COVID-19: Managing Your Mental Health & Wellbeing During the Pandemic by Marty Jacobs

COVID-19: MANAGING YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING DURING THE PANDEMIC

WORKPLACE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELLBEING 1

RETURN TO OUR CAMPUSES COVID-19: BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLAN

COVID-19: BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLAN ACTION TABLE

RETURN TO OUR CAMPUSES APPROACH & POLICY COVID-19: POLICY STATEMENT COVID-19: PREMISES POLICY COVID-19: HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELLBEING RESPONSIBILITIES RETURN TO OUR CAMPUSES GUIDANCE COVID-19: ESSENTIAL INFORMATION FOR THE RETURN TO OUR CAMPUSES COVID-19: ADAPTING OUR INDIVIDUAL BEHAVIOURS ON OUR CAMPUSES COVID-19: MANAGERS’ GUIDE TO COMPLETING A WORK ACTIVITY RISK ASSESSMENT COVID-19: MANAGERS’ GUIDE TO COMPLETING AN INDIVIDUAL HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT COVID-19: DIGITAL SCREEN EQUIPMENT (DSE) COLLECTION AND DELIVERY FROM OUR CAMPUSES MENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING GUIDANCE COVID-19: MANAGING YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING DURING THE PANDEMIC COVID-19: SUPPORTING MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING FOR MANAGERS DURING THE PANDEMIC RETURN TO OUR CAMPUSES FORMS COVID-19: WORK ACTIVITY RISK ASSESSMENT COVID-19: INDIVIDUAL HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT

COVID-19: MANAGING YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING DURING THE PANDEMIC BUSINESS CONTINUITY PLAN

CONTENTS SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION

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SECTION 2: HOW CAN I MANAGE MY MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING DURING A PANDEMIC? 6-7 SECTION 3: EASING OF LOCKDOWN AND EVENTUAL RETURN TO CAMPUS 8 SECTION 4: UNIVERSITY RESOURCES AND SUPPORT

SECTION 5: MANAGING UNDERLYING MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING

COVID-19: MANAGING YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING DURING THE PANDEMIC

SECTION 1

COVID-19: MANAGING YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING DURING THE PANDEMIC SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION Many of us have experienced enormous and unsettling changes to our working lives during the pandemic, whether we are working from home, working on our campuses, or on furlough leave. In every part of the University, we have been creating new workspaces, finding new routines and ways to stay connected, stay well, and to balance our home and work lives.

Why might my mental health and wellbeing be affected during Lockdown?

In this short guide, we will share some strategies and supporting resources to help you to manage stress, build resilience and stay well.

Maybe you are working in unfamiliar ways or on unfamiliar tasks, stretching the boundaries of your expertise, or trying to manage changing priorities. Or it might be that you are facing other challenges in your home environment such as managing your caring responsibilities or having less access to your normal forms of support or coping strategies. Many of us too will find it difficult to cope with minimal social contact.

If you are already managing a mental health issue you may need additional help. A list of the support available and how to access it is provided at the end of this guide.

In these extraordinary times you may find it harder to look after your emotional health and wellbeing. There may be many reasons why this might happen. Every personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s situation is different and there is no right or wrong way to feel.

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Take a moment to look at the examples below and make a note if you are experiencing any of these feelings during the pandemic.

Concern about my safety and well-being

Needing to learn new skills or technologies quickly

Concern for my family and friends

Finding it difficult to draw boundaries between work and home

Worries about the impact on my future career opportunities

Struggling to work whilst caring for others or home-schooling

Dealing with increased tensions in the home environment

Stories of people I help through work are playing over in my mind

Being confronted with illness, suffering or death

Feelings of isolation

Financial concerns

Uncertainty about how the future working environment will feel and operate

Anxiety about returning to working on campus

Concern about the effect of working from home for a prolonged period on an existing health condition or impairment Concern about developing a health condition due to working from home for a prolonged period

Worries that I am not able to deliver my role as I would normally do

Loss of the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;informalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; support that being physically in a workplace can provide

Advice is always available from Occupational Health on how to support colleagues demonstrating any of these stressors.

