Wellbeing
It is important to always keep the conversation about mental health- especially in the legal profession going. We recognise that whether you are practicing, working, or a student, not all days are easy.
Apps
Who doesn't always have a phone on them? A great way to take care of your wellbeing is to use one of the incredible apps out there. But with so many, it's hard to know which are useful and which are just trying to get you to click 'make in app purchase'. Thanks to one of our panellists from the 'Maintain a Balance' event, Caroline Ratcliffe-Jones, here is a list of apps that you can add to your wellbeing arsenal.
Calm
Simply Being
UCLA Mindful
The Mindfullness App
Headspace
Deakin WELLBEING
Wellbeing Podcasts
Sometimes, engaging in self care can seem like a challenge, especially when you're already struggling. Putting on a podcast can be an easy and low effort way to take care of your wellbeing. With the help of panellists from various DLSS events and the Education portfolio, we've put together a list of podcasts you can add to your personal wellbeing kit.
1
Healthy Body
Keep your body moving. Fuel well. Get outside and enjoy the fresh air. Keeping your body healthy is key in your wellbeing. This can be as simple as drinking water or spending fifteen minutes outside in the morning enjoying the sun. For more of the benefits of exercise for our wellbeing, check out this link from Headspace.
2
Calm Mind
Another step in improving your wellbeing is keeping your mind calm. I'm sure you've heard people tell you about the benefits of meditation, but keeping your mind calm can simply mean switching off from stressfull stimuli (Facebook, I'm looking at you), or making sure you get enough sleep. You can have a look at the link below to get some information about the benefits of sleep and resources to help you with yours, from Deakin University.
3
Organised Life
You're a student. You're a family member. You might have a job, sport commitments, you hopefully have something of a social life. 'She'll be right' is a great Australian saying, but running you life like that means things slip through the cracks and that can lead to stress. Having a plan and keeping organised is a great way to improve your wellbeing. That might mean setting aside some time at the start of each week to write a to do list, or buying a whiteboard to write your assignments for the trimester on. For tips on how to manage your time, check out this article from ReachOUT Australia.
Articles
How about some light reading? Check out some of these articles for great advice on various areas of wellbeing, from being happier to managing anxiety.
​
International Women’s Day: Four high-achieving women on how to manage mental health (theage.com.au)
• Laurie Santos on Why Her Yale Students Have so Much Anxiety - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
• Yale professor Laurie Santos on the science of happiness (smh.com.au)
Counselling
Sometimes, the best thing you can do for your wellbeing is admit you need some help. There are a wealth of support and counselling services available to you. Here's a few:
• Deakin Health & Wellbeing: Deakin offers a range of services to help students stay healthy and safe, including Deakin Counselling and Psychological Support, which provides free counselling services.
​
• Healthdirect: you can reach out to healthdirect for a Mental Health Treatment Plan
• Orygen Specialist Program: you can reach out to Orygen, who "provides specialist mental health services for young people aged 15 to 25 years who reside in the western and north-western regions of metropolitan Melbourne."
