Healthy Minds, Healthy Bodies, Healthy Lives

In this ‘new normal’ we currently find ourselves in it is important that we are looking

after our whole selves. This means academically, physically and emotionally.

Are you looking after your whole self?

Let’s face it: too much time inside with nothing to do is not good for our mental health. It can lower your mood, energy levels and motivation. You can end up feeling cooped up, restless, irritable and/or lethargic.

The best thing to do is set up a daily routine for yourself. Aim for variety, a mix of self-care, being productive, exercise, social, creative and leisure.

Being Productive

Finding ways to be productive/accomplish things is particularly important.

This gives us a sense of purpose and allows us to enjoy our leisure time even more.

Start by asking yourself “What have I been mean-ing to get done?” and then write a to-do list.

Also ask yourself “What do I want to learn or get better at?” e.g. guitar, make up technique, a lan-guage, trigonometry, drawing people

Making your daily schedule

Read the list of activities below and mark the ones you are interested in or that are possible in your house

Have set get up and bedtime

Get dressed

Have a shower/Bath

Brush and floss your teeth

Style or dye your hair

Paint your nails—Do your Tan

Relaxation (breathing, stretching, meditating,

apps like

“Stop Breath Think”, “Headspace”)

Home Beauty treatments – face mask, hair mask,

Go for a run

Do a work out/circuit training

Do yoga/pilates (great videos online)

Go for a cycle

Go for a hike (adhering to social distancing)

Skipping rope

Dance to your favourite music

Get involved in Mr Long Wellbeing challenge

on Google Classroom

Do school work—revise and catch up of work you

might be behind on

Learn something new (e.g. how to cartwheel,

draw or knit, a language, all the capital cities in

Europe etc )

Get better at something you already do ( – musi-

cal instrument, make up technique etc o

Clean and tidy your room

Cull your clothes – make piles for charity shop

and for the clothes bank

Help out with spring cleaning the house – attic,

garage, spare room

Research college courses or career options o Help

others

Practice a musical instrument

Cook or bake (try a new recipe)

Write (stories, poems, songs)

Draw (follow online tutorials and learn how to

draw something new)

Jigsaws/ Lego

Art project

Make a gift or card for someone

Write in a journal/diary

Listen to music - Make a Playlist

Hang out in the garden or on the balcony, notice

nature (trees, birds, clouds)

Read (there are so many great books!)

Dance or Watch TV or a film

Make a memory box or a scrap book

Listen to a podcast

Play Video Games

Take care of your pets

Play with younger siblings

Board games

Card games

Catch up with someone you have been out of

touch with (online, by phone or write them a

letter)

Video call a friend

Create a Daily Schedule—look at the sample below

The evening should be a mixture of social, exercise ,leisure and self

Care…… (this is just a sample, each person’s day will look

different )

Top tips 1. Stick to set get up time and bed time

2. Do your school work—link in with your teachers

3. Set a limit on screen time

4. Exercise

5. Get fresh air (balcony, garden, walk on your own if possible)

6. Accomplish something (house work or building skill at

something)

Time Category Activity 8.00—9.00 Self Care Get up and get ready for the day

- Shower, get dressed, have breakfast

9.00—11.00 Productivity School Work—3 minute break for every 30 minutes

work done

- movement break, get a glass of water

11.00—11.20 Exercise Go for a walk, Stretch, Dance

11.20—1.00 Productivity School work—3 minutes break for every 30 minutes

work done

1.00—1.45 Self Care Lunch

1.45 –3.40 Productivity/Creative School Wok—Include practical work where possible

(practice musical instrument, cook for Home Ec prac-

tical, complete an Art piece etc)

3.40 –5.00 Leisure Go outside, walk the dog, listen to music

Make sure students are check-

ing in online on a daily basis as

there will always be work to

do

Google Classroom

School Email

Login to Google Hangouts

with your

teacher and classmates

when your teacher

organises a class for you;

it’s a great way to stay

connected to the school and

to your classmates. Google Hangouts

A Note for our Parents

Talking to you Children about Covid—19

.

Stay Calm—Take some time for yourself or talk to another adult if you need

to

Talk to your Child—Ask your child what they know and how do they are feel-

ing. Be open and honest.

Answer Questions—Share simple age appropriate facts and information that

you know from trusted sources like the HSE

Create a Safe Environment – Reassure your child, and talk to them about

what you and they are doing to stay safe (e.g hand washing)

Daily Routines—Keep a daily routine to manage consistency and stability. Mix

it up with learning, movement, relaxation, creative and leisure time

Try a relaxation or

mindfulness App like

“Headspace”

Reach out remotely for

support - to someone

you trust, or a service.

Supports Available online and on the Phone

www.yourmentalhealth.ie Service Type Name Contact Details Description

Mental

Wellbeing

Childline

Spunout

Jigsaw Online

Parentline

Pieta House

1800 666 666

Message on childline.ie

Text TALK to 50101

Text SPUNOUT to 0861800280

https://jigsawonline.ie/talktosomeone/

LoCall 1890 927 277 or 01 8733500

1800 247 247 Text 51444 www.pietahouse.ie

Support children and young peo-ple up to 18 years of age.

For young people between the age of 16-25

For young people 12-25 who would like to ask a question about mental health.

Confidential helpline for parents which offers support, guidance and information on all aspects of being a parent

A mental health support service providing phone and text sup-port.

Learning &

Education

Google Classroom

Scoilnet

Genius Scan App

Khan Academy

BBC Bitesize

Available through your

school email

Scoilnet.ie

Google—Genius Scan App

https://

www.khanacademy.org/

https://www.bbc.co.uk/

bitesize

Link in with your teachers, submit

assigned work, get feedback from

your teachers

Useful resources for primary &

secondary students

A free app that converts photos to

pdfs. Will help teachers with cor-

rections

A US based website to help stu-

dents practice Literacy & Numeracy

A UK website for primary, second-

ary and over 16 year olds to use to

learn, revise and access curriculum

topics

Employment &

Social

Protection

https://www.gov.ie/en/

campaigns/4cf0e2-covid-19-

coronavirus-information-for-

employers-and-employees-

test/

The Dept have issued a range of

measures to provide income support

to people affected by COVID-19

(Coronavirus).

Relaxation

Techniques

Mindfulness Exercise

Mindfulness is the process of bringing ones

attention to the present moment

Chose an object from your environment

Focus on watching it for a minute or two

Don’t do anything except notice the thing

you are looking at

Relax into a harmony for as long as your

concentration allows

Explore every aspect of the object like

you are looking at it for the first time

Deep Breathing Exercises can help reduce

feeling of anxiety and physical tension. The

key to deep breathing is to breathe deeply

from the abdomen, getting as much air as

possible into the lungs. The more oxygen

you get the less tense, short of breath, and

anxious you feel

For Example:

Sit in a comfortable chair with your arms

and legs uncrossed

Inhale slowly through your nose or mouth

and fill your lungs

Silenty say to yourself ‘I’m filling my body

with calm’

Exhale slowly through your mouth

Silently say to yourself ‘I’m letting the ten-

sion drain away’

Repeat 5 times slowly

Body Focus

Take a deep breath and close your eyes for a few moments.

Sense where your body is in contact with the environment around you (Chair,

floor etc.)

Sense where your weight is resting

Now take another deep breath and move your body in some way to get more

comfortable and relaxed

Are there any parts of your body that feel very tense or sore?

If you find one, take a deep breath and try to imagine that place loosening up

Then gently slowly move that part of your body just a little bit to let it loosen

and relax

Repeat as required