Connect Hackney

Five Ways to look after yourself

 
Connect Hackney partners have been looking at some evidence-based findings about how to help people get through self-isolating during the coronavirus pandemic.
The most recent issue of Hackney Life has a feature by Connect Hackney partner Shoreditch Trust on the benefits of the Five Ways to Wellbeing. 
 
These are particularly useful for people who are self-isolating, feeling lonely, and missing our usual routines and activities.
 
1. Connect
Connecting to people enriches our day and help us move towards what matters most to us. We can connect by phone, email, letter, or face to face.
 
2. Keep Learning
Learning keeps our minds active, gives us a sense of purpose and can improve our self-esteem. Learning doesn’t have to be school subjects or involve reading and writing, it can be anything you find interesting or useful. There are lots of ways to keep learning:
Connect Hackney partners Core Arts are offering an amazing range of free online courses including R&B songwriting, art history and singing classes.
 
3. Be Active
Keeping active supports our physical health, but did you know it also improves our mood? Exercise changes our brain chemistry and releases hormones which make us feel more positive.
Another Connect Hackney partner, Anchor Hanover work with Shoreditch Trust’s Stroke Project. They have teamed up with the BBC and Sports England to create ‘Ten Today’, 10-minute exercise sessions, by older people, for older people.
Listen every morning on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra
Sessions start every
15 minutes from 5am – 9.45am.
 
4. Give
Giving to others can make us feel good inside, increase feelings of self-worth and connect us to other people.
Giving doesn’t have to be about money, it can mean offering our time, wisdom, and thanks.
Give your time to a local charity through Volunteer Centre Hackney
 
5. Take Notice
Paying more attention to the things around us can boost our well-being and remind us to see what is good in the world that we otherwise miss.
Some people call this ‘being mindful’ or ‘noticing’.
Take a minute to look up and notice the sky, the spring sunshine (and rain!) and listen out for birdsong, you might hear it more at the moment because there is less car noise.
 
For more on the Five Ways to Wellbeing visit Mind