(Updated 11/09/2023)
5 Ways To Mental Wellbeing:
Mental wellbeing doesn't have one set meaning. We might use it to talk about how we feel, how well we're coping with daily life or what feels possible at the moment.
Good mental wellbeing doesn't mean you're always happy or unaffected by your experiences.
But poor mental wellbeing can make it more difficult to cope with daily life.
Tips for improving your mental wellbeing:
5 Ways to wellbeing – see: Five ways to wellbeing - Mind:
Connection:
Connect with the people around you. With family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. At home, work, school or in your local community. Think of these as the cornerstones of your life and invest time in developing them. Building these connections will support and enrich you every day.
Ways we can Connect:
· Ask how someone’s weekend was and really listen when they tell you
· Put five minutes aside to find out how someone really is
· Give a colleague a lift to work or share the journey home with them.
Be Active:
Regular physical activity is associated with lower rates of depression and anxiety across all age groups. Go for a walk or run. Step outside. Cycle. Play a game, gardening and dancing.
Exercising makes you feel good. Most importantly, discover a physical activity you enjoy and that suits your level of mobility and fitness. It doesn’t need to be particularly intense for you to feel good - slower-paced activities, such as walking, can have the benefit of encouraging social interactions as well providing some level of exercise
See the Isle of Wight Activity Finder for links to local groups as well as the Island’ leisure centres: Leisure and Sport (iow.gov.uk)
Or try:
Take the stairs not the lift
Go for a walk at lunchtime or walk into work - perhaps with a colleague – so you can ‘connect’ as well
Have a kick-about in a local park
Do some ‘easy exercise’, like stretching, before you leave for work in the morning
Take notice
Be curious. Catch sight of the beautiful. Remark on the unusual. Notice the changing seasons. Savour the moment, whether you are walking to
work, eating lunch or talking to friends. Be aware of the world around you and what you are feeling. Reflecting on your experiences will help you appreciate what matters to you.
Take some time to enjoy the moment and the environment around you. Here are a few ideas:
Get a plant for your workspace or homespace
Have a ‘clear the clutter’ day
Take notice of how your colleagues are feeling or acting
Take a different route on your journey to or from work
Learn
Try something new. Rediscover an old interest. Sign up for that course. Take on a different responsibility at work. Fix a bike. Learn to play an instrument or how to cook your favourite food. Set a challenge you will enjoy achieving. Learning new things will make you more confident as well as being fun.
Why not learn something new today? Search for Community Events or Courses & Workshops in our Events Section of Isle Find It.
Here are a few more ideas:
· Sign up for a class
· Read the news or a book
· Do a crossword or Sudoku
· Research something you’ve always wondered about
Also see the: Reading well booklist
Reading Well helps you to understand and manage your health and wellbeing using helpful reading.
Give:
Do something nice for a friend, or a stranger. Thank someone. Smile. Volunteer your time. Join a community group. Look out, as well as in. Seeing yourself, and your happiness, linked to the wider community can be incredibly rewarding and creates connections with the people around you.
See community action for volunteering opportunities: https://www.communityactionisleofwight.org.uk/what-we-do/volunteer-centre/
