When balancing online seminars, assessments and your social life, it may sometimes feel like you don’t have the time to look after your mental wellbeing, especially with a global pandemic changing the ways we usually go about our lives and communicate with others. But equipping yourself with self-care strategies can help keep stress at bay and make it easier to cope when things get tough. Learning how to prioritise your wellbeing against your workload will help you not only during your time at university, but also in the workplace, whatever path you decide to take in the future.

I’m Tallulah, and I’m studying an MSc in Public Policy and Administration at LSE’s Department of Government. Finding it tough to look after my wellbeing while meeting the demands of a master’s degree, I decided to go along to one of the Wellbeing Essentials for Students workshops being run throughout the term as part of Mind’s Mentally Healthy Universities programme. Over two hours, I learned how to recognise the signs of poor wellbeing, received advice on talking about my mental health, and was given further resources to help support me. I also learned about the Five Ways to Wellbeing, a series of small changes we can make to our day-to-day lives to enhance our wellbeing.

Five Ways to Wellbeing

1. Connect.

Though the pandemic may have made it harder to keep in touch with others, there are still many ways to spend time with family and friends or meet new people. I have found that holding weekly video calls with my friends and classmates has been a great way for us to check in on one another, sometimes watching Netflix or playing a game together virtually. By joining a society, I’ve also been able to meet new people remotely, with over 200 different societies out there for LSE students to sign up to.

2. Be active.

Regular exercise has been shown to have a positive impact on wellbeing, so try to put some time aside in your schedule for physical activity. This could be going outside for a run, or staying physically active at home by doing some yoga, following an online workout, or doing seated exercises. Go with whatever you enjoy the most and works best for you! For me, going for walks has helped me to clear my mind in-between online seminars and reflect on the things I have learnt during the day.

3. Take notice.

With many day-to-day activities now moved online, it can be easy to forget to take some time away from the screen to focus on the present. Put time aside each day away from any distractions to simply enjoy the moment and take in your surroundings. I’ve been doing this while eating my meals – which I used to spend scrolling through my phone! – as well as making notes and taking photos throughout the day of the things that make me happy. Check out some more of LSE’s resources on mindfulness.

4. Learn.

Learning outside of the classroom can help you keep your mind busy while developing new skills or interests. You could learn to cook a new meal, join a society, or watch a lecture outside of your studies. I’ve been attending some LSE Events in my spare time. Take a look through this new Student Futures blog to see how other students have been learning new things during the pandemic, as well as Student News for more ideas on activities to take part in and ways to meet new people.

5. Give.

Doing things for others can be a great way to enhance your wellbeing and can be as simple as paying a compliment to a friend. Volunteering – whether on a one-off or regular basis – is another way to give to others, and you could even make some new friends while doing so. The LSE Volunteer Centre has some useful resources (including on volunteering remotely during the pandemic), with volunteering opportunities advertised throughout the year on the LSE Careers portal.

Since making these changes, I’ve found that my wellbeing has already started to improve. I’m spending more time with others, discovering new interests and – most importantly – have learnt that it’s okay to switch off and take some time away from the demands of university life every day!

Take part

Mentally Healthy Universities workshops are running until 24 March. Sign up here.
Two types of workshops are running throughout the term:

• Look After Your Mental Health at Work: focuses on growing the confidence to manage your mental health in your future career, both at work and when applying for jobs.
• Wellbeing Essentials for Students: includes learning how to recognise poor wellbeing, advice on talking about mental health, where to seek support, and more.

Further resources

It is always okay to seek support for your mental health. LSE has resources in place to support you.

• For counselling, mental health advisory, out of hours, peer support and more, visit LSE’s Student Wellbeing Service webpage.
• With exam season approaching, read more about staying well during assessments.
• Visit Mind’s Student Mental Health hub for more tools, tips, and advice.