5 ways to wellbeing
Prioritising our wellbeing and the wellbeing of those around us can help us live happier, healthier lives. The Five Ways to Wellbeing are simple ways to improve the mental and social wellbeing and includes the 5 actions of: connect, be active, take notice, keep learning, give. Incorporating the Five Ways into your daily routine is easy, free, and can be done anywhere and in a way that suits you.
This initiative is adapted from the Five Ways to Wellbeing, developed in the UK by the New Economics Foundation. In recognition of the importance of young South Australians’ mental health and wellbeing, this initiative has been developed in partnership between Wellbeing SA and the Department of Human Services.
Connect
Make time for the people you care about. Enjoy being together.
Connecting with family, friends, or people in your community, will give you a sense of belonging. You could go for a walk with a friend, meet new people at a community event or spend time at home with your family. Call or message someone you haven’t spoken to in a while to reconnect.
Other ways that you can connect with people include:
- go for a walk with a friend and greet the people you walk past
- share a picnic in your local park with family or friends
- join a local group to meet new people and connect with others who share similar interests
- make time to contact someone you haven’t spoken to in a while.
Be active
Moving your body and being active can help you feel happier and healthier.
Being active and moving your body helps you keep fit and healthy, both mentally and physically. Find ways to be active like taking a walk, dancing, doing some yoga or playing a sport or game.
Some other activities you could try:
- go for a walk, run, swim or ride
- take your dog for a walk
- practice some yoga at home, in a park or at the beach
- dance to some music in your home
- do some gardening
- join a local sports club to be active and meet people at the same time
- discover an activity you enjoy that suits your level of mobility and fitness.
Take notice
Find a moment to take a break and enjoy the beauty of your surroundings.
Taking notice and slowing down helps you to feel calm and relaxed. Learn to enjoy small moments. Take in the beauty of the world around you. Take a break and enjoy a few deep breaths.
Maybe try a few of these suggestions:
- take notice of the night sky
- explore a park or a beach and notice the beauty around you
- take in your surroundings, whether you are walking to the bus stop, or outdoors on a lunch break
- look out for nature in unexpected places
- practice being mindful outdoors - breathe in slowly, feel the breeze, take in the sounds, open your eyes slowly and enjoy the view
- in the winter months, take some time to visit and enjoy some of SA's beautiful waterfalls.
Keep learning
Be curious about the world around you and discover something new.
Learning new things and challenging your mind will give you a sense of achievement. Try something new regularly. Explore a new hobby that interests you.
Why not give some of these a try?
- learn how to play an instrument
- try a new recipe to cook
- learn a new language
- consider volunteering for an organisation or cause where you can learn new skills, meet new people, share knowledge and experience, while giving something back to the community
- get in touch with your local council and see what you can learn and experience in your local area.
Give
Give what you can. It can be as simple as helping a friend or opening a door for someone. You can also give on a bigger scale by volunteering your time to support an important cause. It will not only make them happy but make you feel good as well.
A few ways you can give to others:
- help a neighbour with some jobs in their garden or yard
- help a stranger to bring their shopping to their car
- volunteer at an organised community or fundraiser event
- give your time to caring for the environment.
Resources, ideas and inspiration
Mindfulness
See videos and find more resource ideas on our Mindfulness page.
Learning new skills and staying connected
- Search YouTube for ideas on learning a musical instrument or learning a language
- Healthy Living Recipes for quick, healthy and cheap meal ideas. More budget-friendly recipe ideas can be found here
- Healthy Living Videos - Eating Well - YouTube
- Volunteering opportunities
- Volunteering - WeDo App - the FREE app connects volunteers to organisations and makes finding volunteer positions easy.
- Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) – free online courses offered by many of the world’s leading universities
Being active
- Adults Staying Active
- Disability Sports Australia have developed a comprehensive list of the new and innovative ways people with a disability can keep active when at home and you can join in too with things like yoga, aerobic and strength-based activities, wheelchair dancing and sport specific activities.
- Nature Play SA
- The Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing website has a range of activities to explore, including:
- videos and other resources that are accessible and that are sport specific or for general fitness
- ways of exploring green space in your local area
- finding ways of engaging with your local sporting clubs
- Explore Walking SA's ‘Find a Place to Walk’ to discover new places to explore and stay active.
- Visit Cycling Instead to plan your journey or visit Cycling Trails SA to plan your next adventure.
- Wellbeing SA Staying Active videos - a great way to be physically active when at home is by accessing the many free instructional videos on platforms such as YouTube.
Take notice
Give
