Your wellbeing

Over the coming weeks and months all of us will be spending a lot more time at home and apart from our family and friends. This will inevitably mean big changes to our normal activities and routines. As a result, looking after our mental and physical health is going to be very important.

Stay in touch

Staying in touch with family and friends is very important. Making time for regular phone calls and staying in touch online if possible are great ways to keep in contact when we can’t meet face to face.

If you have a mobile phone or computer, now is the ideal time to set up Skype or video calling so you can still see each other. Consider signing up to social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter or Instagram if you haven’t already – it can be a great way to stay in touch and find out what’s happening in your local community.

Think about ways to get creative. Could some of your usual social activities move online or to phone calls? Can you ‘meet up’ with friends or family by arranging a video chat over a coffee or a meal?

Keep busy

Try to keep up with your normal hobbies and activities as far as possible. Whether you’re a keen knitter, a gardening enthusiast or crossword champion, make sure you have plenty of supplies to keep you going. You can order what you need online or ask someone to pick up what you need.

If you're interested in giving gardneing a go, have a look at our tips from a gardening expert 

Explore options for online alternatives, such as digital subscriptions for papers and magazines, e-books or streaming services for music and films. There are also lots of ways to play group games online as well.

It’s time to get creative. If you belong to clubs that can no longer meet face to face, can they still go ahead by phone or online? Now may also be a good time to set yourself a goal, learn a new skill, or take on a group challenge.

Get active

Staying active is hugely important – as the saying goes, ‘use it or lose it’, and this is particularly important around physical activity.

If you haven’t been advised to self-isolate, you can still go out for a walk, jog or bike ride. Just take care to go at times and to places where you are unlikely to come into close contact with others. Team sports are sadly off the agenda for now.

But if you want or need to stay at home, the good news is there is plenty you can do in the house and garden (weather permitting, of course). Whether you’re a regular gym bunny or just getting started, advice and inspiration is available via our website or the We Are Undefeatable website today.

You could also have a look at our advice for moving more each day

Look after yourself

It’s quite likely there will be times we all feel anxious or low in the days and weeks ahead. This is completely normal, so we’ve put together some top tips:

• If you are worried, talking really does help. Take time to chat about how you’re feeling with family and friends.
• Focus on the things you can control rather than the things you can’t. This might mean focusing on getting into a routine and taking small practical steps each day to do what you need to do.
• If you find the news is making you anxious and depressed, try limiting yourself to set times each day to check in on events. Also stick to trusted sources of information.

Public Health England have more advice on looking after your mental wellbeing at home

If you start to feel overwhelmed, some simple breathing exercises can help. Sit or lie down in a way that’s comfortable for you. Take a deep breath in and hold it, at the same time raising and tightening your shoulders, and clenching your fists. Count slowly to 5 as you breathe out. Do this several times.

Don’t neglect your physical health

It’s easy to neglect our physical health when we are worried or distracted, so keep an eye on how you’re doing and follow these simple tips:

• Stay physically active around the house and garden.
• Eat a balanced diet and try to get your five fruit and vegetables a day (tinned or frozen fruit and vegetables are just as good as fresh).
• Avoid drinking too much or smoking.
• Try to get outside for some fresh air. Just sitting in the garden, or on the balcony, or opening a window can help. You may want to consider a short walk if that’s possible (taking care to follow sensible precautions and official advice).
• Get plenty of rest and try to stick to your normal sleeping patterns.

It’s also important to carry on managing any other on-going health conditions. Carry on taking your usual medications and keep doing any recommended exercises, even if it means changing your usual routine.