This is a 50 minute facilitated session with 10 minutes for self-reflection.

Self-care is a topical part of mental health that we think we all know how to do - hydrate, exercise, eat well, sleep well - but very few of us are practicing good self-care on a regular basis. There are many reasons for why we do not practice self-care, however typically we hear ourselves saying the words “not enough time” or “I just can’t commit to it”. To be able to support our mental health though, we need to be able to turn our intentions into actions and create a self-care plan that actually works.

This session aims to explore the reasons for why we avoid, defer and put off the self-care that we know we need. Individuals will learn how to adopt self-care that is personal, specific, and practical, creating a clear plan in how to begin taking care of ourselves in busy and challenging environments.

Learning Outcomes

• Have an increased awareness of what mental fitness is
• Learn some strategies for checking in with ourselves
• Learn practical strategies to build motivation for self-care
• Learn how to take care of ourselves in a meaningful way
• Know where to seek further information and support

Content

• Introduction the definitions mental health vs. mental fitness
• Learn the 6 contributing factors that maintain a state of good mental health
• Understand practical strategies in each of these factors:
• Physical health
• Psychological health
• Connection to others
• Emotional awareness
• Spiritual connectedness
• Healthy workplace
• Learn practical strategies in building mental fitness through a series of different ideas
• Reflect and prepare a self-care plan with a focus on practical strategies
• Know where to seek further information and support