Five Ways to Wellbeing offers a simple evidence-based approach to mental health that anyone can follow.
Mental health should be a priority for each of us. It allows us to live with less fear, anxiety and suffering. It gives us the outlook, motivation and resilience to live full and enjoyable lives.
We’re all touched by mental illness at some point in our lifetime, so understanding and promoting mental health is an essential collective effort.
The Five Ways to Wellbeing have been researched and developed by the New Economics Foundation (NEF) in the UK, as a way to improve the mental health and wellbeing of the whole population.
They are simple recommendations that each of us can put into practice and better help those in need:
1. Connect
We are social creatures that thrive when connections with family, friends and peers are strong. Evidence suggests that feeling close to, and valued by, other people is important in mental wellbeing.
Try to connect with someone each day. Turn off devices whenever possible and focus on building quality relationships:
- Phone a friend (instead of messaging)
- Go for a hike with a colleague
- Meet someone for lunch, or a coffee
- Eat dinner with your family each night
- Turn off the TV and play a game with your family or friends
- Reach out to someone you haven’t spoken to for a while
- Take the time to ask how someone really is and do your best to listen
- Talk to someone new
2. Be physically active
Daily exercise has a number of benefits for body and mind. It can reduce depression and anxiety, raise your self-esteem and cause chemical changes in your brain which elevate your mood.
There are many different kinds of exercise for you to enjoy and it doesn’t have to be intense to feel good or promote health.
What exercise can you do today? Here are a few ideas:
- Have a light stretch when you wake up
- Go for a morning walk
- Walk or cycle to work
- Take the stairs instead of the lift
- Go to the gym on your lunch break
- Organise a weekly sports night
- Play football at the park with your kids
- Go for a swim or a hike on the weekend
3. Be present
Many people are frustrated by what happened in the past and anxious about what might happen in the future. They create unnecessary stress in their lives by obsessing about things that have already gone and things that are yet to be – which are completely out with our control.
Being present in the moment enhances our wellbeing and allows us to enjoy life more. By focussing on present thoughts, feelings and sensations we are able to understand ourselves better and savour the moment.
Mindfulness allows us to stay calm and make better choices based on internal values and motivations, instead of reacting to every so-called emergency.
Here are a few ways to be present and enjoy the moment:
- Practice meditation
- Do a body scan
- Walk slowly and deliberately
- Declutter your home or office
- Observe your colleagues words, tone, posture and movement, without judgement
- Go to a park for lunch and watch the wildlife
4. Learn new skills
Lifelong learning enhances our skills, self-esteem and confidence. Whether engaging in an online course or a weekend intensive, fresh ideas and challenges keep our minds sharp and engaged.
Goal setting in particular, has been associated with higher levels of wellbeing.
What are you curious about? What skills would you like to learn? You can:
- Read a book on Atomic Physics
- Listen to a History podcast
- Do a crossword puzzle
- Learn how to play chess
- Take a Masterclass or Creative Live course
- Attend a week long BJJ intensive
- Go back to school
Start small and follow your curiosity. Scratch your own itch. If an interest grows within you, take it further.
5. Give
Research shows that acts of giving and kindness can boost wellbeing by helping us connect with other people, creating positive feelings and a sense of reward, and giving us a feeling of purpose and self-worth.
These are powerful motivators and once we start giving, we want to continue.
It can be small and random acts of generosity for individuals, or larger projects for organisations and communities. You decide what kind of giving to practice.
Here are a few things to try:
- Lend your ears to a friend in need
- Say thank you to someone for something they have done for you
- Help a colleague move house
- Buy lunch for a homeless person
- Volunteer at a local charity shop on school holidays
- Volunteer at a local hospital
- Start a non-profit or B-Corp
You can learn more about the Five Ways to Wellbeing and the research behind it at neweconomics.org.