Tag: mental wellbeing

Mental Health Awareness Week 2021 was all about nature and the positive effect it has on our mental wellbeing. In a previous blog, we spoke about a great article Mentalhealth.org.uk published, talking about their top tips on connecting with nature to improve your mental health.

Growing food or flowers, exercising outdoors or being around animals can have lots of physical and psychological benefits and in this post, we wanted to share some of our favourite ideas with you.

Growing space

Not everyone has access to a garden, so instead, you could plant salad leaves or herbs in a window box or plant pot and watch them grow.

Bring nature to your home

Buy yourself some potted plants or flowers, or arrange a comfortable space to sit by a window where you can look out over a view of trees or the sky.

Connect with animals

The positive effect animals have on our mental health are well-known, so maybe you could benefit from visiting a local farm, hanging a bird feeder outside your window or even borrowing your friend’s dog to take for a walk.

Help the environment

There are countless things you can do to help protect the environment, for example going on a litter picking walk – you will be surprised how much rubbish you will find! Or, if you have some outdoor space of your own, you could plant seeds, such as bushes and flowers to help bees and other wildlife. 

It’s the simple things

If the above don’t really work for you, you could simply enjoy your morning cup of coffee or tea outside or sit in the local park during your lunch break. 

There are many more things you can do to help you (re)connect with nature. Mental health charities like mind.org.uk, as well as the MentalHealth.org.uk website offer great resources to help you.

At Advance TRS, we prioritise our staff’s wellbeing. We offer a Wellbeing Hub and have appointed qualified Mental Health First Aiders, who will act as the first point of contact for anyone feeling stressed or overwhelmed.

We are currently recruiting, so if you want to work for a company that places mental wellbeing and dealing with the causes of stress as a priority, send us your CV or take a look at our latest vacancies.

Today, Monday 10th May, marks the start of Mental Health Awareness Week 2021, and this year, the theme is nature. 

Nature is vital to our psychological and emotional health. In fact, it is almost impossible to achieve mental wellbeing without a connection to the natural world. You might even have noticed before how much better you feel after a walk or simply spending some time outside. This is because for a big chunk of human history, we lived as part of nature and this only drastically changed with the last five generations, when many of us lived and worked much more separated from it. 

The good news is, you don’t have to go for a 10k run or 2-hour long walk everyday to reap the benefits of being outdoors. Even short amounts of time reduce feelings of social isolation and protect our mental health efficiently while also preventing stress.

There are many ways you can reconnect with nature and even bring it to you! Mentalhealth.org.uk have published a great article and an accompanying document listing some of their top tips on the topic. You can find the blog here.

At Advance TRS, we prioritise our staff’s wellbeing. We offer a Wellbeing Hub and have appointed qualified Mental Health First Aiders, who will act as the first point of contact for anyone feeling stressed or overwhelmed.

We are currently recruiting, so if you want to work for a company that places mental wellbeing and dealing with the causes of stress as a priority, send us your CV or take a look at our latest vacancies.

Looking back at the past year, it seems a good time to remind ourselves to not only look after our physical but also our mental wellbeing. That being said, those two very often go hand in hand, so going for a walk or hike in nature, for example, can help you boost both aspects of your life. 

While some had more time than ever before to pursue their hobbies and live a much slower life during the past 12 months, it has been a struggle for others. Some may have had to face uncertainty, felt lonely or experienced a decline in mental wellbeing. 

It is important to remember it is okay to not be okay, and there are lots of people, friends and organisations out there who want to help. So if you are finding things a little tough at the moment or if you are feeling good and want to keep it that way, why not try some of our top tips for self-care! 

Reach out

If you feel that you are struggling, please reach out to either friends or family, or one of the brilliant mental health charities like Mind, but also the Samaritans. Get whatever you’re dealing with off your chest rather than bottling it up. 

Take time for yourself

Do something you enjoy, whether that’s an activity or simply relaxing and reading a book or watching a film.

Start journaling

Having a gratitude journal can make a big difference to your thoughts and help you focus on the positives, rather than the negatives. Before you go to bed, sit down and write down 3 things that made you feel good that day. It might be as simple as your cup of coffee in the morning, that really helped you wake up. 

Do some yoga

You might be surprised how much a few simple yoga stretches can help calm your mind and keep stress at bay. A quick 10 minutes will already make a difference. 

Spend time outside

Now that it’s autumn, you can spot some amazing colours when you’re outside for a walk. Take some deep breaths to fill your lungs with the crisp autumn air.

We take Mental Health seriously

At Advance TRS, we prioritise the mental wellbeing of our staff. To provide a first point of contact when needed, we have appointed qualified Mental Health First Aiders. We also offer a Wellbeing Hub, where confidential support via an EAP helpline can be accessed at any time. These are only some of the steps we have taken and we continue to improve our mental health awareness.

We are currently recruiting, so if you want to work for a company that places Mental Health and Wellbeing as a priority send us your CV or take a look at our latest vacancies.

Christmas is meant to be a time of joy and peace. We get to spend some time with friends and family, eat good food and enjoy ourselves. 

However, it can also bring stress and financial pressures. On top of that, this year has been a very different one and we might not be able to spend Christmas the way we want to due to the pandemic. 

It is important to look after yourself and your mental wellbeing during this time and we have collated some tips to help you with this.

Stay connected

If you are unable to spend much or any time with loved ones for Christmas, make sure to stay connected with them, for example via Zoom or Facetime. That way you still get some interaction with them. Why not enjoy a cup of tea or coffee together or maybe even open presents while you speak to each other. 

Don’t bottle it up

If you feel that you can’t get in the festive spirit and that the past few months have had a bigger effect on you than you might have realised, confide in a friend or family member. Speaking about your fears and what is making you feel anxious can help you clear your mind and even lift those feelings. Make sure you don’t bottle it up.

Have some me time

If you are seeing family, allow yourself to still have some time for just you. Take a relaxing bath or read a book. The past year has been intense and this time is all about letting go of those pressures.

Do it yourself

Maybe you discovered some new skills during lockdown and it might be a great idea to put them to good use. If you got into baking or cooking, why not gift some homemade baked goods or jams. Discovered your love for knitting? You could make some lovely, unique hats which will come in really handy during the cold months. This can save you money and is a good way to give more personal gifts.

We hope that these tips help you feel calmer this Christmas.

If you think a new career is on the cards for you then keep an eye out for new opportunities on our website. Visit our careers page or for a discrete conversation, contact Paul Metcalfe, Advance TRS CEO on 07793 554 413 or email pme@advance-trs.com.