‘Take 5’ to look after your mental health and wellbeing

January presents challenges for many of us with the dark, winter weather and coupled with a national lockdown, Warwickshire County Council (WCC) wants to remind our residents to Take 5 with advice and tips to help stay mentally and physically well.

WCC’s Take 5 campaign highlights the importance of taking some time for yourself each day. Many of us are under increasing pressure, and taking a moment each day for yourself will help to clear your head, help you refocus and also give you some time to ‘switch off’.

Based on the 5 ways to wellbeing, each week WCC will issue 5 tips of different ways you can work on your health and wellbeing. The 5 ways to wellbeing include:

• Be active
  • Whether it’s a walk, run, home workout or meditation, being active helps you to feel good.
• Connect
  • Building connections can help to improve your wellbeing, whether this is within your local community or taking up a hobby and linking with people who share similar interests.
• Give
  • An act of kindness can help to improve your mood and also help the people around you to feel supported and cared for.
• Keep learning
  • Learning new skills can give you a sense of achievement and confidence, why don’t you try something new or rediscover an old interest?
• Take notice
  • Being aware of what is taking place in the present through your sensations, thoughts and feelings can directly enhance wellbeing.

Councillor Les Caborn, portfolio holder for adult social care and health said: “Our physical and mental wellbeing are both extremely important, particularly for helping us to cope with the many challenges of lockdown. Warwickshire County Council is supporting residents to look after their wellbeing through help and advice as part of the Take 5 campaign. We also have a range of services across the county for people who need further support, still ongoing throughout COVID-19.”

For more information and advice, visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/mental-health-wellbeing/five-ways