Maintaining a sense of wellbeing can often feel like an uphill struggle. It’s easy for people to forget about mental and emotional health when they have so much on their plates with work, family, and social responsibilities. But wellbeing is not as simple as that. To help promote positive mental health and wellbeing, we use the Six Ways to Wellbeing. They are an easy but effective way to improve mental health and quality of life as a whole. Here are the six areas with tips and examples that you can use in your daily life.
Be Active
We all know that staying physically active is good for our bodies, but it’s just as important for our minds. Regular physical activity can reduce stress, improve mood, and increase energy levels. To get the benefits—small, persistent improvements can make a significant difference—you don’t have to spend hours at the gym.
Start small. You could go for a quick walk during your lunch break, take the stairs instead of the lift, or stretch while you watch TV. You are more likely to keep doing things that you enjoy. Try different types of exercise, like yoga, swimming, and riding, until you find the one that works best for you.
Setting achievable fitness goals can also keep you motivated. Track your progress, celebrate small wins, and gradually challenge yourself to reach new milestones.
Keep Learning
Mental health and personal development depend on lifetime learning. Not only does keeping our minds active and involved improve our cognitive skills, but it also keeps us motivated and curious.
One of the easiest ways to include learning in your life is by setting aside time each week to learn something new. This could be reading a book, taking an online course, or watching a documentary on something that interests you. The goal is to challenge yourself and expand your knowledge.
Take up a new hobby, something that needs you to learn new skills, such as cooking, knitting, or photography. Joining a class or group can also help you make friends, which is another important part of wellbeing.
Give
Helping other people is one of the best ways to make yourself happier and give your life more value. Giving changes our lives and the lives of those around us. We can do this by working, helping a friend, or just being kind to others in small ways.
Start by volunteering for a local charity or community organisation. Don’t worry about how much time it takes—a few hours a month can make a big difference. If you are not able to volunteer in a formal way, you could help a friend or neighbour who needs it.
Small acts of kindness can also make a big difference. You could pay for someone’s coffee, thank a coworker, or write a good review for a nearby business. These small things, even if they don’t seem important, help create a feeling of kindness and closeness.
Connect
Humans are social creatures, and strong relationships are important for our mental and emotional health. But because our lives are so busy, it’s easy to lose touch with people. Putting in the work to make and keep relationships can greatly improve your well-being.
Start by making time to connect with friends and family regularly. This could be through weekly phone calls, video chats, or face-to-face meet-ups. If you struggle to find time, try integrating social activities into your existing routine—like catching up with a friend while going for a walk or having lunch together.
Another great way to meet new people and make new friends is to join clubs, groups, or classes that are related to what you’re interested in. Whether it’s a fitness class, a book club, or a community gardening group, these things bring people together through shared hobbies.
Take Notice
It’s easy to rush through life without truly paying attention to what’s happening around us. Mindfulness—being present and fully engaged in the moment—can help reduce stress, improve focus, and enhance our appreciation of life’s simple pleasures.
Start by practising mindfulness meditation for a few minutes each day. Find a quiet space, focus on your breathing, and gently bring your attention back whenever your mind starts to wander. Even just a few minutes of mindfulness each day can make a big difference in how you feel.
You can also stay present by doing things that make you more aware, like writing in a book or walking slowly and mindfully. Writing in a journal gives you space to think about your feelings and ideas, and mindful walking makes you pay attention to the sounds, sights, and feelings around you.
Paying attention to the little things that happen in your daily life is another way to practice mindfulness. Notice the little things, be present, and fully enjoy the experience, whether you’re eating, taking a shower, or talking to someone.
Care for the Planet
Being careful with the environment is good for us as well as the world. Spending time in nature and doing things that are good for the environment can improve our mental and emotional health.
To begin, make small changes that will help the environment. Recycle, take the bus, or use less energy at home. These things are good for the earth and make you feel like you’re making a difference when you do them.
Bridge Support is proud to offer services tailored to the individual. We provide one-to-one support for members of the community with mental health and well-being challenges.
We encourage and support clients to apply the six ways to well-being to aid their own recovery journey.
Further Reading
The Recovery College: A Revolutionary Approach to Mental Health Recovery
Holistic Recovery for Good Mental Health and Wellbeing
How Partnership Working Impacts UK Holistic Support Programs
