Look after yourself to look after others

Remember ‘hands, face, space’ to protect yourself and others around you. Keep track of your own mental wellbeing, it’s only natural that your mood will change day-to-day. Try to spot any patterns for feeling low and feeling happy. If you feel alone, reach out. There are so many organisations and services that can help, visit our support page for a list of support services available to you.

Be active

A daily walk, an online fitness session, yoga or whatever works for you. It can sometimes seem intimidating or hard to get into a new routine but the important thing is doing what makes you feel good and remembering how you felt afterwards and giving it another go. Creating an upbeat music playlist or finding an online video of a good routine can impact positively on your mental and physical wellbeing.

Check in on neighbours

Although necessary, social isolation can be lonely. A text, phone call, email or note / letter can help keep in touch, especially if they live alone. It is still possible to offer to pass in shopping or to give a friendly wave or ‘hello’ so long as you are following the guidelines. Sometimes just seeing a familiar and friendly face makes a big difference.

Consider volunteering your time

During these challenging times there are so many good causes needing volunteers who can work responsibly and Covid-safe. Volunteering is a massive booster for positive mental wellbeing and is a great way to meet new people. Searching online for projects and opportunities near you is a good way to get started or contacting local charities and community organisations is another way of finding out about things you can get involved in.

Connect with others

It can be as simple as sending funny memes, gifs, messages or videos to cheer them up. Set up a video chat or regular call, this can do wonders for you and them. If you aren’t confident in talking on the phone or having video calls, you’d be surprised how much a simple message can mean to someone. You will hopefully receive some too.