wellness & wellbeing · strategies to improve mental health wellness..... 30 self-care 31 strategies for self-care..... 32 strategies to improve wellness & wellbeing 35 contents

MENTAL HEALTH MANAGEMENT 1wellness & wellbeing e-book ©2018

wellness& wellbeing

MENTAL HEALTH MANAGEMENT2 wellness & wellbeing e-book ©2018

2018

Copyright Page

Trademark Page

Wellness & Wellbeing is copyrighted to Debbie Swibel at Mental Health Management Pty Ltd

Wellness & Wellbeing is not for use or distribution outside of Mental Health Management Pty Ltd

©2018 No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the prior written consent of the author (with the exception of quotations used with acknowledgement of the author and source).

www.mentalhealthmanagement.com.au [email protected] | Ph.0447 0447 84

MENTAL HEALTH MANAGEMENT

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3wellness & wellbeing e-book ©2018 MENTAL HEALTH MANAGEMENT

welcome 4

what is wellness & wellbeing? ..............................................................................................4

elements of wellness & wellbeing .......................................................................................5

you! 6

physical wellness 8

strategies to improve physical wellness ............................................................................8

exercise ....................................................................................................................................9

sleep ....................................................................................................................................... 10

nutrition ................................................................................................................................. 14

emotional wellness 18

strategies to improve emotional wellness ...................................................................... 19

social wellness 20

strategies to improve social wellness ............................................................................. 21

occupational wellness 23

strategies to improve occupational wellness ................................................................ 24

financial wellness 26

strategies to improve financial wellness ......................................................................... 27

spiritual wellness 28

strategies to improve spiritual wellness ......................................................................... 28

mental health & wellness 29

strategies to improve mental health wellness ............................................................... 30

self-care 31

strategies for self-care........................................................................................................ 32

strategies to improve wellness & wellbeing 35

contents

Wellness & Wellbeing


weLcomeWelcome to your wellness & wellbeing journey. We all want a healthier and happier life. We are often under enormous stress in many areas of our lives and our mental and physical health takes a toll. It is more important than ever to make sure we take the time to look after ourselves.

And that is the key — take the time! make the time!

The idea of this e-book is to help you take that first step on your wellness journey.

Our aim is to help you establish the areas in your life that most need the work and help motivate you towards improving your health and wellbeing.

What is wellness & wellbeing?Wellness means many things to many people. Everyone has their own idea of wellness and their own sense of wellbeing.

We believe that wellness refers to the very essence of being well — physically, mentally and emotionally — which produces good personal health. Wellbeing is the sense one has when one feels well and when you have achieved wellness.

Our approach to wellness & wellbeing adopts the quintessence of these two powerful concepts to produce a model of better personal health — better mental, emotional, social, physical, spiritual and psychological health. We cannot have one without the other.

Wellness is what we work towards. Wellbeing is the sense we feel when we achieve wellness. Wellness is a proactive and holistic approach to better health. Wellbeing is that feel-good moment.


Elements of wellness & wellbeingThis diagram shows 8 elements of personal wellness & wellbeing.

Take some time to think about what elements relate to you.

Where would you like to see improvements in your life?

personal wellness

&

wellbeing

physical

emotional

social

occupational

financial

spiritual

mental health

self-care


you!

personalwellness

Remember, wellness is different for everyone. Some of us may need to work on one area of our life to achieve personal wellness while others may need to work on more than one.

To achieve good health in these life areas you will need to take time to truthfully reflect on your life and yourself, on what matters to you and where you need to make changes.

Take some time to think what each of these concepts mean to you.

Let us give you an idea of what they may mean — but know that these are very personal and subjective life issues that have different meaning and different relevance to every individual person. We want to help you build a solid foundation for wellness in your life.

Remember wellness & wellbeing is about YOU.

Believe in the importance of YOU.

YOU — an individual with your own wants and needs and desires.


