Health and Wellbeing News

Habits come in many forms, some are good, some are bad, it is how we monitor and influence our own habits which can make a difference in our everyday lives. Good habits can be formed through discipline and perseverance, by practicing what we want to do more of we can form a habit after a period of time, making it almost second nature for us. However, none of us make an effort to form bad habits, these happen over time from influences and repeating behaviour.

During the COVID-19 Pandemic we have all had our lives disrupted. Our social lives and work lives have changed and we have been restricted to our own homes, our hobbies and good habits have most likely been affected. This has opened many of us up to forming bad habits during this period.

With light at the end of the tunnel and the vaccine rollout in full swing, things are looking like we could return to some form of normality soon. But we don’t want to carry our new bad habits with us so we need to look at breaking them. Below are a few things to think about if you have some bad habits you would like to break.

Identify your bad habits

What are the habits you want to break? Try to work out what triggers you to perform this bad habit. Take some time to track it and see whether there are any patterns, when do you do this bad habit? Is it in a certain place, scenario or with certain people? Being able to identify these things is the first step to recognising how the habit has formed, and what you need to focus on to undo it.

Think about why you want to break it

Why do you want to change this habit? How will it positively benefit you? Thinking about this can help motivate you to get through breaking a bad habit, writing all the reasons down can help draw better focus to the positives that will come.

Don’t be afraid to get support from others

Sometimes recruiting the help of another person can help motivate you to break the habit. Sometimes it could be a habit that you and someone else both want to break such as smoking, or scrolling on your phones too much. By bringing someone else into the challenge of breaking the habit you can support each other through it, give encouragement on the wins and offer support when things are hard.

Replace the old habit with a new one

If you have a bad habit that you’re wanting to break you can try replacing that with a new and better habit. This can mean you hit two birds with one stone, break the old bad habit, and get a new good one. Snacking for example, if you are in the habit of having unhealthy snacks and you want to break it, if you fancy a snack try to replace the unhealthy snacks with more fruit or a healthy alternative.

Don’t beat yourself up if you slip up

Breaking bad habits can take time and persistence, it took time to develop them so it’ll take time to break them too. If you slip up once in a while don’t think that everything you’ve done so far is in vain, these things will happen and it’s important that you continue on your mission to break it rather than giving up at the first slip up. Perseverance is key.

Don’t try to do too much

You may be feeling a new lease of life in anticipation for things returning to some form of normality and you might be feeling like you want to change lots of things at once, but don’t overdo it. Trying to break too many bad habits, or create too many new good habits at once can often be a little too much and it’s more likely that you struggle to fulfil each one which will demotivate you making it even harder to do

Useful sources & more Information:

Some of the information sourced for this article was originally published by Healthline. If you would like to access this and further information in more detail please follow the link below –

https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-break-a-habit

If you would like to view the Webinar on ‘Breaking Bad Habits’ is being delivered live on Friday 16th April at 12:00pm please use the following link to register for this session –

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4604186663616388876

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.

If you feel you may need some support, you can contact Care first. Care first is a leading provider of confidential, professional counselling, information and advice services. 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.

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 are paramount, which is why Care first have worked tirelessly to ensure our services remain available 24/7 throughout the pandemic to provide emotional and practical support and ensure we have every aspect of your overall wellbeing covered.

Coronavirus fraud –

Fraud is a crime that can happen to absolutely anyone. Often, when someone is a victim of a fraud, they are not certain if a crime has been committed or how to report what has happened to them. Many frauds go unreported by victims because of personal embarrassment. It is likely that if a fraud has been committed against you, someone has also suffered a similar crime, so you are not alone.

Organisations can also be targeted by fraudsters online through hacking, account compromise or online extortion. With the current situation and with many employees working from home. Security may not be quite as robust as in the office and new ways of working may be targeted by fraudsters. This in turn leads to new ways fraudsters can manipulate their way in to steal and coerce information and money out of businesses. This could lead to the revenue, reputation and long-term health of a business being at risk.

Unfortunately times like these are goldmines for fraudsters. The best way to prevent yourself from becoming a victim of fraud is knowledge.

• Keep up to date with information about scams that are doing the rounds and to ensure you know how to protect yourself and your business. (Use Action fraud and follow local police forces on social media, they often issue local and national warnings and information).
• Be savvy when anyone is asking for information about you or your organisation.
• Don’t be afraid to question why or if they need the information and if you are ever in doubt do not give any information out, go away and do some more research into what they want, who they are and why they need it. You do not have to tell anyone anything without a reasonable explanation or belief that they are who they say they are.
• Be cyber aware, there are numerous free online courses and information that is out there for you to utilise.

