Wise about wellbeing

While you are caring for our patients, or supporting those who provide care, it is extremely important to remember to focus on your wellbeing and to check in with your colleagues too.

There are a wide variety of resources available to you to support your health and wellbeing. Each month, we are sharing practical information and tips as part of our wise about wellbeing feature.

You can access details of the full range of health and wellbeing resources on the staff health and wellbeing hub on AlexNet.

This month, we are focusing on the management of stress, with some advice from NHS Stress Busters.

y Be active: Exercise won't take the stress away, but it can reduce the emotional intensity, helping you have a clearer mind to deal with your problems calmly. y Take control: One of the main causes of stress is the feeling of loss of control. Try and take control to look for solutions to your problems. y Connect with people: In the UK, we work the longest hours in

Europe. This can make connecting with people a challenge. It is recommended to try and plan activities that you will really enjoy at least two nights a week. y Challenge yourself: Try and learn a new skill or take on a new hobby to push yourself, this can help you to become emotionally resilient. y Avoid unhealthy habits: It may appear for a short while that unhealthy habits such as drinking alcohol or excessive caffeine, or smoking, are helping you to cope with stress, but over the long-term it can create more problems. y Help others: Research shows that helping other makes us more resilient. y Work smarter, not harder: Prioritise your workload, accept that your work tray will always be full. y Try to be positive: Try to find the positive side in situations, you could write down three things that went well at the end of each day. y Accept the things you can't change: Focus on the things you can control and try your best.