Wellbeing tips for UN Personnel
A new normal requires new habits and some creative thinking about your psychological well-being. Now that many of us are forced to work remotely full-time, need to take care of young and old family members during working hours, are feeling stuck or isolated, are separated from loved ones, and have reduced options for regular physical exercise and social activities, we must think differently and creatively about ways to keep healthy in mind and body. Here are some tips and resources:
Staying healthy at home
- A guide to preventing and addressing social stigma with COVID-19
- Advice for UN staff for protecting your mental health
- Remote working and supporting staff mental health: Advice for Managers at the United Nations
- Doing What Matters in Times of Stress: An Illustrated Guide from the World Health Organization
- UN System Workplace Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy: Mental Health Matters, A Healthy Workforce for a Better World
Tips if you are feeling anxious
(adapted from apa.org and unicef.org)
- Keep things in perspective.
- Get the facts.
- Communicate with your children.
- Remember basic well-being practices.
- Maintain work/life balance.
- Stay in regular contact with friends/family, and use technology creatively to do this.
- Practice mindfulness.
- Regulate your news media monitoring, especially TV news. Read articles, instead.
- A good antidote to adversity is kindness and compassion.
Guided meditation and yoga
Mindfulness meditation is a great option to incorporate into your regular routine to reduce anxiety and stress, and if you’ve never tried it before, now's your chance! Find a comfortable yet alert seated position, keep your back straight, and just click play…
Try a 10-minute breath awareness meditation:
Try a 15-minute sitting meditation:
Try a 45-minute awareness meditation:
Try a 45-minute slow standing/sitting yoga:
Try a 45-minute standing yoga:
