RMH TRAINING
MODULE 3: Five Ways to wellbeing

Five ways to wellbeing

Aims

  • To support individuals to understand their own identity and personal circumstances which impact on their mental health
  • To understand the five ways to wellbeing concept
  • To be able to support the development of a five ways wellbeing plan for people
  • To develop skills including action planning, self-awareness and providing information and guidance

Learning
outcomes

  • To be able to understand the needs of people and to support them to have insight into their mental wellbeing
  • Developing a five ways to wellbeing plan
  • Understanding local support services for individuals

Activities

       8. Five ways to wellbeing activity

International research has identified five simple things you can do as part of your everyday life – at work and at home – to build resilience and boost your wellbeing. You will already be doing many of these. They’re good science, but not rocket science. The Five Ways to Wellbeing were developed by the new economics foundation in the UK, based on a review of the international evidence about what boosts our wellbeing and helps us feel good and function well. The Five Ways to Wellbeing are:

Connect, Be Active, Keep Learning, Give, and Take Notice.

They help people take care of their mental health and wellbeing. Regularly practising the Five Ways is beneficial for everyone – whether you have a mental health problem or not.

Activity 8: Five Ways to wellbeing activity
Aims: The Five Ways to wellbeing activity will help people to recognise how they are already engaging with the Five Ways to Wellbeing in their lives. Instructions: the exercise will move throughout 5 steps.

STEP 1: Connect

Connecting with other people is one of the most powerful ways to increase wellbeing. Forming strong relationships with colleagues, friends and keeps us well, and sets us up for better support through the down times.

Activity Set up: (If participants can easily move around the room, ask them to pair-up with someone that they don’t know well, or if using a sedentary room, the person next to them)

  • Think about what you already do in your personal lives or at work, to Connect
  • Tell your partner about it, who do you connect with and why? and describe how it feels? How do you go about making new connections? The partner will listen, be curious, and ask questions about your connections .
  • After 2 minutes, please swap to the other person. Share back: What were some of the ideas you heard, or shared?

STEP 2: Keep Learning

Keeping learning throughout our lives is vital to wellbeing. Keeping learning is good for our brains. It’s not just about book learning, it’s about being curious and open and seeking out new experiences.

Change partners, then:

  • Think about what you already do in your personal lives or at work, to Keep Learning in your life.
  • Tell your partner about that, describe it, and describe how it feels. The partner will listen, be curious, and ask questions around what it’s like. What are you learning about at the moment? How does this help your well-being?
  • After 2 minutes, please swap to another person.
Share back:

What were some of the ideas you heard, or shared?

STEP 3: Be Active

We know that being active is good for us physically, but it’s also good for our mood and overall mental wellbeing. You don’t have to run a marathon, it’s about finding something you enjoy and doing it regularly.

Change partners, then:

  • Think about what you already do in your personal lives or at work, to Be Active.
  • Tell your partner about that, describe it, and describe how it feels. The partner will listen, be curious, and ask questions around what it’s like.
  • After 2 minutes, swap to the other person.

Share back:

What were some of the ideas you heard, or shared?

STEP 4: Give

Generosity is good for the giver and it’s good for the recipient. Science tells us we also get a wellbeing boost just hearing about acts of generosity. At work, giving helps create connection, empathy and better team work.

Change partners, then:

  • Think about a time someone gave to you, or you gave to someone else.
  • Tell your partner about that, describe it, and describe how it felt. The partner will listen, be curious, and ask questions around what it was like.
  • After 2 minutes, swap to the other person.

Share back:

What were some of the ideas you heard, or shared?

STEP 5: Take Notice

Taking notice is about being fully present. Reconnecting with the world around us. Appreciating the little things and savouring the moment.

Either: Take a moment to notice where you are in the room, how you’re feeling and whether something has resonated with you from the workshop.

Or: In our everyday lives, it’s really easy for us to notice what’s wrong. We’re wired that way – it’s important that we can sense and react to bad things because they might be dangerous. We have to make more of a conscious effort to noticethe good things. Go around and ask if each person will share something they appreciate about their work, or about the workshop today.