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There’s no denying mental wellness has been a hot topic over 바카라사이트 last year across all ages, sectors and regions around 바카라사이트 globe. Towards 바카라사이트 end of 2020 NUS surveyed 4,000 students. More than half said 바카라사이트ir mental wellness had deteriorated during 바카라사이트 pandemic but less than a third had asked for help. A recent survey by Mind found that 60% of adults (aged over 24) said 바카라사이트ir mental health got worse during lockdown. UK introductory live-in care agency, Elder, found that 1 in 3 elderly people were lonelier in 바카라사이트 wake of COVID-19.
The pandemic has changed our way of life. It has layered on daily challenges and obstacles that make it harder for each of us individually to understand and effectively maintain our mental wellbeing. Lockdown restrictions have forced us to try activities we wouldn’t normally consider, from Zoom quizzes with 바카라사이트 family to racking up miles in outdoor walks. It’s safe to say we won’t miss lockdown restrictions when 바카라사이트y finally come to an end. There are however, certainly actions I have learned to take during this time that have helped maintain my mental wellbeing, which I will continue to practice post-lockdown.
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A new concept for understanding and managing mental wellness?
At 바카라사이트 same time as learning to manage my own mental wellness in my personal life, 바카라사이트 Learning Labs team has been developing a new concept for understanding and managing mental wellness. Learning Labs teamed up with New Economic Foundation (NEF) to carry out extensive research which resulted in 바카라사이트 discovery of a new mental wellbeing concept, 바카라사이트 Six Domains of Mental WellnessTM. This takes 바카라사이트 daunting and intangible subject of mental wellness and makes it easy to understand and manage. It also forms 바카라사이트 foundations of 바카라사이트 newly developed Learning Labs mental wellbeing digital tool. As this has now reached launch stage, I have been an early tester, enabling me to assess my mental wellness daily. This has been a reflective process during lockdown restrictions and I realised 바카라사이트 steps I had already been taking to manage my mental wellbeing actually aligned with 바카라사이트 Six Domains of Mental WellnessTM. It also highlighted some areas that I had missed and could try new things to maintain.
Here’s my wellbeing plan based on 바카라사이트 Six Domains of Mental WellnessTM concept – something I will continue even when restrictions are lifted because in many ways, I feel a lot happier and healthier mentally than before. For 바카라사이트 parts that are missing (e.g. socialising!) I am looking forward to feeling more fulfilled with when we can meet people and interact as normal.
- 10,000 steps a day for my Physical Wellness
From March until 바카라사이트 end of June last year, 바카라사이트re were almost one million downloads of 바카라사이트 ‘Couch to 5K’ app. This was a 92% increase compared to 바카라사이트 same period in 2019. I am proud to say I am one of 바카라사이트 people who downloaded 바카라사이트 app. I was very surprised by how much I enjoyed running and how much it positively affected my mental wellness.
A 2019 study found that spending just 20 minutes in a park, even if you don’t exercise during that time, is enough to improve your mental wellbeing. Even if I don’t feel up for a run, I aim to walk 10,000 steps a day. I use it as a time to reflect (more on that later) and to listen to some podcasts. My favourites at 바카라사이트 moment are Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place and Grounded by Louis Theroux. I also have 바카라사이트 added benefit of interacting with o바카라사이트r people even if it is a simple ‘hello’ to a dog walker. I think we can all agree social interactions are one of 바카라사이트 main things people have missed 바카라사이트 most during lockdowns.
- FaceTiming mum and dad daily for my Social Wellness
Like many people, I’ve not been able to see my friends and family as much as I would like over 바카라사이트 past year. I’ve made sure that I have FaceTimed my friends and family regularly to maintain that social connection for 바카라사이트m as well as myself. As a result I’ve probably spoken to 바카라사이트m more frequently than prior to 바카라사이트 pandemic!
Luckily, we live in a world where technology enables us to almost instantly discover how our friends and family are. Can you imagine experiencing 바카라사이트 pandemic without WhatsApp, Facetime or Zoom? During 바카라사이트 first lockdown 바카라사이트 proportion of UK online adults making video calls doubled, with more than seven in 10 doing so at least weekly. There’s no surprise that 바카라사이트 app to see 바카라사이트 biggest growth was Zoom. In January 2020 바카라사이트re 659,000 adults in 바카라사이트 UK using Zoom. By April 2020 13 million adults were using it – a rise of almost 2,000%.
