HEALTH & WELLBEING
Ways to improve well-being while staying safe How workers can stay happy and mentally well-balanced in these uncertain times… On Friday, March 20 the UK government took the unprecedented step of urging the British public to stay at home and ordering all bars, restaurants, sports clubs and gyms to close for the foreseeable future to slow down the spread of the deadly coronavirus. People who experience any of the COVID-19 symptoms – a persistent cough or fever, for example – have been told they must self-isolate for a period of time.
However, there are several measures that they can take to maintain a positive mood. • Support groups such as Mind (www.mind.org.uk) are available to provide advice and guidance online or over the phone • Maintaining good physical health during quarantine or isolation is key to keeping mentally well. Walking, running or cycling outside can help, although stay a safe distance (at least two metres) away from others. Yoga is also a great stress-buster and can be done at home. For those needing additional guidance on specific poses, there are several decent videos on YouTube
These instructions from the government were entirely understandable, with the death toll from the virus rising on a daily basis. However, it has forced everybody to recalibrate their way of life, to commit to doing things differently until the threat of the virus has passed. Many workers are now doing their day jobs from the comfort of their own home, elderly people and those with underlying health conditions are sensibly staying indoors to avoid infection, and much of the public are using Skype, social media and other forms of communication to keep in touch with their friends and loved ones.
• Video calls with friends and loved ones can be a great way of lifting the mood and reducing loneliness
Some people will cope with making these adjustments but for others it will inevitably have an adverse impact on their mental health and well-being – especially if they live on their own.
• Join an online community. These forums are places where people can make new friends, get inspired and chat about things they’re really passionate about, such as a charitable cause,
• Take regular breaks from social media. Various social channels are rife with rumours and misinformation about the virus. Stick to official sources of information, such as the World Health Organisation website https://www.who.int/
a particular sport or television programmes. For those who like music, British choirmaster, composer and TV presenter Gareth Malone has launched a digital choir, The Great British Home Chorus, to bring together amateur and professional performers around the UK by encouraging them to sing with others online • Learn some meditation and mindfulness techniques. There are several apps such as Headspace that offer tips to alleviate anxiety and stress and get people in a positive frame of mind • Practise the art of planning. Often, poor mental health can result from drifting aimlessly from one hour to the next. While life will be different for the next few months and normal routines may be disrupted, take some time to write down the key tasks that need to be achieved that day. Remember to build in time for little treats, such as exercise or a glass of wine in the evening. Planning gives a structure and sense of order to the day ahead • Above all, reach out. Those who are struggling can pick up the phone to a friend or family member if the sense of isolation gets too much
To the NHS, from Hertfordshire
The Coronavirus epidemic has thrust the world into lockdown. These are very difficult times for many people, and the Herts Chamber is here to help in whatever ways we can, please visit our website for further guidance. In the United Kingdom we are lucky enough to have the National Health Service, and even more so in this critical time as NHS staff fight for us on the
front line. We wanted to show our incredible NHS how grateful we are for all they are doing in these unprecedented times, so with our patron Pearldrop,
we contacted members from around the County to submit a short video to show just how much we appreciate all the NHS is doing!
The video can be viewed on our website and/or Youtube channel. https://youtu.be/FnGZfWIBSIU
Our members have also been showing their appreciation through offering help however they can. If you have a good news case study to share, please email it to editorial@hertschamber.com as we would love to see what you are up to! INSPIRE
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