Fraudsters will try to catch you off guard so remember stop, think and question what you are doing and what they are

saying. Don’t be so swift to click on the dodgy link, HMRC will not contact you for a refund via email and banks won’t call to ask for your passwords.

Fraud and Mental Health –

Fraud and becoming a victim of fraud can have a huge impact on our mental health. People are often embarrassed to admit they have become a victim of fraud because they see it as being their fault that someone managed to ‘pull the wool over their eyes’, or they can’t believe they fell for something that with hind sight seems so simple, rather than seeing themselves as a victim of a well-planned and well-rehearsed crime.

Because fraud is a crime that is, in theory, invisible to the outside world and extremely personal. On the face of things it only affects those that have been the direct victim and with no physical outcomes for anyone to see, unlike if it were a robbery or an assault, people often feel very alone when dealing with it.

Fraud and certainly fraud against individuals can make us feel personally violated and often people will ask the questions ‘why me?’, ‘what did I do so wrong?’ and ‘how was I so stupid enough to fall for it?’

When you have been a victim of fraud it is common to suffer from poor mental health, it is however extremely important to keep on top of it and ensure you are in control of your thoughts. Common signs that you are perhaps suffering more than you should be are, and not limited to the following:

• Lack of concentration on whatever you are doing
• Feeling alone
• Lack of sleep
• Feeling that you are not capable of making decisions about things
• A constant strain of feeling under pressure
• Feelings that you cannot overcome your difficulties
• Not being able to enjoy your normal day-to-day activities
• Being unable to face up to problems or what has happened
• Feeling unhappy and depressed
• Losing self-confidence in yourself
• And thinking of yourself as a worthless person

Useful sources & Information:

Some of the information sourced for this article was originally published by Action Fraud and CIFAS. If you would like to access this and further information in more detail please follow the links below –

https://www.actionfraud.police.uk

https://www.cifas.org.uk/insight/fraud-risk-focus-blog/coronavirus-fraud-advice

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 ‘Fraud and Mental Health” is being delivered live on Thursday 15th April at 12pm, please use the below link to register for this session –

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8786440823628667408

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.

You might be surprised to learn that summer can be a tough time to stay on track with wellbeing goals. For some, it may feel too muggy to keep up a running routine; for others, a family vacation can disrupt a daily meditation practice. New Year’s resolutions that seemed so urgent in January may feel like a distant memory. It’s okay if you get off track when the summer months hit: this halfway point in the year is the perfect time to reassess your goals and find balance and a fresh focus again.

Summer Wellbeing:

In this article we will explore a series of simple tips or additions to our lifestyle that many of us can adopt to maintain our wellbeing this summer:

1. Getting better rest – Longer, sunny days may mean we might be tempted to stay up later than usual. Hot and sticky weather can also prevent you from falling into a deep slumber. Try making your bedroom summer-friendly by keeping it cool with a fan or open window, hanging light-blocking curtains, and relaxing before bed by putting away your phone and reading a few pages of a new book.

2. Healthy diet – Whilst it is healthy to maintain a balanced diet all year round a new season brings new foods and recipes. Take advantage of the different fruit and vegetables that are in season during spring and summer. You’ll be able to enjoy delicious foods such as spinach, purple sprouting broccoli, radishes, watercress, asparagus and rhubarb.

3. Staying hydrated – During the summer, our bodies try to cool down through the natural process of sweating, which in turn can cause dehydration. This makes it essential for us to drink more water, as less water content in the body can lead to various ailments. You may find this handy hydration tool useful –https://www.hydrationforhealth.com/en/hydration-tools/hydration-calculator/

4. Exercise outdoors – Regular exercise is a great way to maintain positive mental and physical wellbeing. With the changing season we may now be more encouraged to train outdoors. Consider working out with a partner or friend as working out with somebody can be great for boosting your motivation and also output in your activity.

5. Connecting with others – is a great way to stay on top of our mental wellbeing. Social connection can lower anxiety and depression, help us regulate our emotions, lead to higher self-esteem and empathy, and improve our immune system.

