Mental health and well-being during the Covid-19 pandemic

We are going through difficult times and the challenges of working from home are substantial. It is very important to be mindful of our mental health.

The remote working arrangement might be the default for a lot of us for at least a little longer. Problems that could be tolerated in a situation that was deemed to be temporary, start to feel intolerable when there is no end in sight. If you're struggling, please use the services below.

School resources

In the first instance, if you're having any issues with your wellbeing, please speak to your line manager, supervisor, the InfHR team or the Head of School, whichever is the most appropriate.
You might also contact one of our colleagues from the School’s Mental Health First Aid Network. They are trained mental health first aiders and available to all staff to listen and signpost where appropriate. We currently have 6 colleagues who have completed training and others awaiting training; all of whom have been particularly keen to establish this network to support colleagues in this difficult time.

E-mail Mental Health First Aiders

More about Informatics Mental Health First Aiders

University resources

If you would like further support, a number of resources are available to you:

the University Chaplaincy's Listening Service is available online (it doesn’t matter if you are not at all religious, they are there to support all members of the University community)
Staff Counselling Service have lots of advice on managing stress and anxiety online and they are continuing to operate a service during the Coronavirus pandemic. they can be contacted by email at staff.counsellor@ed.ac.uk

Self-help and online resources

5 Ways to Wellbeing

Evidence suggests there are 5 steps we can all take to improve our mental wellbeing. If you try them, you may feel happier, more positive and able to get the most from life.

The following resources are available within the University of Edinburgh to support you.

Connect

Investing time in connecting with others can enrich you every day.
Use digital tools to help you collaborate and communicate with others: Digital Skills for Remote Working

Be Active and Eat Well

Follow the 5 ways to exercise at your desk: Deskercise
Eating well can help improve your mood as well as your fitness: Guidance for a healthy diet

Keep Learning

Learning something new or rediscovering an old interest can help you feel more confident.
The University has a range of online toolkits and courses you can access: A-Z learning opportunities

Give to Others

Giving is often thought of in terms of the things we give, but the best kind of giving is your time and kindness.
Pick up the phone, use the chat function in Microsoft Teams and ask people how they are before launching into work chat: Build Your Communication Skills

Be Mindful

Reminding yourself to take notice of your thoughts, feelings, body sensations and the world around you is the first step to mindfulness: Guidance on how to be mindful
The Chaplaincy has put together Mindfulness resources and courses: Chaplaincy links