Health and wellbeing

Mindfulness

We are living through an unprecedented and uncertain time, requiring each of us to navigate our way as best we can through a rapidly evolving global health crisis. With things changing so quickly, such uncertainty and unpredictability can take a toll on our mental and physical health. This is why more than ever we need to be doing our best to pause, take a breath and be proactive in looking after ourselves and others.

There are a number of ways that you can practise mindfulness including:

Exercise

• There are lots of free online exercise routines, here is one to get you started: The 10 best home workouts from Yoga to Crossfit.
  

Grounding

• Splash cold water on your face
• Take a hot (or cold) shower
• Cuddle your pet
  
• Smell and/or diffuse a relaxing essential oil (lavender, geranium, ylang ylang)
• Take a moment to enjoy a cup of tea
• Access some short, guided grounding exercises from Smiling Mind, this is a free online and app based support.
  

Sleep

• When we are fearful and anxious it can be hard to sleep. Sleep is important for our mental and physical wellbeing, including immunity. Establishing good sleep routines are particularly important. The Sleep Health Foundation has some resources on good sleep habits.
  
  

Connect

• Try using video conferencing technology so that you can see each other. We communicate best when we see each other's body language and facial expressions. Do your best to listen and interact as mindfully as you can with others.
• eSafety have some tips on how to stay safe online during the pandemic.
• Cybersafety in Queensland State Schools has a lot of resources that is a must for all parents, carers and students.
• The Queensland Government have released a document outlining the positive and responsible technology use that provides information about how to protect yourself online.
  
  

Create Healthy Habits

Mindfulness can help us create healthy habits to keep everyone as safe and healthy as possible.

• Do some journaling in this inspirational planner from Teen Breathe.
• A month of mindfulness and calm down strategies for children.
• Mindfulness colouring provides some adult colouring pages.
  

Healthy Living

Wellbeing of students at home.

While students are learning at home, it is important that they take part in activities that support their wellbeing and help to take their mind off the Coronavirus crisis. To assist parents to include wellbeing activities as part of the learning at home school day, the Department of Education has developed a booklet of Wellbeing activities for learning at home.

The resilience project @ home

TRP @ home is a platform that provides activities, resources and ideas to support eh wellbeing of students and their families throughout this period of remote/online learning. On this site you will find easy to implement learning activities and digital content linked to The Resilience Projects key principals; Gratitude, Empathy, Mindfulness and Emotional Literacy.

Tips for coping with coronavirus

In these unchartered times anxiety levels may rise in our community.

• The Australian Psychological Society have provided some self-care and tips for talking about the coronavirus.
• There are some tips from the Black Dog Institute on managing your mental health at home.
• This site from emerging minds contains a video, factsheets and tips about what you can expect and how you can help children cope with the current climate.
• Staying connected with our children provides some ways that we can share connection, comfort and care to those around us.
• Just for kids: A comic exploring the new coronavirus.
• Psychology Tools have released a guide to living with worry and anxiety amidst global uncertainty.

Anxiety

Anxiety is something that we all experience from time to time. Sometimes anxiety can help us perform better by helping us feel alert and motivated. The experience of anxiety is our body's way of preparing us to manage difficult situations.

Anxiety can come and go – but for some of us, it can stick around for a long time and end up having a big impact on daily life. When this happens, it might be time to do something about it.

• This Headspace factsheet has some good information, with lots more available at https://headspace.org.au/.
• The Brave Program (an online program that provides teenagers and parents with information and skills to help cope with worries and anxiety) have some good suggestions for beating stress and worries.

Phone and Online Support Contact List

Townsville community offers a range of support services, there are also numerous services available for online and telephone support within the document.

• E-Mental Health have published a digital mental health resource for young people
• E-Mental Health have published digital mental health resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders

Get "out" without leaving your house

• Take a virtual tour of 12 of the best museums around the world
• Trawl through Australia's Natural History collections
• Explore the world
• Take part in live streaming ballet classes available to all
• Listen to podcasts – they are free and there are thousands out there to choose from. Here are some lists to scroll through and inspire you:
  
  

1.        The 40 Best Educational Podcasts in 2020
2.        Top 10 Career Podcasts To Listen to This Year (2019)
   
   

• Watch some Ted Talks – there are over 3000 to choose from
• Get an opportunity to see the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra live on YouTube, or watch the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra on livestream
• Find other livestreams and virtual concerts from some of your favourite artists and performers
• Take free online art lessons
• Learn new skills and eat delicious meals by signing up to online cooking courses – some are free, some you will have to pay for, find one that suits your budget
• Sign up for virtual Open days at universities you are interested in attending
• Attend a Twitter Conference
• Find out what online services your local library offers, you might be surprised at their range of online offers.
• Alternatively sign into other libraries and borrow ebooks for free, then read until your hearts content:

1.        Open Library
2.        National Library of Australia
3.        Project Gutenburg
4.        Google Books – search the name of the book you are after & if it is on the library start reading without downloading or signing up
   

Studying

A set schedule or routine for chores, work tasks, meetings, exercise and all the usual thing you do can help alleviate anxiety and stress. Headspace provide some information around establishing routines.

The Study Skills website helps students develop essential skills for academic success. There are units of work on topics such as improving time management skills, study techniques, research skills, summarising, technology use, brain and memory.

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KSHS Student Wellbeing Support Personnel