Resolutions for a happy and healthy 2009
MEDIA RELEASE
1 January, 2009
The Mental Health Foundation is encouraging New Zealanders to focus on their mental health and wellbeing as they make resolutions for the year ahead.
"New Year is traditionally a time to think about how to make our lives happier and more fulfilling, but it can be difficult to know where to start. While the activities and interests that bring us enjoyment can be very diverse, there are some things we can all do to improve our lives and the lives of those around us," says Judi Clements, Chief Executive of the Foundation.
Five things people can do to enhance their wellbeing were recently identified by experts*. Their recommendations are:
1. Connect: develop your relationships with friends, family, colleagues, and neighbours as these connections support you and enrich your life.
2. Be active: physical activity helps you to feel good so find something that you enjoy and suits your ability.
3. Take notice: be aware of the world around you and see the beauty in everyday and unusual things - reflecting on them helps you appreciate what matters to you.
4. Learn: try something new or rediscover an old interest, or take on a new responsibility or challenge - learning makes you more confident and can be fun.
5. Give: do something for a friend or stranger and see yourself and your happiness as linked to the wider community.
It can be a challenge to turn these ideas into real and lasting changes, so as a starting point the Foundation recommends making a small number of specific goals you know you can achieve. You could resolve to invest time in a particular friendship, go for a walk or play a game, sign up for a course, learn to cook or dance, volunteer with a community group, or think about how you can help someone in your neighbourhood.
The New Year can also be a time to think about improving our working lives and, even for people who enjoy their jobs, it's common to feel a bit low after returning from the holidays. Working Well, a Mental Health Foundation programme that aims to create mentally healthy workplaces, offers the following advice to ease the ‘back-to-work' blues:
1. Make your first week a short one: it's a good way to keep positive and ease yourself into work.
2. Mess will depress - tidy it up: a disorganised workspace can give a feeling of back to work drudgery and the first days back are a good time to clear out clutter. Add a personal touch to your space with new photos or other items.
3. Start a personal project: rather than slipping back into an old routine, give yourself fresh motivation and focus by starting a new project - either work or non-work related - that you can devote your creative energies to.
4. Move to improve your mood: physical activity is scientifically proven to have a beneficial effect on mental health, combatting depression and anxiety, improving well-being, mood and emotions, self-esteem and self-perception.
5. Pay attention to your diet: most of us indulge over the holidays and it can be hard to break the habit. What we eat influences how we feel physically and mentally, as well as our energy levels.
For some people, the back-to-work blues persist for longer than a few weeks. This is a concern and may signal the onset of depression, so please seek information or help if you have any concerns. Speak to your GP, or consult the pages on this website, which contain more information and advice on depression.
Further information
*United Kingdom Foresight Project on Mental Capital and Wellbeing: The Foresight Project on Mental Capital and Wellbeing aims to advise the UK Government on how its population can achieve the best mental development and wellbeing in the future. More information and an executive summary of its final report can be found at www.foresight.gov.uk
Working Well: Working Well is a service of the Mental Health Foundation that provides mental health training for the workplace on a variety of different topics, delivering in-house workshops and presentations, with an emphasis on practical tools. For more information visit www.workingwell.co.nz
Media inquiries
Paula Taylor
Communications & Marketing Manager
Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand
09 300 7025 or 021 300 594