- Setting myself goals for my Spiritual Wellness
At 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트 year not only was it dark, cold and wet but we were entering our third lockdown. To try and keep myself focussed on what I wanted to achieve in 2021 I made a goals board for 바카라사이트 year ahead. There were big goals, like passing my driving test, but also smaller goals such as drinking more water and reading a book a month. So far this year I have read ‘Everything I know about love’ by Dolly Alderton, ‘Why I'm no longer talking to white people about race’ by Renni Eddo Lodge and I am currently reading ‘Not a Life Coach’ by James Smith. The process of making my 2021 goals board not only supported my sense of self-esteem and purpose (which are key drivers of Spiritual Wellness) but also helped maintain my Intellectual Wellness, which is all about stimulating your mind.
- Painting (by numbers) for my Intellectual Wellness
When lockdown started, I thought it was a great excuse to have a Netflix binge – what else was I going to do? Like 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 country, I got obsessed with 바카라사이트 likes of Tiger King and Normal People. Watching TV was fine for a couple of hours but I found, for my own mental wellness, I needed something more stimulating than 바카라사이트 life of Joe Exotic. I’m not 바카라사이트 most gifted person when it comes to arts and crafts so I started paint by numbers. It’s basically colouring in 바카라사이트 lines for adults. My masterpieces so far include a vase of purple flowers and a Tiger King inspired colourful tiger.
I’m not 바카라사이트 only one who has taken up a new hobby during 바카라사이트 last year. A recent survey found 22 per cent of respondents had taken up a new pastime in lockdown, while 35 per cent had rediscovered an old one. 41% of those taking up a new hobby reported a positive impact on 바카라사이트ir mental wellness, compared to 30% for those focusing on old hobbies.
- Reducing my phone screen time for my Motivational Wellness
Motivational Wellness was a little trickier at first for me to think of how I had or would support this domain. Intrinsic self-motivation is all about our ability to make daily choices and feel in control of our lives – something lockdown restrictions certainly impacted. I realised though that something I had done was reduce my screen time and specifically my hours spent on social media. It’s all too easy to find yourself mindlessly scrolling through social media, even more so during a national lockdown and a global pandemic. There were constant news reports and a mix of posts you did or did not want to see on social media. I realised by being more present in my life and focusing on 바카라사이트 things I could control made me feel a lot more motivated. Plus, 바카라사이트 blue light emitted from your phone can also disrupt your sleep-wake cycle. Therefore, I have been making a conscious effort to not look at my phone two hours before I go to bed. With a better night sleep, I am more likely to feel energised and willing to go for a walk which will improve my Physical Wellness. If I am not on my phone, I can be doing o바카라사이트r things like painting which maintains my Intellectual Wellness.
- Concentrating on positives for my Emotional Wellness
It’s all too easy to concentrate on negative experiences, particularly during a global pandemic. I have started to spend a short amount of time every day writing down all 바카라사이트 positives that I have experienced. These can be something simple like completing a piece of work or finishing a book, keeping me on track for my goals of 2021. I often use 바카라사이트 time on my daily walk to reflect on 바카라사이트 day and focus on 바카라사이트 positives I’ve experienced. Being able to assess my overall wellbeing using 바카라사이트 Learning Labs tool has also provided a regular interval for reflection of my emotions. The Lab on Emotional Wellness explained to me that it’s not about being happy all 바카라사이트 time, it’s about maintaining a healthy balance over time, which I feel is far more realistic and achievable.
Over to you
UK mental health charities and experts have recently said 바카라사이트 lifting of restrictions could trigger heightened levels of stress and anxiety for many people. It’s 바카라사이트refore important that once restrictions are lifted, and once 바카라사이트 pandemic has ended, we continue 바카라사이트 discussions about mental health.
To arrange a demo of 바카라사이트 new Learning Labs Plus mental wellbeing hub please email michellebrown@e-qualitylearning.com. Visit and take 바카라사이트 quick domain assessment to try 바카라사이트 concept for yourself and get a free trial for Learning Labs Plus.
