Women Out West Wellbeing Tips in Covid Times : simplebooklet.com

Coping in Times of Covid 19 If you find yourself feeling low lonely fearful or anxious in these strange times of Coronavirus at least know that you are not alone It is a very challenging time and this is particularly true if you are feeling more isolated or trapped at home On the following pages we hope to give you a few ideas on how to cope with the new normal to remind you that we are here to support you and also to share resources that may be good for your wellbeing There are some excellent resources available to support you and a great starting place for extra help is on the Every Life Matters website https www every life matters org uk There are also some useful leaflets on this NHS page https web ntw nhs uk selfhelp Visit our website to find out how we can help you During periods of lockdown this will be with online support although in critical cases we may be able to arrange face to face assessments Get in touch or seek out practical help via above links don t wait until you feel worse Join our second Stepping Up Challenge Why not join our walking for Wellbeing challenge It is just for fun and a great way to step out together in spirit for a common goal Visit the website and you ll find the link on the front page It s free and whether you add just a few steps a few kms a month or get really stuck in between now and February you ll be helping us travel round Britain in our second challenge Just scan the code or visit our website to join in Meet the WoW Team It s always good to be able to put faces to names so here is the WoW team From left Rebecca Todd Deborah Paisley Rachel Holliday Rachel Pettit and Aishea Drysder You can connect with us on email at contactus womenoutwest co uk Find us on Instagram Facebook Twitter LinkedIn

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Staying Positive Staying Positive is not always easy and Covid times have added even more challenges to our mental wellbeing The human brain is also inclined to focus on bad experiences while forgetting some of the better ones For example we might dwell on an awkward social moment but forget the hundreds of normal ones By making a point of recognising positive experiences no matter how small it can really help to improve your mood A great start to changing our mindset during difficult times is to record positive moments at the end of the day Aim for three each day this next week And be sure to record something that you have done for yourself maybe a walk yoga cooking or even volunteering Monday 1 2 3 Time for me today Tuesday 1 2 3 Time for me today Wednesday 1 2 3 Time for me activity

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Stress Management Tips Keep in mind that stress isn t a bad thing Stress motivates us to work towards solving our problems It is helpful to reframe thoughts on stress so that it becomes an acceptable emotion The goal is to manage stress not eliminate it Talk about your problems even if they won t be solved Talking about the things that stress you releases hormones in your body that reduce the negative feelings associated with stress Time spent talking with friends and loved ones is valuable Prioritise your responsibilities Focus on completing quick tasks first Having too many to dos can be stressful even if none of them are very big Quickly knocking off small tasks will clear up your mind for larger responsibilities Focus on the basics Stress can start a harmful cycle where basic needs are neglected Remember to focus on your basic needs such as eating well sleeping regularly and exercising Set time aside for yourself Personal time usually gets moved to the bottom of the list when things get hectic However when personal time is neglected everything else tends to suffer Set aside time to relax and have fun every day Keep things in perspective In the heat of the moment little problems can feel bigger than they are Take a step back and think about how important the things are that are stressing you Will they still matter in a week In a year Write about them and develop a good perspective www womenoutwest co uk

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Managing Negative Thoughts Here s how to recognize Negative thoughts Blaming myself Be on the lookout for times when you tell yourself that you ve ruined everything or that something is all your fault Looking for bad news Do you focus on the one bad thing that has happened rather than the five good things Dwelling on the negative will hold you back in a darker place Try to find ways to look at things with a more balanced view Easier said than done but try some of the techniques below Have a go at using the anxiety diary as well Predicting what will go wrong You don t know what will happen tomorrow but it is very easy to guess that something will go wrong Making assumptions can actually become a self fulfilling prophecy Focussing on the worst bits Telling yourself that the whole of something went wrong or was a complete disaster when really it wasn t The more negatively you think the worse you ll feel And the worse you feel the less likely you are to take positive action and see things clearly Replace these negative thoughts With fact with real thoughts When you think I ll never get everything done today you might reframe it as I can start by getting the most urgent tasks done this morning and working out what can wait Replacing your overly negative thoughts with more realistic statements can help you It takes time to change your thought patterns but it will become easier and a habit over time You ll suddenly realise that it has been an easier few hours or few days because you have helped yourself manage your thoughts And remember that talking about worries with friends or family can really help to free up your mind and reduce negative feelings associated with stress And if you just can t calm your mind right now think about doing something that totally absorbs your mind for a little while Reading drawing word search painting then see how you feel And remember the team at WoW is here to help so stay in touch

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Relaxing Safe Place Imagery Creating a visual image of somewhere safe for you can help to create calm and peace of mind Try this when you feel anxious If you notice any negative links or images entering your positive imagery then just discard that image and think of something else Avoid using your home or bed as a safe place Create a new safe place in your imagination You can engage all your senses to build a picture in your mind s eye Start by getting comfortable in a quiet place where you won t be disturbed and take a few minutes to focus on your breathing close your eyes become aware of any tension in your body and let that tension go each time you breathe out Imagine a place where you feel calm peaceful and safe It may be somewhere you have been or seen a picture of or just a peaceful place you create in your mind Look around you in that place notice the colours and shapes What else do you notice Notice the sounds around you or even the silence Sounds far away and those near to you Those that are more noticeable and those that are more subtle What smells do you notice there Focus on skin sensations the earth beneath you or whatever is supporting you in that place the temperature the air anything else you can touch Notice the pleasant physical sensations in your body whilst you enjoy your safe place Now while you are in your safe place you might give it a name or even a word or phrase that you can use to bring that back any time you need to You can linger there a while just enjoying the peace and serenity You can leave whenever you want to just by opening your eyes and being aware of where you are now

Women Out West Wellbeing Tips in Covid Times

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