In the table below, write down the elements of wellness that you would like to improve in your life.

activity

my elements of wellness

8 wellness & wellbeing e-book ©2018 MENTAL HEALTH MANAGEMENT

physical wellness We will start with physical wellness because a healthy body is the foundation for absolute health, wellness and wellbeing. What does it take to be physically well? The answer is not simple but we will break it into 3 achievable steps.

Strategies to improve physical wellness3 beneficial and effective strategies towards improving physical wellness are

• exercise

• sleep well

• eat well

N O T E S


Exercise is key to physical and mental health. That is a big statement! — but all the evidence and research proves this to be true. The more you move — the better you feel mentally and physically. Exercise is great for our mental and emotional health. Moving stimulates blood flow, which helps the heart and stimulates the feel-good hormones in our brain.

Some of us exercise a little and some exercise a lot. For those who exercise a lot, we suggest you mix it up. You may be training in your sport, running every day or doing a weekly spin class — that is awesome! However, your body needs a change, your muscles need a challenge and your mind needs a new focus.

Walking is a great way to exercise that is free and can be done at any time of day and almost anywhere. Walking alone gives you time to think, to reflect, to enjoy the view or time to listen to music or a podcast. Walking allows for mindfulness — that is, to enjoy the moment. Walking with a friend can be social so include a friend in your next outing. If you haven’t seen someone in a while or you have had a disagreement with someone, call them and ask them to get some fresh air with you.

Up for a challenge? Why not add some squats and lunges at the end of your walk or take the stairs or try some jogging intervals.

There are so many activities that can make you feel good about yourself and improve your body’s stamina — swimming, rock climbing, or join a team, whether it be netball or soccer or beach volleyball.

make exercise part of your routine

exercise


Sleep is one of the key indicators of mental health. Sleep is essential for our health and wellbeing. We all want a ‘good night’s sleep’!!

poor sleep = poor physical & mental health

sleep interruptions • can’t fall asleep

• fall asleep but can’t stay asleep

• have dreams or nightmares

• wake and sleep

• toss and turn and can’t get comfortable

• can’t stop thinking

• need to go to the toilet

Take a moment to reflect on what may be affecting your ability to get a good night’s sleep.

Understanding the cause of sleep interruptions can help gain insight into what is causing our body to not rest as it should.

Once we recognise why we are not sleeping well, it’s time to address the issue and work towards better coping and sleeping.

sleep


stress emotional

overthinking fear

noise room lighting

room temperature partner snoring

uncomfortable bed anxiety

depression trauma

scrolling through social media before sleep watching TV before sleep

eating too much before sleep drinking too much alcohol

inconsistent sleeping hours caffeine drinks before bed

poor sleep hygiene onset of mental health episode

common causes of poor sleep

N O T E S


One of the most powerful ways to improve wellness & wellbeing is to get a good night’s sleep.

Good sleep can improve the quality of your life. The benefits of a good sleep are:

benefits of good sleep

less stress refreshed and alert

improved cognitive function better decision-making

improved performance reduced inflammation

improved immune system improved hormonal balance

better memory better relationships

improved emotional wellness feeling happier

improved mental health improved physical health

benefits of good sleep

N O T E S


steps to improve sleep

regular bedtime regulate temperature

regulate lighting listen to relaxing music

avoiding screens & blue light before bed listen to sleep stories

use night shift mode on your phone (orange light) read a book

use earplugs use a sleep mask

breathing exercises meditate

reduce water before bedtime aromatherapy

reduce alcohol eat meals earlier

create bedtime rituals use essential oils

create a comfortable bedroom wear great bedwear

steps to improve sleep


nutritionYour food choices affect your health. Good nutrition can reduce the risk of chronic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease and cancer, help maintain a healthy weight and promote good physical and mental health.

There are many diets, fads and opinions around food and nutrition. It is important to have a good relationship with food. Stick to healthy choices and avoid junk foods. Both overeating and undereating have negative impacts on the body. Find the right balance for your body.

It’s okay to treat yourself as long as you are making sensible choices when it comes to indulging. The better food choices you make, the more your body and mind will respond.

