Self-care practices from the Devon Wellbeing Hub

Posted by Devon Partnership Trust in Mental health, News, Recovery and wellbeing on 1st August, 2024

August is National Wellness Month – a perfect time to commit to practicing some simple, self-care habits. 

At the Devon Wellbeing Hub, we provide support for healthcare, social care and police colleagues who spend so much of their time and energy looking after others, which means they often forget to look after themselves. However, it’s important to remember that self-care isn’t selfish. We need to put on our oxygen mask first in order to be able to help others.

Practicing self-care has numerous benefits. It helps reduce stress, increase self-worth, have healthier relationships and improve our overall quality of life. 

Barbara Carpenter, Senior Chaplain in the Hub, said: "Self-care doesn't have to be a big, time consuming thing. In my conversations with colleagues I see in the Hub, I often remind them of the small things they can do. Such as; using a minute’s breathing app on their smart watch, a quick squirt of their favourite perfume or sitting down to drink their cup of tea, rather than drinking on the go. As a well-known supermarket says, ‘every little helps’.”

Some other simple ways to practice self-care include:  

• Stick to a healthy diet: Research shows a link between what we eat and how we feel. It’s also important to stay hydrated as even mild dehydration can affect our mood, energy level and ability to concentrate.
• Be active: Movement is important for both our physical and mental health. It can be hard to fit exercise into our daily life when we’re busy, but finding ways to add more movement in our day doesn’t have to be difficult. There are simple ways to get started, such as going for a walk in your lunchbreak.
• Get a good night’s sleep: Having good-quality sleep makes a big difference to how we feel mentally and physically, and is as important as diet and exercise. You can improve your sleep by sticking to a routine, avoiding using your phone before bed and taking some time to relax. Headspace (which NHS staff can access for free) have lots of sleep meditations, wind downs and sleep music.
• Connect with others: Spending quality time with friends, family or colleagues can stop us from feeling lonely and improve our wellbeing. Set aside time in your working day to connect – whether this is just over a quick cuppa or virtually via MS Teams. Outside of work, try and make plans with others, join a new club, talk on the phone, or even just send a text. If you’re concerned about your wellbeing, it’s important to reach out for support.

How the Hub can help:

Getting support with your own wellbeing doesn’t have to be a challenge – we’re here to help you to find the next steps forward, whatever issues you’re dealing with.

Our service is free, completely confidential and non-judgemental. We can help with a range of issues, whether they are work-related or not, such as managing stress, financial worries, relationship problems or any other concerns you’re facing with your wellbeing. Whether you need specific advice or you’re just finding everything ‘a bit much’, support is just a phone call or email away.

Please get in touch by emailing dpt.devonwellbeing@nhs.net or by calling 0300 303 5455. You can also find out more about the support we provide and fill out our online referral form on our website