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SECTION 2: HOW CAN I MANAGE MY MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING DURING A PANDEMIC? Remember that for the majority of us the situation brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented in our lifetime. Is it quite likely that some stress and anxiety will be unavoidable. Some of the suggestions below may help you to manage stress daily and keep it within reasonable limits. Choose those that work best for you personally.

Managing concerns about work and your role n

Talk to your manager or colleagues about your wellbeing at work, particularly if you are worried about work and COVID-19 demands.

Talk to your manager about learning new skills. For example, how do you manage team meetings or keep in contact with colleagues remotely?

Ask for help with IT if you are unsure how to use a particular technology or if you have any challenges with IT in your home environment. Contact colleagues in the ITS Helpdesk or Organisational Development and they will help you or signpost you to the right support.

Try to keep in touch with colleagues; there is no substitute for contact, whether this is through video calls or phone calls. It is very important that structured and unstructured connections with work and colleagues carry on whilst people are working flexibly. For example, if you would usually have checked in with colleagues in person in the office, check in with them virtually as well, whether by video or by call/email.

Consider having break or lunch buddies to encourage you to take a pause in the day; and/or check in with your team at the end of the day so everyone can update the others on what they’ve done, including work and other things that have happened that day.

Try to keep a separation between your work and personal life; think carefully, for example, before connecting with colleagues whom you would not ordinarily link with on forums such as Facebook. Respect the boundaries people have between work and home.

Managing concerns about the pandemic

It can be difficult but try to take “breaks“ from COVID-19 media when needed. Links to information about COVID-19 and how to follow safety measures to prevent infection have been published on the University COVID-19 web pages.

Eat well, get enough sleep and exercise physically every day.

Do an activity you enjoy or find meaningful every day.

Take five minutes out of your day to talk to a friend, family member or other trusted person about how you are feeling.

Take part in community-based support.

Establish daily routines and stick to them.

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Managing a work routine at home Working from home or remotely can be very rewarding. Many colleagues have told us they feel more productive or have more autonomy in the way they choose to work. Not commuting can also save us time which we can then spend in other ways. It can also be challenging, however, particularly if it is an unfamiliar way of working. For some of us, working remotely can bring a sense of isolation. Sometimes our attention wanders, or we miss being with the people in our teams.   It is important to recognise these challenges and not to let them spiral. A structured day can be a good way to address this: n

Designate a place to work that is as free of distractions as you can make it.

Set a routine for working at home. It is important to get up and get started, to take regular breaks including a lunch break, and to finish working and turn off at an appropriate time.

No matter how tempting, avoid working in your pyjamas all day. Try not to lose all your daily routines at once.

Try to set clear tasks for the day: three major decisions or activities is a good day’s work, but keep an eye on ongoing tasks too.

Have a proper lunch break. Stop, make something nice to eat, and eat away from your work area.

Try to get outside and get some natural light if you can do so safely, and try some exercise, again within guidelines on social/physical contact.

Use your diary to clearly communicate to others when you are working and when you are available to speak.

When you are finished work for the day, pack away your work things or leave your work area.

If you are home-schooling or looking after children whilst also working, have a conversation with your manager about any work concerns. Try to set up a routine whereby you have distinct times for working and for helping with school time. Dividing your attention may leave both things suffering.

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SECTION 3: EASING OF LOCKDOWN AND EVENTUAL RETURN TO CAMPUS The University has put in place measures to keep staff safe during the pandemic and the return to campus. We will also make sure these commitments are shared with anyone coming onto our campuses. You can keep up to date with how we are doing this by reading the information on the University webpages. Your manager will also be risk assessing your workplace and your role before you return to campus. You will be included in this risk assessment. Through this, you should identify any health issues that you feel may make you physically more vulnerable. Your manager will take into account any concerns you may have about your mental health or general anxieties you may have about returning to campus. Use the support that is available to you Even with support in place it is still normal to have anxieties about the pandemic. This is a challenging time for the entire University community and, whether you are at work on campus, working at home, or on furlough leave, we will provide support for you. Your Manager Talk to your manager and share your concerns. They will be able to help or work with you to modify or adapt your work temporarily. If additional support is required, they can refer you to Occupational Health. Self-care techniques If you have self-care techniques that work for you, try to make sure that you have what you need. You may need to think differently, for example, by doing exercise workouts from videos instead of attending classes. You may want to consider exploring mindfulness practice or finding ways to help others in your community.