N O T E S


steps to improve nutrition

The healthy eating plate gives you a guide on how your plate should look at mealtime.

N O T E S


3 effective strategies to help keep your nutrition on track • Keep your fridge & pantry stocked with healthy choices

• Don’t shop when you are hungry

• Food prep

The benefits of having a pantry and fridge full of healthy food choices are many. Simply, when less healthy choices, such as sugary and processed foods, are not readily accessible you only have good food choices available to you.

Visually, you train your mind to see and appreciate heathy food choices. Conditioning your mind & body to eating healthy & nutritious snacks helps change your outlook on food. Snacking on a plate of fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds has nourishing and wholesome benefits to your body and to your mind.

Shopping when you are hungry has been proven to change the way we buy food. We tend to buy more and make food choices based on our hunger not on nutrition. Make a shopping list and stick to the list.

Food preparation is key to managing food choices. Food prep includes planning meals, making shopping lists, cooking lunches and dinners in advance and packaging up your food so it is readily available to you. This is one of the most helpful strategies to keeping your food choices healthy and controlled and is super helpful for busy people!


seek support to help improve your physical wellnessYou don’t have to do it alone!

To improve your physical health and wellbeing, seek professional support. Get a medical check-up. See a naturopath or a dietician. See a physiotherapist, a chiropractor or a massage therapist. Have a dental check-up. Use a personal trainer or join a training group. Get a body scan to gauge your BMI and bone density. Find out about your body and act to make improvements. Ask a friend or family member to exercise with you or ask a support person to keep you accountable.

N O T E S


emotional wellness

Emotional wellness is something we all wish to achieve. Our emotions are at the heart of our being and we don’t always have a great sense of control over our feelings.

Being aware of our emotions and knowing how to cope effectively with life events is key to maintaining emotional wellness. Emotional wellness does not mean we don’t feel bad or sad or angry, but it means we recognise why we feel this way, which helps us act appropriately in response to those feelings.

So many factors affect our emotions — stress, grief, overwork, bad relationships, trauma, feeling undervalued, poor physical and mental health. Emotional wellness looks at how are we respond to those situations. Are we angry all the time? Crying, cranky, exhausted, short fused, resentful, depressed, anxious?

It is important to look at your emotional response to situations and evaluate it.

I am feeling this way because………………………., therefore I need to ………………………………….

Often it is about taking a moment to breathe and assess. This can help provide a more balanced response to events to help us better deal with stressful situations.

Take a moment to reflect on how you are feeling and what may be affecting your moods and emotions.


strategies to improve emotional wellness

take a positive outlook stop! breathe! assess!

take time out self-care

try to improve on stressful situations improve your coping strategies

build resilience practise gratitude

recognise your emotions write things down

communicate your feelings reach out

seek support balance the other dimensions of wellness

strategies to help improve emotional wellness

N O T E S


social wellnessSocial wellness involves building healthy, caring and supportive relationships. Social wellness allows us to enhance our personal relationships and helps foster valuable relationships with friends, teammates, colleagues, peers, romantic and intimate partners.

Having a healthy social network enables social wellness. Surrounding yourself with a positive social network helps develop social skills such as communicating, listening and interacting. Social wellness increases self-esteem, improves empathy, builds trust and makes socialising enjoyable and gratifying. Social wellness is critical to supporting emotional wellness.


strategies to improve social wellnessBegin by reflecting on yourself and your current relationships and social networks

• Are your relationships supportive and nurturing?

• Who would you like to be involved with socially?

• Do you need to eliminate toxic relationships?

• What are your social needs?

• What aspects of your social life do you enjoy?

• What parts would you like to improve?

• What parts do you need to eliminate?

