World Mental Health Day is on Tuesday 10 October and the focus for this year is all about doing the little things that can make a big difference to your mental wellbeing.
Making time for mental wellbeing and self-care is important – and embedding small things as part of your routine can help you feel better and more resilient.
These small actions can include:
- taking time to do mindful breathing by breathing in and out slowly
- planning an hour of screen-free time before bed
- reviewing your to-do list and breaking down your biggest tasks into smaller, easier-to-manage chunks
- taking a walk
- seeing or getting in contact with a friend or loved one
Search Every Mind Matters for free, NHS approved advice and simple tips to help you look after your mental wellbeing
Five Ways to Wellbeing
The Five Ways to Wellbeing are simple steps you can take to help you feel more positive and able to get the most out of life.
- Connect - good relationships and connecting with others are important to build a sense of belonging and to share positive experiences.
- Be active – being active is not only great for your physical health and fitness – it can also boost your mood.
- Learn - learning new skills and doing new things can boost self-confidence and help build a sense of purpose.
- Give - acts of giving and kindness can help to create positive feelings, a sense of reward and self-worth.
- Notice - paying more attention to the present moment can improve your mental wellbeing.
Support and advice
Our mental health and wellbeing can be affected by many things. We can all struggle sometimes, and it is important to seek support when you need it. There are local and national organisations that offer advice and support:
- Qwell provides free digital mental and emotional wellbeing support for people 18+. It includes a variety of self-care resources and information, peer support forums, and access to accredited counsellors
- Kooth professional online support for emotional wellbeing and mental health, 365 days a year – for children & young people aged 11-18
- Talkworks – free, confidential, service (part of NHS Talking Therapies) for people aged 18+ in Devon (excluding Plymouth), giving you the tools and techniques to improve your mental and physical wellbeing. This is a Devon Partnership NHS Trust service.
- First Response Service – support for anyone 18+ experiencing a mental health crisis, or who have concerns about someone else’s mental wellbeing (18+). Providing access to mental health care, advice and guidance 24/7. This is a Devon Partnership NHS Trust service.
- Mental Health Matters Devon provides a 24 hour, 365 days a year mental health helpline on 0800 4700317 as well as telephone advice and support at The Moorings.
Developing skills and confidence
These evidence-based training courses help to encourage conversation about mental health and wellbeing, including an emphasis on looking after our own mental wellbeing, to better support others.
The three-and-a-half hour courses are delivered online by a network of local trainers and currently available to attend free of charge. For enquiries and availability please contact training@petesdragons.org.uk
- Community suicide awareness – understanding myths, stigma and barriers and how we can challenge these, as well as the importance of compassion
- Emotional resilience – this self-care course increases participants ability to cope with emotional distress, or stressful life events by knowing more about wellbeing, emotions, and how to build our resilience
- Connect 5 – aims to improve population mental wellbeing by changing the way we have conversations about mental health & wellbeing. Training provides participants with tools & techniques to improve mental wellbeing that can be applied within your own everyday life and within your working practice
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