6. Try your hand at Mindfulness – Mindfulness is the ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us. Mindfulness is a quality that every person already possesses and you just have to learn how to access it. If you don’t know where to start you might find this link useful – https://www.mindful.org/how-to-meditate/

7. Be kind – When we practice kindness either to other people or towards ourselves we can experience positive mental and physical changes through lowering stress levels and increasing the body’s production of feel-good hormones such as dopamine, oxytocin and serotonin. Whether it’s a smile, a thank you, a compliment or larger acts such as volunteering at your local community centre, acts of kindness and generosity can improve your mental wellbeing and help you build new social networks.

8. Sun Screen is cool – and not just for summer. “When choosing a sunscreen, look for a high sun-protection factor (30 SPF or more) to protect against UVB, the UVA circle logo and/or four or five UVA stars to protect against UVA,” advises Dr Anjali Mahto, consultant dermatologist and British Skin Foundation spokesperson. “Ensure you apply plenty of sunscreen 15 to 30 minutes before going out into the sun, and reapply every two hours and after swimming.”

We will explore some of these points further and discuss this topic during the ‘Summer Wellbeing’ webinar on Wednesday 14th April 2021 at 12pm. You can register to join the webinar at:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3426622904406650380

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.

If you feel you may need some support, you can also contact Care first. Care first is a leading provider of confidential, professional counselling, information and advice services. 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.

We have now lived through 56 weeks of the COVID-19 Pandemic. For many, this has been a time of immense financial hardship, particularly for those who may have been furloughed or have even lost their jobs.

The initial months when no one thought this would last, helped some look at their finances. For many; there was not the commute to work, the bought supermarket lunches and the usual day to day work type expenses. Public transport fares did not have to be paid and fuel for cars was also put on hold.

As the ti me has gone on and many individuals have “settled” into the home working culture, many have been able to save quite significantly and now, as we look to an ease in the lockdown restrictions people are beginning to think and plan ahead.

If you are one of these people, how are you going to use yours or, will you continue to save? Either way, it is always a good idea to look at a financial heath check-up.

Financial health check-up

You may have heard of the term financial wellbeing and wondered what it is and how people get good financial wellbeing.

The most logical thought is that we need to really understand our finances in order to have good financial wellbeing. That includes:

• Looking at our budgets (the money we have coming in and going out)
• Maximising our incomes through understanding what benefits you can claim
• Learning how to get the best deals on utilities
• Understanding which are the most cost-effective shops

While all this financial education is vital, it does not automatically equal good financial health or wellbeing. Salary Finance has done some work recently on the myths of financial wellbeing, looking into the difference between behaviours that are driven by our knowledge and those driven by our hearts.

So what does that mean? Well I guess there are the practical things, saving for a house deposit, a car, work on the house and the “bigger” projects that most have at some time in our life.

There are the behavioural spending “habits” and, what might those be for you? Are they practical and affordable? What could you do to make them so?

Then there are the thing that “drive” our hearts……the wishes, the dreams often vs the reality. For example travel, exotic holidays then the battle we often go through trying to decide if it is a “need” or a “want?”

For sure, the Pandemic has given us opportunity to consider what we really want, what we need and to look at the practical consequences of those things.

How do I improve my financial wellbeing?

This is almost the million-dollar question; and it doesn’t just link to our finances. Think about everything that you know about making healthy food choices and how often you should exercise – do we always make the right choices? Those choices will most likely change as other factors come into play. Those factors are that of the heart.

We may eat out when we’re happy, sad, celebrating or commiserating. Exercise could take a back seat depending on the day that we’ve had, or the activities of the evening before.

Life isn’t straight forward, and nor should we pretend it ever could be. The same logic can be applied to our finances.

Yes, we should be arming ourselves with knowledge, we should be planning how much money we must spend on certain items – but we must also understand that this isn’t a fool proof way to good financial wellbeing.

People may find that they spend more money when they are stressed, tired or sad. Equally, we may reward ourselves by spending when we’ve had good news – or for a special occasion.

Especially over the last few months, people may have found that they have spent more in certain areas to give themselves a sense of control. A good way to start controlling these emotional behaviours is to firstly be aware of them.

If you start to feel guilty when you spend money, take that as a cue to check in with yourself – what else is going on?

How does money make you feel?

Taboo around debt and money has long been a barrier for people getting the help and support that they need. But the interesting thing is that usually, the quicker that someone seeks help, then the less debt they could have built up. Free debt advice provider, PayPlan, knows that a third of people wait on average three to four years before they seek help. Interestingly, the number one piece of feedback that PayPlan’s experts get back is that ‘I wish I’d got in touch sooner’.

