Staying Well
Staying Well While Staying at Home
Chat with your friends
Even if an in-person meet-up is not possible, try to stay in touch with your friends on your own favourite app, or make a good old fashioned phone call. Ask them how they’re feeling and share your own experience if you feel safe to do so.
Please watch this short video to see how we can Stay connected while staying apart:
https://t.co/lzaThFl1Md
https://twitter.com/JigsawYMH/status/1242889461597339649?s=03)
Happiness Skills
This is a link to an Irish site where you can learn about positive psychology and happiness skills. Have a look at a video or try out one of the suggested exercises on Gratitude or Self-encouragement or any of the other skills mentioned.
http://www.happinessskills.ie/
Watch or read something uplifting
Distraction can be a good thing. Watch something that you find uplifting and allow yourself to zone out from what’s going on in the world. YouTube is a great option. This is a collection of relaxing videos that are sure to help you chill out. https://au.reachout.com/collections/ways-to-relax
If reading is more your thing, go to your bookshelf and choose an old favourite or something you’ve been meaning to get to for a while, or if you don’t have physical books then e-books are a great option.
https://www.free-ebooks.net/
Borrowbox is app from the Irish library service where you can listen to books for free
https://www.borrowbox.com/
Stay active
It’s pretty well known that exercise is really good for both our physical and mental health. There are lots of different types of exercise you can do from home, thanks to YouTube and apps. Nike Training Club can help you stay active during this time by offering lots of free workouts. It also features wellness and nutrition guidance from experts.
Take 10 to be Zen
When we’re stressed about something (such as coronavirus), our thoughts tend to speed up. Taking 10 minutes or so to practise mindfulness can help produce a sense of calmness. Here are some suggestions for free mindfulness apps to try:
Make a music playlist
Music can make us feel so much better. Hop on Spotify or Youtube and make a playlist with your favourite songs. You could makea group playlist and ask your friends to add five of their favourite songs as well. If you want to get fancy, you could make several playlists for different moods/vibes (e.g. rainy day, feeling happy, etc.). Now is the time to improve your playing if you already play music yourself. You have time to practice and see yourself making progress. Making progress will add your confidence and enjoyment when playing the instrument.
Learn something new
Have you wanted to get into drawing or learning a musical instrument?
Now’s a great time to make a start. Again, Youtube will help with tutorials. If you want to improve a language or learn a new language, Duolingo is a great free language learning programme you can access from your computer or phone.
https://www.duolingo.com/
YouTube has great free online tutorials for pretty much everything!!
Make a homemade meal
Good nutrition is always important, but during stressful times there’s nothing better than a tasty, healthy homemade meal – especially if you made it yourself!
You could ask a friend or family member for their favourite recipe. There are some very short, easily watched videos here to help make simple snacks and meals:
https://thehappypear.ie/ This is a great Irish video channel to help you to get confident with cooking.
https://www.youtube.com/user/JamieOliver
For many people it may be challenging to get some ingredients at the moment. If you’re running low or not able to get certain things, it’s totally fine to keep it really simple.
https://myfridgefood.com/ This site will suggest a recipe for the ingredients you already have.
You could also get creative with substitutions or Google ‘[ingredient] substitute’ for ideas.
Take a break from the news
Between the news and social media, we’re all feeling saturated by coronavirus updates right now.
It’s important to stay informed, but try to limit your media intake to a couple of times a day and use trusted news sources.
If you catch yourself turning to social media because you’re feeling isolated, take a break and spend time on another activity, such as those we’ve suggested here.
Declutter for five minutes
If you’re suddenly spending a lot more time at home, it can help to have an environment that feels good to you. Instead of getting all Marie Kondo and trying to overhaul your whole space in a day, try decluttering for five minutes a day.
Pick a shelf to start with, or pick up five things and find a home for them.
We tend to feel better in an organised, clutter-free space
If it’s all getting a bit much…
If you find things difficult to cope with at the moment you can contact teenline.ie
Text teen to 50015 or
Call 1800 833 634 You can call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
The ISPCC operates Teenline, a national active listening service for children and young people up to the age of 18 in Ireland.
https://www.ispcc.ie/services/teenline
Teenline can be contacted, by calling or Text teen to 50015
The service is free to contact and is confidential, non-directive and non-judgmental.
You will also find very helpful information on these links:
- https://spunout.ie/life
- https://www.jigsaw.ie/
- Teac Tom Kilkenny 056 7796592 (There are trained volunteers on the phone during this time)
Even if an in-person meet-up is not possible, try to stay in touch with your friends on your own favourite app, or make a good old fashioned phone call. Ask them how they’re feeling and share your own experience if you feel safe to do so.
