As the COVID-19 situation is progressing and the Government guidance continues to change, individuals may be feeling anxious, tired and fed up. Mental Health support during times like these is paramount, which is why Care first have worked tirelessly to ensure our services remain available 24/7 throughout the pandemic to provide both emotional and practical support, and to ensure we have every aspect of your overall wellbeing covered.
There are many factors which may have impacted our mood and wellbeing throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of these have been directly impacted by the virus, information overload by consuming too much information, or watching too much news. This can be overwhelming and part of the fatigue is the uncertainty, unpredictability and the unknowns in all of this. Key workers who have worked throughout the pandemic may now be feeling fatigued.
It is important that we take charge and take steps to boost our emotional and physical wellbeing. Some ways to do this could be to try Yoga, meditation, reading, taking baths, getting out in to nature or even watching a funny movie.
These are all great ways to relax your mind. Staying connected with people in our lives is also important, whilst maintaining social distancing, having a video call or by picking up the phone.
Sometimes it may be useful to consider how we can change our approach or perspective in situations. For instance;
Focusing on the future in more positive ways – A routine may help. Think about tasks, chores and responsibilities that you have today. Practice good self-care with healthy sleep habits, healthy food, physical activity, stress relief and protect yourself and others by wearing a face mask in public places and wash your hands regularly.
Try not to focus on the negatives – Worrying about getting the virus or how sick you might get is far from helpful. Allowing the mind to spin into “what if…” thoughts without solutions can lead to heightened anxiety. If a concern is beyond your control, it is important to recognise that you cannot do anything to change the outcome.
Work on letting it go and try to focus on the things in life that you can control; like our own self-care, our routine and positive thoughts about the future.
Tips to beat tiredness
1. Get a good night’s sleep – This may sound really obvious but it is vital to try and get eight hours sleep a night or as close to it as you can. Lack of sleep is likely to lead to feeling run down.
2. Reduce caffeine intake – Try not to drink too much caffeine especially in the evening or before bed.
3. Exercise regularly – Regular exercise can make your feel more energetic and less tired. It hasn’t got to be running a marathon. Just going for a brisk walk can help.
4. Stress management – Although we all have different pressures in our lives it is important to plan time to relax into our days.
5. Plan your week – Cramming everything into one day can make you feel tired for the rest of the week. Try to organise your week as best as you can and make sure you allow some time for self-care and relaxation.
How can Care first help?
If you feel you may need some emotional or practical support, you can contact Care first on the Freephone number.
Care first is a leading provider of confidential, professional counselling, information and advice services. Whilst our BACP accredited Counsellors are available 24/7 to provide support with emotional issues, our expertly trained Information Specialists are available 8am-8pm Monday-Friday to provide advice on any practical issues that may be causing you a stress or worry and help you feel more in control of a situation.
All employees are eligible to use Care first, our services include; telephone counselling, information services and online support. Call Care first on the Freephone number provided by your organisation and you can speak to a professional in confidence.
If you would like to view the Webinar on ‘Burnout & Tiredness’ this is being delivered live on Friday 29th January at 12pm, please use the below link to register for this session –
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3523627316084417295
If you are unable to join the webinar live, a recording of the session can be accessed using the same link above after the webinar has taken place.