Here is a list of strategies that can help with improving social wellness. Simple steps are a great start. Phone a supportive person and ask them to meet you for a walk. This helps both your physical and social wellness. Don’t let fear of rejection stop you from trying again or reaching out to someone else.

contact friends and family seek out social situations

participate in group discussions join a social group

improve your listening skills organise outings or events

challenge yourself practise gratitude

join a community group participate in a social event

seek support balance the other dimensions of wellness

strategies to improve social wellness


social anxiety

Social anxiety or social phobia is a type of anxiety disorder. It occurs when a person is extremely fearful and anxious about situations where they think they may be judged by others or fear being criticised, embarrassed or humiliated.

Social anxiety is more than the shyness or passing feelings of nerves or stress that we all feel before giving a speech or performing in front of others. Social anxiety can affect how we cope in everyday situations, such as meeting new people, talking on the phone in front of others, being observed while we work or perform or eating out in public.

Social anxiety prevents social wellness. If you are experiencing social anxiety and this is stopping you from implementing some of the social wellness strategies mentioned above, reach out and talk to someone. You may require professional support to help overcome your anxieties.

Reaching out is your first big step towards social wellness.


occupational wellnessOccupational wellness involves personal satisfaction at work, which includes valuing your work and having your work valued. It also involves the ability to balance work and pleasure.

Poor working conditions, feeling undervalued, conflict, poor management, disputes — these are all factors that are discouraging and disheartening and impact our mental health. We spend a vast amount of time at work — in fact, research suggests we spend at least one-third of our lifetime at work. We want to make sure we are experiencing occupational wellness!

Ultimately it is important to do what we love and love what we do!

Occupational wellness

• doing work that is motivating and interesting

• balancing work and leisure

• communicating and collaborating with colleagues

• feeling inspired and challenged

• feeling good at the end of the day about the work you accomplished


strategies to improveoccupational wellness

Sometimes we have reasons to stay in a job that we are not so happy with. There may be benefits, such as working part-time or casual hours, which allows us to spend more time with family or time on ourselves, or it may be financially rewarding or close to home. It may be that this is the only team that has selected us or job that has employed us, but at least we have work.

It is important to remember the benefits when other parts of the work environment get us down.

N O T E S


Here are some strategies to help make work a better place.

increase your skills and knowledge keep motivated to work towards your goals

connect with your co-workers see benefits and positives in your job

avoid overworking set boundaries

challenge yourself practise conflict resolution

understand what keeps you in your work don’t eat lunch at your desk

seek support enjoy a work-life balance

strategies to help improve occupational wellness

If your work environment is affecting your mental health and making you feel stressed, depressed or anxious, it is vital to consider all your options. If you are experiencing bullying or a toxic work environment then you need to know your work rights. Reach out to a supportive manager, to HR or your EAP (Employee Assistance Program). Maybe seek out a new manager, agent or an HR firm. Look out for a new team or a new job. Remember, your health and wellness are vital. Make changes to support your wellbeing.

N O T E S


financial wellnessFinancial wellness is something we all strive for and work hard to achieve. Financial wellness involves successfully managing expenses. It is about understanding your incomings and outgoings and balancing expenses. It is about knowing what to do with your money, how to invest, understanding interest, saving and spending.

Finances play a critical role in our lives and financial worries impact our mental and physical health. Money is a common source of stress, anxiety and worry. Learning financial skills is an important strategy towards financial wellness.


strategies to improvefinancial wellness

keep track of expenses learn to budget

refrain from gambling see a financial counsellor

avoid overspending set boundaries

read bank statements spend less than you earn

seek support negotiate your salary

understand your super avoid spending online

strategies to help improve financial wellness

The National Debt Helpline is a non-profit service that helps people manage their debt problems. Professional financial counsellors offer a free, independent and confidential service. Call the hotline on 1800 007 007.

If you are trying to win money through gambling, or have a gambling issue, reach out and call the Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858.


spiritual wellnessSpiritual wellness involves our values, beliefs and purpose. Spirituality means many things to many people. It is mostly about living a life with meaning and purpose and being the best person you can be through connection with other people, tolerance, acceptance and understanding.

Spiritual wellness is about creating a sense of inner peace.

Spiritual wellness helps us cope with the stresses and issues that arise in everyday life.

