5 Steps for Well-Being from NHS
Evidence suggests there are 5 steps you can take to improve your mental health and wellbeing. Trying these things could help you feel more positive and able to get the most out of life.
1. Connect with other people
Good relationships are important for your mental wellbeing. They can:
There are lots of things you could try to help build stronger and closer relationships:
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Don’t
2. Be physically active
Being active is not only great for your physical health and fitness. Evidence also shows it can also improve your mental wellbeing by:
Find out more about getting active
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Don’t
3. Learn new skills
Research shows that learning new skills can also improve your mental wellbeing by:
Even if you feel like you do not have enough time, or you may not need to learn new things, there are lots of different ways to bring learning into your life.
Some of the things you could try include:
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Don’t
4. Give to others
Research suggests that acts of giving and kindness can help improve your mental wellbeing by:
It could be small acts of kindness towards other people, or larger ones like volunteering in your local community.
Some examples of the things you could try include:
5. Pay attention to the present moment (mindfulness)
Paying more attention to the present moment can improve your mental wellbeing. This includes your thoughts and feelings, your body and the world around you.
Some people call this awareness "mindfulness". Mindfulness can help you enjoy life more and understand yourself better. It can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges.
Read more about mindfulness, including steps you can take to be more mindful in your everyday life.
Information:
The mental health charity Mind also offer information about the 5 ways to wellbeing.
Advice and Resources
Make peace with uncertainty
This situation is one of extreme uncertainty. We don’t know what will happen, how long it will last or what things will be like when it’s over. One thing we do know, however, is that worrying about it won’t change the outcome. Learning how to tolerate the uncertainty is a huge part of building healthy coping skills for ourselves, which we then want to model for our children. Practicing mindfulness helps bring us back to the present.
The following may be helpful:
https://www.home-start.org.uk/Listing/Category/support-for-families-during-covid-19
https://www.childnet.com/blog/keeping-children-happy-and-safe-online-during-covid-19
Useful Apps
Blueice – for managing emotions
Catchit – Learn to manage negative thoughts and look at problems differently
Chillpanda – Breathing techniques to help you relax
Cove – Create Music to reflect emotions
eQuoo – emotional fitness game
Feeling Good: Positive Mindset – Uses audio tracks to help relax your body and mind
Thrive – Use games to track your mood and teach yourself methods to take control of stress
Calm – Meditate, sleep, relax
Headspace – Meditation, sleep, healthy mind
Aura – Personalised meditation