Wellbeing
During times of change there are often things out of our control. It’s okay to feel worried, uneasy or angry when times are tough but it’s important to take care of your mental health and wellbeing and to seek help if you need it. Maintaining positive mental health can play an important role in your individual resilience and recovery, so it’s important to look after your social and mental wellbeing.
Tips for looking after yourself and others
Doing things every day to take care of yourself is important. It will help you to deal with stress, make clear decisions and support loved ones. It’s important to:
Maintain social networks and speak openly with friends and family about what you’re going through.
Maintain routines with good diet, exercise, quality sleep and sufficient rest.
Have down time to remove yourself from the stresses of work.
Focus on the things you can control.
Seek information from reliable sources to ensure you’re well informed.
Remember that challenging times will pass.
Get help early. It can make a difference to how you feel in the long run.
Signs that someone might be struggling
When someone is under prolonged stress, they may have difficulty making decisions regarding their finances, focusing on work or relationships. If you or someone you know is showing signs of being stressed or not coping, it’s important to talk about it and seek or offer help as soon as possible.
Common signs of stress or struggles include:
Changes in mood such as anger, irritability, low mood, or excessive worry.
Loss of concentration or interest in usual activities.
Physical health concerns such as low energy, aches, and pains.
Relationship issues.
Changed sleeping or eating habits.
Increased use or reliance on alcohol or drugs to cope.
Trust your instinct. If someone doesn’t seem their best self, check in with them.
Worried about someone? Start a conversation with them in a comfortable place and talk about what you have noticed and why you are concerned.
You don’t need to fix their problems; you’re there to listen to their concerns and reassure them that help is available.
It’s important to follow up and maintain connection with the person. This may include:
Continuing to check in and encouraging them to seek help.
Helping them to find appropriate services.
Checking in with how they went in seeking help.
If you’re providing help to someone, it’s also important to acknowledge how you are feeling and to seek support if you need it.
Tips for decision-making
We make hundreds of decisions each day. Sometimes, we have to make tough decisions under pressure, which can be stressful. There are things we can do to reduce stress and help us make decisions.
Describe and prioritise
Think about the decision and how important it is. Spend more time making the important decisions and less time on others. If you are feeling overwhelmed by a decision, try breaking it down into smaller parts. You might find it easier to make a series of small decisions.
Know your timeframe
Think about how much time you have to make the decision and what information you need. Remember, delaying or avoiding a decision is choosing not to act.
Ask others for advice
It can be helpful to talk about your options with family and friends or a professional. They may have a different perspective or information and knowledge to assist you.
Consider your options
Think about the options and the benefits and results of each.
Increase your capacity for decision making
Managing stress and looking after our health can help us make better decisions. Getting enough sleep, having a healthy lifestyle, socialising and taking time out to do things you enjoy can help you think better.
Take action and evaluate
It’s important to evaluate the decision implemented and to be flexible if things change. It can help to monitor the situation and to reassess as circumstances change. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Sometimes our original decision might not end up being the best outcome but was the best at the time.
If you’re having trouble making decisions and find that it’s affecting your day-to-day life, it might be time to talk to a mental health professional. They can help you with more strategies.
Resilience Support
Resilience is here to support you; all conversations are strictly confidential. The Resilience Officer is Mental Health First Aid accredited and is trained to support you with all levels of support. Contact Jamie on 0477 544 379 or email jamie.perry-meijer@dpi.nsw.gov.au.
Is there a conversation you’ve been putting off? While time can change a lot, sometimes just a few minutes of honest talk can make a huge difference. Let’s have that conversation.
Start the conversation with our Resilience Officer here.