Why my training as a mental health first aider helped me stay sane in the Coronavirus outbreak

There’s no doubt, the outbreak of Coronavirus (Covid-19) has been life changing for us all, whether you and your friends or family have been directly impacted, or you have had to change the way you work or live.

One big change for me, like many, was going from a busy office filled with friendly colleagues and the buzz that brings for the majority of my working week, to suddenly working from my ‘study’ remote working, and homeschooling my children!

This has meant reliance on different and unfamiliar forms of communication that sometimes have caused feelings of stress, anxiety, boredom, and even feeling unhappy, and disconnected from the outside world.

I have to remind myself that it is OK to feel like this, and that these feelings will pass. This is a temporary situation, and there is light at the end of the tunnel! My daily mantra!

As a Mental Health First Aider, mum, current home schooler, cook, house cleaner and general dogsbody at the moment, I thought it might be useful to share some simple tips that may help you to manage and improve your own mental health and wellbeing during this uncertain time. Some of these have really helped me when my children (or husband) have been driving me up the wall! I have also included some helpful resources at the end of the blog that I hope make a difference to you too.

One thing that has kept me sane, Whether you are a stressed out parent, living alone, caring for someone vulnerable, or simply feeling the effects of lockdown, is to remember we are all in this together and there is lots of help out there if you need it.

Get into a routine

Although tempting as it may be to work through the day in your pyjamas, mentally it is good to establish a routine to distinguish work time from home time. Although I am not working full-time, I am still getting up at the same time and following the same routine as if I was going into the office.

This will really help you to sleep better and wake up feeling refreshed and focused for the day.

Write a ‘to do’ list and prioritise your tasks for the day.

Working remotely right now for most is not how it would be under normal circumstances, and it is easy to get distracted. Try and set 3 clear objectives and outcomes to really help with a sense of achievement at the end of the day and tick them off when you have completed them.

Try and ensure that you stick to your working hours and switch off work phones/laptops at the end of the day. Having worked remotely for a number of years in previous roles, I know how hard this can be, but it really does make a difference to your headspace and gives you time to relax and de-stress.

Separate workspace from homespace

If you are lucky enough to have one, use a separate room to work from so that it really feels as if you are 'going' to work. If this isn't possible, create a workspace that is dedicated solely to work and that you can 'leave' or pack away at the end of the day.

Get moving and get outside (if you can)

Exercising to maintain mental health has always been important. It releases feel-good endorphins and is a great stress reliever which is why, during lockdown it has become even more essential to incorporate exercise and movement into our daily lives. Other benefits include improving focus and concentration at work, and also (hopefully) to enable better sleep which we all need. So why wouldn’t you?

Indoors

If you are unable to venture outside there are a huge number of free exercise classes available on YouTube and via dedicated apps - whatever your preference there is a class out there for you to try. Yoga and pilates are great for mental and physical health, and I have recommended some apps at the end of this blog.

Outdoors

If you are able to venture outdoors, try taking a walk/run/bike ride before you start work or at the end of your working day if you can (observing social distancing measures). It really does help to set you up for the day and then to 'leave' work and wind down.

Whatever you do, make sure you take regular breaks away from your screen and desk, and make sure you have lunch and drink lots of water (something easily forgotten when you are engrossed in work).

Ensure you are connected

Human connection has never been as important as it is right now. Although we don't have the office banter and water cooler chats, this can still be achieved virtually thanks to video calls and instant messaging apps such as Teams, Slack and WhatsApp.

Video calls are a great way of staying connected and are the closest alternative we have to face to face at the moment. Try and use video calls wherever you can and check in with colleagues and your wider team at agreed points throughout the day. To avoid connection 'fatigue', it might help to make colleagues aware of your diary, when you are free and when you are not, for calls.

Try including informal catch ups as well, for example virtual coffee breaks and virtual lunch breaks with individual colleagues as well as teams. Catching up on gossip (or lack of!) can really help.

Stay connected with friends and family too, it is equally as important to maintain your social connections as well as your professional ones.

If you are having a bad day, try speaking to a colleague or friend chatting through your concerns, even to chat about nothing in particular can help put things into perspective.

Reach out for help

We are all working through an unprecedented time and knowing that it is OK not to be OK, and where to find help if needed is critical to our mental health and wellbeing.

We all deal with situations in different ways, working from home will be productive for some, stressful and isolating for others. People feel stressed, become anxious and worn out at the best of times and this is heightened during periods of uncertainty. Remember, if you begin to feel overwhelmed there is help available.

If you can, speak to your Manager, friends or family to see if they can help. Sometimes simply talking things through can give a different perspective on how you are feeling.

Check with your organisation to see if you have access to an EAP (employee assistance programme).

If you have a Mental Health First Aider, check in with them as they will be able to signpost you to relevant help. Speak to your GP, call a helpline (Samaritans are available confidentially at any time on 116 123).

Above all, we wish you well and if there is anything we can do to help you or your organisation, please do reach out, we are happy to help.

With thanks to one of our Guest Bloggers Lucy, who is one of our Associate Consultants , lucy@yourpeople.associates