Taking care of yourself in isolation

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While we all MUST follow the national guidance to stay at home and stay safe, we must also make sure we take care of ourselves and interact as much as we can from a distance or by helping others. It’s a serious message – take care of yourselves each and every day and follow Public Health Suffolk’s five ways to wellbeing to improve your physical and mental health while we stay at home.

  • Connect with others. Take time to call a friend or family member. It’s important to stay in touch with others however you do it, and sometimes simply talking
    about how you feel can make a big difference.
  • Be active. It can improve your physical health, help manage stress and anxiety and generally make you feel better.
  • Learn. Take the opportunity to think about learning a new skill or pick up something you have enjoyed doing before. More classes and courses are also
    available online now than ever before.
  • Take notice. It’s all too easy to become immersed in the constant, and everchanging media coverage surrounding coronavirus (COVID-19). Take a break from watching, listening or reading news stories and use the time for the things you enjoy. Techniques such as mindfulness can be helpful.
  • Give. Giving your time and energy to others is extremely important, never more so than now, and can pay dividends for your mental wellbeing. Whether it’s looking out for and helping a neighbour, or registering to volunteer to offer support in your community, there is plenty you can do.
  • Treat all ‘foreign’ items (food packages, parcels etc) coming into the home as potential threats, wipe them and then wash your hands thoroughly.