Introducing the Five Steps to Mental Wellbeing

Wellbeing refers to a state of feeling good and functioning well. Studying at University can be stressful, and under pressure anyone can start to feel less good and function less well.

There are lots of positive things we can do to boost and maintain our wellbeing, and the NHS supports the Five Steps to Wellbeing, which are:

• Connect: Connecting with others is important as feeling like we are part of a community gives us a sense of belonging, and the opportunity to give and receive support.
• Be active: Being active boosts our wellbeing by causing chemical changes in our brain which can positively change our moods. We can also set ourselves challenges and meet our goals, which can give us a sense of achievement.
• Keep Learning: as a student you are already doing this one, but it can be beneficial to keep learning outside of your degree subject.
• Give: as well as being beneficial to the recipient, giving to others can have a positive effect on ourselves as we feel a sense of pride and can connect with others.
• Take Notice: taking notice of the present moment can help us to be more in tune with our thoughts and feelings and the world around us and can help us spend less time and energy dwelling on the past or worrying about the future.

The Five Steps to Wellbeing can sound simple when listed out, but may be more difficult to achieve when you try. None of these things can be achieved overnight, but if you start small and build up your motivation and abilities, you will start to notice benefits in your wellbeing.

Over the academic year, our news posts will focus on how to make the Five Ways to Wellbeing relevant and achievable in your life as a student, and we will address the things that get in the way of us achieving the five ways.

It’s important to remember to start small and to find what works best for you!

Check back on our newsfeed each month for an in depth look into one of the Five Ways; in the meantime if you would like more information about the Five Ways, take a look at these websites: