As ‘heroes of safe and well’, we must all do our bit to ensure that we take care of our own wellbeing. With so much focus on the potential threats to our physical health, it’s important to take care of our mental wellbeing, especially as so many of us navigate change.
Here are some top tips to help you take care of your mental health, reduce feelings of isolation, and feel connected with colleagues while working remotely as we collectively tackle the Coronavirus situation together.
Plan your day
- Find a routine that works for you and try and stick to it. Getting up and washed and dressed each morning will help your mental wellbeing.
- Strike a balance between having a routine and introducing variety into your day. Plan activities to do when you are not working. Set yourself daily goals and enjoy a sense of achievement as you reach them. This time is an opportunity to do something you’ve been meaning to do for a while; read a book, paint the bathroom or tackle a work project.
- If you live with other people then remember to give each other space and respect each other’s privacy.
Stay connected
- Keep a list of phone numbers and email addresses handy so that you can stay in touch with those you care about.
- Agree regular check in times to stay in touch and feel connected with friends, family members and colleagues.
- Arrange fun activities to do each week with family or friends such as online quizzes or virtual coffee catch ups
Enjoy your down time
- Continue to access nature and sunlight whether it be through your window or outside during your daily exercise to improve your mood, concentration and memory. It will also help you sleep better by boosting serotonin levels in the brain.
- Exercise – Exercise releases endorphins and serotonin, giving you that feel good factor, reducing feelings of stress and anxiety. Saying ‘hello’ to people from afar whilst out on your walk reduces feelings of isolation.
- Eat well – continue to eat a balanced and varied diet with as much fresh fruit and vegetables as you are able to, helping you think more clearly, boost your energy levels and keep you physically and mentally healthy.
- Stay hydrated – try to drink two litres of water every day to help you concentrate and think clearly.
- Sleep well – sleep is essential for survival because of its restorative function so aim to go to bed and get up at your usual time each day, even weekends, and try and get some natural light as this helps regulate your body clock. Avoid using an electronic device for at least 1 hour before bed.
- Try some different meditation or breathing exercises to see what helps. Relaxing and focusing on the present can help improve your mental health and lighten negative feelings.
- Revisit hobbies or activities you have previously enjoyed such as reading, craft, playing games or take up a new challenge such as brain teasers or online jigsaws.
- Try and avoid unhelpful strategies such as smoking, drugs or excessive alcohol use.
Limit the news and be careful what you read
- Keep a balance on how much information you read about COVID-19 and if it is bothering you then limit the time you spend on it.
- Seek information at specific times during the day – perhaps just once or twice.
- It is important to stay up to date but ensure information is from reputable sources as inaccurate information can fuel anxiety. Use the Government and NHS websites, as well as the COVID-19 pages on the Insider as your source of truth.
Take regular breaks from social media
- Try watching TV, reading a book or playing a game instead of scrolling through your feeds.
Mute anything which triggers negative emotions
- Mute any WhatsApp chats and hide Facebook posts and feeds if you find them too overwhelming
Be supportive of others
Volunteering to help others not only benefits the recipient. It can also have a profound effect on your mental wellbeing, counter-balancing feelings of stress and anxiety. Phone to check-in on family members, friends and neighbours and create a sense of community and solidarity as you help others through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sources of help
If you’re feeling anxious or isolated, remember that support is out there.
- Speak to your Line Manager in the first instance and let them know how you’re feeling.
- Contact the Occupational Health team
- Shoreside colleagues can contact our Employee Assistance Provider Validium:
Call: 0800 3 58 48 58 (outside the UK +44 141 271 7179)
For online support join: Validium.com/vClub
Username: Carnival
Password: Harbour
- Ships’ Company colleagues can contact GuidanceResources Worldwide
Call: In the UK: 0800 917 5319Web ID: CarnivalEAP - Worldwide: +44 2033 183154
For online support visit: guidanceresources.com - On board: 2222-2222-2222 then 222-222.
Useful Apps to help promote positive mental health:
Headspace – for a simple introduction to meditation and mindfulness and also features a handy ‘Get some Headspace’ reminder to encourage you to practice everyday.
Calm – provides people experiencing stress and anxiety with guided meditations, sleep stories, breathing programs, and relaxing music.
Happify – your fast-track to a good mood with various engaging games, activity suggestions, gratitude prompts to train your brain as if it were a muscle, helping you overcome negative thoughts.