Please watch this short video to see how we can Stay connected while staying apart:
https://t.co/lzaThFl1Md
https://twitter.com/JigsawYMH/status/1242889461597339649?s=03)
Happiness Skills
This is a link to an Irish site where you can learn about positive psychology and happiness skills. Have a look at a video or try out one of the suggested exercises on Gratitude or Self-encouragement or any of the other skills mentioned.
http://www.happinessskills.ie/
Watch or read something uplifting
Distraction can be a good thing. Watch something that you find uplifting and allow yourself to zone out from what’s going on in the world. YouTube is a great option. This is a collection of relaxing videos that are sure to help you chill out. https://au.reachout.com/collections/ways-to-relax
If reading is more your thing, go to your bookshelf and choose an old favourite or something you’ve been meaning to get to for a while, or if you don’t have physical books then e-books are a great option.
https://www.free-ebooks.net/
Borrowbox is app from the Irish library service where you can listen to books for free
https://www.borrowbox.com/
Stay active
It’s pretty well known that exercise is really good for both our physical and mental health. There are lots of different types of exercise you can do from home, thanks to YouTube and apps. Nike Training Club can help you stay active during this time by offering lots of free workouts. It also features wellness and nutrition guidance from experts.
- Seven – 7 Minute Workout app (iOS and Android). These seven-minute workouts are based on scientific studies and are designed to provide the maximum benefit in the shortest amount of time.
- You can also link up with friends in the app to encourage each other (or, let’s be honest, compete!) – it’s a great way to stay connected. If you play sport and your games and training have been cancelled, you could consider linking up with your team on this app.
- The Body Coach TV on Youtube is doing classes especially for the situation we are now in
- Go for a walk. Be sure to observe social-distancing guidelines
Take 10 to be Zen
When we’re stressed about something (such as coronavirus), our thoughts tend to speed up. Taking 10 minutes or so to practise mindfulness can help produce a sense of calmness. Here are some suggestions for free mindfulness apps to try:
- https://www.headspace.com/ Headspace is a great free app that will help you to learn about mindfulness.
- Insight Timer has over 25,000 free guided meditations, from 1 to 90+ minutes. Try searching by a topic that interests you (e.g. stress, learning to meditate, sleep).
- If meditation isn’t for you, try doing an everyday activity in a mindful way – in other words, put aside distractions and focus fully on one small task. For example, while you’re having a cup of tea, pay attention to your senses (the smell of the tea, the warmth of the cup in your hand, the taste…).
Make a music playlist
Music can make us feel so much better. Hop on Spotify or Youtube and make a playlist with your favourite songs. You could makea group playlist and ask your friends to add five of their favourite songs as well. If you want to get fancy, you could make several playlists for different moods/vibes (e.g. rainy day, feeling happy, etc.). Now is the time to improve your playing if you already play music yourself. You have time to practice and see yourself making progress. Making progress will add your confidence and enjoyment when playing the instrument.
Learn something new
Have you wanted to get into drawing or learning a musical instrument?
Now’s a great time to make a start. Again, Youtube will help with tutorials. If you want to improve a language or learn a new language, Duolingo is a great free language learning programme you can access from your computer or phone.
https://www.duolingo.com/
YouTube has great free online tutorials for pretty much everything!!
Make a homemade meal
Good nutrition is always important, but during stressful times there’s nothing better than a tasty, healthy homemade meal – especially if you made it yourself!
You could ask a friend or family member for their favourite recipe. There are some very short, easily watched videos here to help make simple snacks and meals:
https://thehappypear.ie/ This is a great Irish video channel to help you to get confident with cooking.
https://www.youtube.com/user/JamieOliver
For many people it may be challenging to get some ingredients at the moment. If you’re running low or not able to get certain things, it’s totally fine to keep it really simple.
https://myfridgefood.com/ This site will suggest a recipe for the ingredients you already have.
You could also get creative with substitutions or Google ‘[ingredient] substitute’ for ideas.
Take a break from the news
Between the news and social media, we’re all feeling saturated by coronavirus updates right now.
It’s important to stay informed, but try to limit your media intake to a couple of times a day and use trusted news sources.
If you catch yourself turning to social media because you’re feeling isolated, take a break and spend time on another activity, such as those we’ve suggested here.
Declutter for five minutes
If you’re suddenly spending a lot more time at home, it can help to have an environment that feels good to you. Instead of getting all Marie Kondo and trying to overhaul your whole space in a day, try decluttering for five minutes a day.
Pick a shelf to start with, or pick up five things and find a home for them.
We tend to feel better in an organised, clutter-free space
If it’s all getting a bit much…
If you find things difficult to cope with at the moment you can contact teenline.ie
Text teen to 50015 or
Call 1800 833 634 You can call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
The ISPCC operates Teenline, a national active listening service for children and young people up to the age of 18 in Ireland.
https://www.ispcc.ie/services/teenline
Teenline can be contacted, by calling or Text teen to 50015
The service is free to contact and is confidential, non-directive and non-judgmental.
You will also find very helpful information on these links:
- https://spunout.ie/life
- https://www.jigsaw.ie/
- Teac Tom Kilkenny 056 7796592 (There are trained volunteers on the phone during this time)
