopa revealed that 60% of people have been put off moving home because of the stress it causes, rating it higher than having a baby or getting married. In an effort to combat this, Zen Move have started a new programme to help take the stress out of the experience of buying or selling your home.
Stress is a major contributor to mental health problems, including anxiety and depression. Dealing with stress for long periods can lead to physical health problems, such as high blood pressure, headaches and insomnia. With moving house considered one of the most significant causes of stress, those in the process of selling or buying could benefit from some of the recommended stress relief techniques now being offered by Zen Move.
Lucy Lafferty-Brown, a partner at Chester & Co Solicitors, has been practising daily meditation for some time and identified for herself the benefits regular practise can bring. Now, with the launch of Zen Move, she’s using her experiences to help those facing the stress of moving house.
Her unique approach combines a smooth, clutter-free conveyancing service with a free 7-week programme that provides customers with stress-busting tools, from mindfulness training and meditation to tips and plans to help them prepare for their move.
Recognising the financial worries that go hand-in-hand with the process, she is also inviting customers to help set the conveyancing fee by suggesting their ideal budget.
The hope is that the innovative programme will help turn one of life’s most stressful experiences into a more positive one. She said: “I have helped thousands of people move home and I know the strain it puts them under. Sadly, high stress and anxiety seem to have become accepted parts of the process – indeed accepted parts of life– but I don’t think that needs to be the case.
“For me, as both a solicitor and someone who practices meditation and mindfulness daily, I think the intersection of conveyancing and meditation makes complete sense because I know that meditation can change your relationship to stress. And while it might seem quite different or even uncertain to choose a conveyancer who talks about these things, it is clear to me that the old way is broken.”
“I believe it is possible to stop stress ruining people’s moves or souring their first experiences of their new home. In fact, the effects of a stressful, badly managed move could go on for years.
“I want to restore the heart and soul of this process; to help my clients access meditation and mindfulness practices, as well as a host of practical tools and tips, to enable them to manage any stress and anxiety and re-frame their experience of moving house as the joyous and exciting start to a new chapter in their lives that it ought to be.”
For more information, visit the Zen Move website.