Spiritual wellness contributes enormously to our sense of wellbeing and is the most personal of the wellness elements.

relaxation meditation

yoga prayer

affirmations gratitude

tai chi mindfulness

travel think positively

reflection practice kindness

be open-minded strive to be your best

strategies to help improve spiritual wellness

strategies to improve spiritual wellnessSpirituality can be gained in many ways


mental health & wellness

Mental wellness involves your emotional and psychological wellbeing. Mental health refers to how you

• feel

• think

• behave

• face challenges

• react to events

• respond to your environment

Maintaining good mental health takes effort and practice — just like maintaining good physical health. We all experience poor mental health. Stress, worry, finances, grief and loss, relationships, work pressures and health and are all contributing factors toward undergoing poor mental health. When experiencing poor mental health, it is vital to have strategies in place that can help us improve our mental wellbeing and return to good mental health.

There are numerous strategies to manage mental wellness and with continuous work and practice we can improve our mental wellbeing.


Healthy ways of coping with mental health issues include:

strategies to improve mental health wellness

build resilience avoiding alcohol and drugs

see loved ones exercise

sleep practise positive thinking

structure practise mindfulness

set goals communicate

work on your wellness & wellbeing contribute your time to a worthwhile cause

volunteer develop positive self-esteem

practise positive self-talk practise gratitude

stay on your medication self-care

reach out seek professional help

be kind to others be kind to yourself

strategies to help improve mental wellness


self-care

Self-care is the time you take for yourself to look after yourself. You are unable to look after anyone else if you cannot look after yourself. Self-care activities provide time for you to enjoy life and put aside the everyday stresses and pressures of life.

Self-care is about you! There is nothing selfish about self-care. It is an essential part of enjoying a well-rounded and well-balanced life.

Self-care is individual and personal. It is about you!

Self-care is the essential element to achieving wellness and wellbeing.

Take some time to think about what you do to self-care and how often you take that time.


general self-care

have funplay

take time outlisten to musicwrite a journal

challenge yourselfexercise

learn a languageset goals

smiledanceread

listen to podcastspractise gratitude

walksee friends

travelbe you!

strategies for self-care

Here are some ideas for practising self-care

self-care


emotional self-care

relaxation and reflection talk about your feelings

it’s okay to say “no” to extra responsibilities in your lifeset goals

social self-care

making time for friends and family make time to socialise

talk to friendsstay off social media

workplace self-care

peer support from other colleaguesprofessional development

balance your workloadtake lunch breaks away from your desk

avoid overworking

spiritual self-caremindfulness

meditation and yogagratitude

physical self-care

exercisesleep

good nutritionmedical check-up

Wellness & welbeing

self-care


activity

self-care plan

In the table below, create a self-care plan and write down some things you can do to self-care.


strategies to improvewellness & wellbeing

personal wellness

&

wellbeing

physical

emotional

social

occupational

financial

spiritual

mental health

self-care

We have now considered 8 elements to improve wellness & wellbeing.

To ensure you make improvements, it is important to set goals.

set wellness goals!Take some time to think about the areas where you would like or need to make improvements. Make a list of what you want to work on and then set yourself some goals. Then take some time to think about how you will achieve those goals — for example, I want to improve my sleep, so I will start this week by eating dinner earlier and going to bed at the same time each night.

Tell someone your goals to help make you accountable! Put your list of goals where you can see them every day. Set an alarm in your phone to remind you of your goals.


Whatever it takes to improve your wellness and wellbeing — do it!!

In the table below, write down some wellness goals that you would love to achieve and how you can work towards kicking those wellness goals.

activity

setting wellness goals


Here’s to your improved

wellness & wellbeing!


N O T E S


www.mentalhealthmanagement.com.au [email protected] | Ph.0447 0447 84

MENTAL HEALTH MANAGEMENT

Documents

wellness & wellbeing · strategies to improve mental health wellness..... 30 self-care 31 strategies for self-care..... 32 strategies to improve wellness & wellbeing 35 contents