Understand your current thoughts towards your finances

There are no right or wrong answers to the five questions below. Instead, use them as an indicator of whether you need to change something in your life or if you feel they are spiralling out of control.

1. Do you ever feel guilty about spending money? If so, think about why that could be.
2. Are you often worried about the amount of money that you have?
3. Do you feel comfortable talking about money with loved ones?
4. How happy are you to open a bill, or would you hide it and put it off?
5. If you are struggling to make repayments, how does it make you feel to speak to a professional to get help?

If you are experiencing problems with finances or dealing with debt, you can also contact Care first. Care first are an independent, leading provider of professional employee support services. Care first employ professionally qualified Counsellors and Information Specialists, who are experienced in helping people to deal with all kinds of practical and emotional issues.

We recognise that having money worries and/ or being in debt can make you feel isolated, scared and anxious. It has a negative effect on your work, your health and your family. Making that initial request for help is always the most difficult, but once you have made that initial call you have taken the first step towards getting the right help to a better quality of life.

Care first Counsellors are available 24/7 to support you with the emotional impact of financial difficulties.

Most people delay dealing with their money problems longer than they should. Finances are a core part of our lives and can be the root of many issues. Asking for help early on may help prevent problems later down the line. A good starting point would be to talk it all through confidentially with an Information Specialist at Care first, who will help you make informed choices about what to do and how to do it.

Care first Information Specialists are not Financial Advisors but are money trained experts, so whether you are at breaking point and need ongoing guidance to resolve debts, or just have a simple question – our Information Specialists are here to help with a range of issues, some of which include; debt, budgeting, rent/mortgage arrears, reduced income, tax, benefits and many more.

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 ‘Financial Wellbeing” this is being delivered live on Tuesday 13th April at 12pm. You can register to join the webinar at:

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4067430375703232784

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.

As the COVID-19 situation is progressing and the Government guidance continues to change, individuals may be feeling anxious. Mental Health support during times like these are paramount, which is why Care first have worked tirelessly to ensure our services remain available 24/7 throughout the pandemic to provide emotional and practical support and ensure we have every aspect of your overall wellbeing covered. Where clinically appropriate Care first are continuing to offer structured counselling through phone and virtual software. At Care first the health and safety of both you the employee and our counselling team are absolutely paramount, any changes to our structured counselling process will be made in line with government guidance.

These services include:

Counselling support

Our team of professionally trained, qualified and BACP Accredited Counsellors are available 24/7 to offer support for personal or workplace related issues. As well as the headline issues surrounding mental health, our Care first counsellors are also trained in dealing with both work and home grievances, bullying & harassment issues, domestic violence, relationships at both home and at work and much more. No matter how big or small the problem may be, our counsellors are here for you to provide you with unbiased support away from the situation. Everyone has very individual needs for support, Care first provides short term focussed counselling, so the Care first Counsellor will assess your circumstances when you call to establish what the most appropriate form of support will be for you. It might be that you just need a brief conversation with the Counsellor that day, or you may benefit from a few more sessions.

Information Specialists

As control, or the lack of it, can be an influencing factor on the impact of stress. Many individuals identify stress as emotional, however, a lack of control around practical issues can be just as impactful. We have expert advisors that have been trained by Citizens Advice who can provide you with comprehensive answers and assistance on a wide range of practical issues which can affect our daily life, these include but are not limited to; redundancy, advice on funerals and probate, legal information, housing and tenancy issues, childcare, eldercare, health, consumer issues, employment, travel and education. Our Information Specialists are also money trained experts and can provide support with a variety of financial queries such as help with budgeting finances and advice with benefits. You can speak with one of our Information Specialists confidentially Monday-Friday between 8am-8pm.

Management Support

If you are a manager, have leadership responsibilities, or look after a team within your organisation, it is as important as ever that your colleagues are made aware of the range of support available from Care first. As well as supporting you to signpost your colleagues to the Care first service effectively to maintain your managerial boundaries, Care first can also provide you with support within your role as a manager. Care first Counsellors are all management trained and can provide support with issues such as if the organisation is going through a period of redundancy, managing change and difficult conversations, workplace performance, remote working, absence management and disciplinaries.

