The benefits of mindfulness for our well-being and mental health have been well documented. Practising mindfulness essentially means being present in this moment. Mindfulness can alleviate anxiety and worry for the future, by bringing our focus back to our current situation or task at hand.
- Free Mindfulness App: Smiling Mind
- 9 Ways To De-Stress
- 50 Ways to Take a Break
- Box Breathing Instructions
- How to make a Vision Board
- Sleeping Hacks
- Meditation & Healing (YouTube)
See the range of different strategies and tools below. Finding the right calming activity for you is an individual experience. Once you find something that works for you - use it! Calming activities can help us feel more grounded, as we are bringing our awareness away from our stressed mind and into our body. This is because these activities engage and distract our minds, allowing us to enter a trance-like flow. Why not give one of the activities below a try, and see how it feels!
- How to make a Gratitude Journal
- Stress Relieving Play Dough
- Colouring Sheets
- Word Search
- Sudoku (Easy)
- Sudoku (Medium)
- DIY Body Scrubs
Physical Health is an important aspect of our holistic well-being. Eating well can support our brain function and ability to make decisions. There is a double bonus to this activity, as cooking can also be a useful strategy to distract ourselves from stress and worry.
- Healthy Food Swaps
We can use music to engage our sense of hearing and distract ourselves from our busy head space. Listening to chilled music can help us focus and concentrate on our task at hand.
- Deep Focus (Spotify)
- Study & Chill Lofi Hiphop (Spotify)
- All Nighter (Spotify)
Moving our body can be an effective way to release emotions. Physical activity can helps us lift those heavy feeling off our shoulders and at the same time, encourage deep breathing. Run, dance or stretch... something is always better than nothing.
- Stay Fit at Home Exercises
- RMIT Exercise Self Help Page
- Yoga with Adriene (YouTube)
- Yoga with Sarah Beth (YouTube)
- Popsugar Fitness (YouTube)
Connection with peers is extra important right now, especially because we are physically apart. As we try to tackle this period of exams and assignments through the lockdown, do try to stay connected with others through social media and other types of interaction. Here are a few websites to get you started.
The counselling service is still open and is providing student Skype or phone call appointments. Book online here for a free appointment:
www.rmit.edu.au/students/support-and-facilities/student-support/counselling/book-anappointment
International and local student can now apply for COVID19 Fund through RMIT. Please follow the links below to apply,
www.rmit.edu.au/students/support-and-facilities/student-support/finance/financial-support-assistance/covid-19-support-and-assistance
If you require urgent food relief, you can access freshly made frozen meals at St Peter’s Eastern Hill which is located at the corner of Albert and Gisborne Streets in East Melbourne—just next door to Parliament gardens. Meals can be collected from St Peter’s between 9:30am and 11:30am every day. For more information please contact Alae on 0409 802 892 or email alae.taulealo@rmit.edu.au
Compass is still here to support you while we are working from home. Compass Coordinators are trained social workers who can provide you support, referral information and advice on a range of issues. At the moment, we have been speaking to lots of students regarding issues such as financial hardship, voucher support, mental health, study support and housing issues. Please email us at compass@rmit.edu.au to contact us Monday to Thursday 10:00am—4:00pm.
These numbers are 24/7, some of them may be busy at the moment. So, if you find yourself waiting on hold. Hang up and try again or hang up and try a different helpline.