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SECTION 4: UNIVERSITY RESOURCES AND SUPPORT The University has several resources available for all members of staff. These include: n

Building Resilience During Lockdown - In this recorded webinar, the relationship between personal resilience and stress management is discussed to help you to identify strategies to boost resilience whilst we live and work during a pandemic.

Managing Anxiety when Returning to Campus â&#x20AC;&#x201C; In this recorded webinar, Simone Wakelin, our Cognitive Behaviour Therapist (CT), discusses ways to help you or your staff develop CBT techniques to better manage stress and anxious feelings you or your staff may have about returning to campus.

CBT Therapy is offered to all staff following a referral from your line manger to Occupational Health. These one-to-one sessions focus on the concept that your thoughts, feelings, physical sensations and actions are interconnected, and that negative thoughts and feelings can trap you in a vicious cycle. CBT aims to help you deal with overwhelming problems in a more positive way by breaking them down into smaller parts and focusing on how you can remain well in work.

Access to the Employee Assistance Programme: Validium (0800 358 48 58). This is a professional and independent telephone employee assistance provider, offering access to information services such as: n

Whilst some individuals may seem more resilient than others may, resilience is a trait we all have. We can also all learn to be more resilient. A realistic mindset and a mix of values, beliefs, strategies and techniques can help us avoid stress and mental ill health and improve our personal performance. OH Advice is available on resilience.

One off 30-minute sessions for advice on managing anxiety during the pandemic with our OH CBT consultant these sessions can be booked direct through OH; you do not need a referral from your line manager.

Access to Online CBT can be found through Silver Cloud. This offers free online cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) modules in the following areas: n n n n n n n

n n n n n

Counselling support (i.e. signposting and online resources) Legal guidance Financial information Debt advice Health and Well-being information.

Lunchtime Online Yoga - This yoga class will help you pick up some breathing techniques to help deal with anxiety at this difficult time and develop flexibility and strength. Exercises will be aimed to strengthen and lengthen the lower back, hamstrings and shoulders whilst working remotely. Options will be given for both beginners and the more advanced. Every Friday at 12.30pm.

Resilience Stress Anxiety Depression Body Image Sleep They have also created a bespoke COVID-19 module

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REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING

If you are managing an underlying mental health condition you may need additional help.

https://www.nhs.uk/oneyou/every-mindmatters/

People and Culture can offer individual advice and can make you aware of the policies and support regarding the options available, especially if your difficulties are related to caring for someone or childcare, or if you are having difficulties getting in to work.

https://www.gov.uk/government/ publications/covid-19-guidance-for-thepublic-on-mental-health-and-wellbeing/ guidance-for-the-public-on-the-mental-healthand-wellbeing-aspects-of-coronavirus-covid19#dealing-with-a-mental-health-crisis-oremergency

Utilise the support of the Mental Health First Aiders (MHFA) within the University who can signpost you to the correct support. Please contact OH, who will put you in contact with a MHFA.

https://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/covid19/ Pages/wellbeing.aspx

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/coronavirus https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/ coronavirus/

Request a review with your GP or Mental Health Team if required.

Utilise the online external websites as listed below. They often have helplines, particularly MIND.

https://www.acas.org.uk/coronavirus-mentalhealth

The Samaritans are there for you to phone or email 24 hours per day and they can talk to you about any problem, no matter how big or small.

https://www.time-to-change.org.uk/coronavirus

https://www.rethink.org/news-and-stories/ blogs/2020/03/managing-your-mental-healthduring-the-coronavirus-outbreak/

https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/ if-youre-having-difficult-time/

https://www.cruse.org.uk/get-help/coronavirusdealing-bereavement-and-grief

Sadly, you or someone you know may have lost someone close to you through Coronavirus. Cruse Bereavement care offers a range of support specific to COVID-19.

If you or someone you know is at risk of immediate harm due to their difficulties managing mental health then seek emergency support by calling 111, the Crisis Team, calling an ambulance or going to A&E where immediate support can be provided. â&#x20AC;&#x192;

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COVID-19: MANAGING YOUR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING DURING THE PANDEMIC

POLICY CREATOR: PEOPLE & CULTURE Created: 30 July 2020 Amended: Review Date: In line with government guidelines, or as the University considers moving to a new protection level, whichever is sooner. 11