Five Ways to Wellbeing

5 ways to look after your mental wellbeing

There are five steps we can all take to protect and look after our mental wellbeing. They are called the Five Ways to Wellbeing.

They were developed by the New Economics Foundation. You can find more information about them here.

The Five Ways to Wellbeing are:

1. Connect

We get positive benefits and good feelings from connecting with people around us. Connecting with people can help you to build a sense of belonging and self-worth. It can also provide emotional support as well as you providing emotional support to others. See our ‘in your area’ page for local opportunities to connect with others.

2. Be active

Being physically active is good for our bodies and our minds. Being active releases chemicals in your brain that make you feel good. Did you know that regular activity helps reduce stress and anxiety, boosts confidence, and improves energy levels? Being active outdoors is even better. Expert studies show that being in nature can make us feel happier and reduce levels of depression and anxiety. See our ‘in your area’ page for local opportunities to be active.

3. Take notice

Pay more attention to the present moment, your thoughts/feelings, your body and the world around you. This can help improve your mental wellbeing (and is often called ‘mindfulness’). See our ‘in your area’ page for local opportunities to go visit local places and take notice of the beauty around us. Try one of our free mindfulness courses – see self-help courses. Mindfulness can help you enjoy life more and feel more positive about life.

4. Keep learning 

Learning new skills can improve your mental wellbeing. It can improve your confidence and self-esteem. We recommend setting yourself a task that you will enjoy achieving, such as:

• Taking on a new challenge to make or fix something.
• Rediscovering an old hobby that challenges you, whether it’s writing stories, cooking, sewing, gardening or playing board games – see our ‘in your area’ page for information on local groups.
• Try an online course, there are many free ones available – see our self-help courses.

5. Give 

Doing something nice for a friend or a stranger is not only good for them,  but it is also good for you. Expert studies suggest that being kind to others can help improve your mental wellbeing by giving you a sense of purpose and self-worth and creating positive feelings. It could be a small act of kindness or a large one, like volunteering.  Being kind to yourself is just as important: it can improve our mental health by easing any stress or anxiety we may be feeling.