Care first Lifestyle

Through the Care first lifestyle site you can access a wide range of supportive information, read helpful articles published by our team, view Webinars covering a variety of well-being topics and even speak with a Care first Counsellor in real-time via our online counselling facility. You can log into your account by visiting www.carefirst-lifestyle.co.uk and logging in using your organisation’s unique log in details. If you are unsure what these details are then please contact your line manager or HR department. The Care first Lifestyle website is great place to go to learn more about Care first and the different areas that we can support in.

How all of these above services link together

As you can see from the above table, all the services that we offer complement each other to ultimately encompass an individual’s overall mental and physical wellbeing, which enables individuals to access professional and clinically proven support.

Our counselling support is available 24/7 to help individuals with any emotional issues that they may have. Our Information Specialists can help individuals with practical information and advice. This practical support is so important because if an individual is concerned about a practical issue, then this can cause detrimental effects to their emotional wellbeing. By getting some support from an Information Specialist this will provide the individual with some clarity on that particular issue, which may help them to feel more in control of a situation and relieve some anxiety.

The Care first Lifestyle site can help individuals who are concerned about an issue. The individual may not know where to start and they can have a look at the resources on our Lifestyle website which may be enough to help them. The Lifestyle website is a great starting place to learn about the types of issues that Care first can support with. The individual can also access our online counselling tool through the Lifestyle website which is an alternative way to access support from a counsellor. By an individual looking through all the resources on our Lifestyle website this can help them to get answers about an issue they may be having. Again by getting some clarity on their issue this may have a positive effect on their mental wellbeing.

If you would like to learn more about ‘How Care first can support you’ then please join our webinar on Monday 12th April at 12pm using the details below –

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6095475175086448400

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. If you wish to contact the Care first telephone counselling and information line then please don’t hesitate to call the Freephone number provided by your organisation and you can speak to a professional in confidence.

Care First Webinars for next week:

Monday 12th – How Care First Can Support You

Tuesday 13th – Financial Wellbeing

Wednesday 14th – Summer Wellbeing

Thursday 15th – Fraud And Mental Health

Friday 16th – Breaking Bad Habits

For further details and the sign up links you can access it here: Care First Webinars Week Commencing Monday 12th April 2021

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 are paramount, which is why Care first have worked tirelessly to ensure our services remain available 24/7 throughout the pandemic to provide emotional and practical support and ensure we have every aspect of your overall wellbeing covered.
With everybody being affected differently by the COVID-19 pandemic, Individuals will look to managers and leaders for answers. The truth is, this pandemic is new and many managers and leaders may not have all the answers. Care first is an independent and confidential counselling, help and support service available to you free 24 hours a day, every day of the year for everyone including managers.

Care first have management trained Advisors who can help managers and leaders who feel they may need some help and guidance within their managerial roles and how best to support their staff. We also have a manager’s area on our lifestyle site which has some really useful articles and information to help managers and leaders in their working roles.

We have created some top tips for managers and leaders below:

Regular Communication

Make sure you have regular structured communication channels within your organisation for all employees. You could use video conferencing to hold a daily group meeting to check on everyone’s wellbeing and to share ideas in regards to work. This will help to keep everyone feeling part of the team. You could also have a group chat set up for employee’s to share useful ideas and resources for work. It is important to set guidelines on the times that the group chat is used, such as in line with the usual working day.

It is important to keep managers well informed as they are the main link between an organisation and its people. Remember to communicate all avenues of support to employee’s including the support offered by Care first. Keep all employees up to date with the latest information of what is happening within the organisation and of any future plans and developments.

Only share reputable sources of information

Try not to share or encourage your employees to read lots of different articles on the internet, or other sources of information. It is best to read and direct employees to reputable articles from organisations such as Public Health England and .Gov for example. It is notable to only watch the news or read the news around the Coronavirus in short bursts.

Maintain your work life balance and encourage your team to do the same

Whether you are working remotely or not. It is easy to work extra hours because you want to get a task finished or want to do the best job possible. It is vital to maintain a work life balance. By taking regular breaks may also actually help you be more productive at work. It is amazing how a walk in the fresh air at lunch time can really help you feel refreshed for the afternoon ahead.

The Care first Lifestyle website has a manager’s area as shown in the above screenshot. If you would like to learn more then please visit the Care first Lifestyle website. Your login details will be available through your HR team.

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 ‘Tips for managers and leaders during the COVID-19 pandemic” is being delivered live on Fridays 9th April at 12pm, please use the below link to register for this session –

https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/7313668087795431696

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.