Well-being: looking after yourself at work

Looking after your own physical and mental health is important when you work in social care, and early years and childcare.

Being active, eating well, getting rest and finding time for yourself are all good ways to have a healthy life at work and at home.

Where to start

• Five ways to well-being – Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board
  Practical things we can do to help improve our mental health and well-being.
• Public Health Wales also has some great advice on its website to help you work towards a healthier lifestyle.
  
• Personal well-being: looking after you when working in social care, early years and childcare
  Our e-learning module to help you understand more about the things that affect your personal well-being at work.

Talking to your manager

You may go through life experiences and circumstances which can impact on your ability to do your job.

These could include pregnancy, menopause, a caring responsibility, episode of illness or living with a long-term condition.

It’s important that you talk to your manager about any difficulties or challenges you’re facing.

Your manager can work with you to decide how you can be supported, so you can keep working in a way that isn’t negative to your health and well-being.

If you don’t feel you can talk to your manager, the organisations below may be able to help you get the right support.

These organisations can give you support, information or advice if you’re dealing with something that could have a bad effect on your well-being at work.

Choose a topic below to show the organisations.

If you’re struggling with your mental health and need to talk there's always someone who can listen. These free helplines can give you information, advice or support.

• Samaritans
  You can call Samaritans for free 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 116 123. If you need someone to talk to, they’ll listen. They won't judge or tell you what to do.
  
  If you’d like emotional support in Welsh, you can call the Welsh language line for free on 0808 164 0123. It’s open every day, 7pm to 11pm.
  
  
• C.A.L.L. helpline
  A confidential listening and support helpline if you need to talk to someone about your mental health. It’s open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
  Freephone: 0800 132 737
  Text ‘help’ to 81066
  
• National bullying helpline
  A helpline to help you find out what steps you can take to deal with bullying at work. It’s open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
  Phone: 0300 323 0169
  
  
• SHOUT
  A 24/7 text service, free on all major mobile networks for anyone in crisis, anytime, anywhere.
  To contact SHOUT, text ‘FRONTLINE’ to 85258
  
  
• Childline
  If you're under 19, you can call 0800 1111 for mental health support.
  
  
• NHS Wales is a health advice and information service.
  Call 111 open 24 hours a day, every day.
  
  
• Mind
  The mental health charity Mind has information on ways to help yourself cope during a crisis. This includes calming exercises and a tool to get you through the next few hours.

We run regular events and sessions about well-being for managers. Keep an eye out on our events pages.

If you’d like to join our online well-being community, email us on wellbeing@socialcare.wales to find out more.