As we begin to feel the effects of a second wave of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic it can be extremely daunting for key workers to leave their home and go into work.
This page will give you some helpful tips on how to keep calm, focused and take care of your mental health and well-being.

During the coronavirus pandemic key workers (aka critical workers) and those whose are unable to work from home are required to go into their place of work.
Working under new conditions and might not be so easy and many can find it hard to cope with the new way of life. However, by doing small things for yourself you can make a massive difference to your mental health.

Understand difficult feelings and emotions

Going into work during the coronavirus pandemic might make if feel like a difficult and stressful time. Some of these feelings maybe new, or things you've experienced in the past. There is no right or wrong way to feel or react to your situation. But these are some common feelings that you might experience during this time:

Stress
Going into work during coronavirus might make you feel stressed, for example if you:
- come into contact with a lot of people, including those who may have coronavirus
- have more work to do or you are working longer hours than you normally would
- feel uncertain about keeping your job or worried about money

Some of these effects will be felt straight away. Other effects could take longer to notice, including after the stressful event has ended.

Anxiety
Feelings of anxiety may be felt because you are worried about your own health or the health of those around you, including those who you care for or live with. On top of this you may also have other worries such as losing your job or financial difficulties as a result of the coronavirus.

Guilt
If you are worried about spreading coronavirus you may feel guilty about going into work or you may feel guilty if your response to a particular situation was different to those around you or how you would have normally reacted.
But we all react to difficult situations in different ways, so it's important to be kind to yourself. These are unprecedented times and the first for all of us.

Anger
You might feel anger about having to go into work during coronavirus. This may be because:
- you have to go into work when others do not
- you have to keep working in an environment where you may catch coronavirus
- you don't feel supported by your employer to do your job
- you don't have the right equipment to do your job
- there are a lot of major changes in your life, including at work

When most of us experience anger, it doesn't have a big effect on our lives. Anger only becomes a problem when it gets out of control and harms you or the people around you.

Learning healthy ways to deal with anger can help your mental and physical health. Mind have some useful tips on how you can cope with anger.

Taking care of your mental health and wellbeing

Taking care of your mental health and wellbeing is vital in helping you cope if you are going into work during coronavirus. Working long hours or under a lot of pressure can make this even more challenging to do.
Doing small things for yourself can make a big difference to your mental wellbeing. These are some ideas you can try:

Connect with people
Talk to someone you can trust and rely on. Just by telling someone how you feel can make a difference even though they can’t change the situation.
Make plans to video chat with people or groups you enjoy the company of. Keeping in touch with others as much as you can be helpful and help you take your mind off things.

Use available support
It’s okay to ask for help if you are struggling with your mental health. You could talk to a helpline or listening service about your mental health:
Call, text or email Mind's Infoline for information and signposting to support your mental health
If you want to talk to someone at any time about how you're feeling, you can call Samaritans on 116 123
If you prefer not to talk, Shout has a textline supporting key workers and their mental health during coronavirus. Text the word KEYWORKER to 85258

Be cautious with news and information
Make sure you are getting your news from trusted sources. If news stories make you feel anxious or confused, think about switching off or limiting what you look at for a while.
Social media could help you stay in touch with people but might also make you feel anxious. This may include people sharing news stories that you want to avoid, or posting their worries about coronavirus. Consider taking a break or limiting how you use social media.

Make time for yourself where possible
It may feel very difficult to make time for yourself while you are working, particularly if you are working more than usual or if you are under a lot of pressure. You may feel guilty about relaxing while your colleagues are working. But making time for yourself is important for your physical and mental health. Try to use the time when you're not working to take care of yourself, as this can help you keep going when you are at work.

Mind have put together some ideas you could try:

Find ways to relax - If you're finding it difficult to switch off from work, try some relaxation exercises which you can try at home or if you are taking a break at work.
Do something you enjoy - Having something else to focus on outside work can help you stay well. This could be something small, like reading a book, colouring, having a video chat with a friend, having a bath or listening to music.
Try mindfulness- Mindfulness is a way of paying attention to the present moment, using techniques like meditation, breathing exercises and yoga. It has been shown to help people become more aware of their thoughts and feelings. This means that instead of being overwhelmed by your feelings, it becomes easier to manage them.

See Mind’s pages on mindfulness for more information, including some mindfulness exercises that you could try.

Try to keep active
Try to build physical activity into your daily routine, if possible. There are options for most ages and abilities. This includes things you can do in your home, as well as activities to try outdoors.

Getting active at home
These are lots of different ideas you could try for getting active around the house, including:
- cleaning your home
- dancing to music
- going up and down stairs
- seated exercises
- online exercise workouts that you can follow
- sitting less – if you notice you've been sitting down for a long time, just getting up or changing position can help

Getting active outdoors
If you are getting active outdoors, the current Government guidance for most of us is to stay a safe distance (at least 2 metres) from any people you don’t live with.
If you are self-isolating, the guidance is that you should not leave your house, even for exercise. But you can exercise in your garden, if you have one.

Look after your physical health
It may feel difficult to take care of your physical health if you're feeling busy or stressed. But looking after your physical health can have a big effect on your mental health. There are many small changes you can try to take care of your overall wellbeing:

Think about your sleep - establish a routine around bed time, to help set a regular sleeping pattern. Give yourself some tech-free time before sleep, avoiding bright screens. Practice a relaxation exercise before you go to bed. Make sure where you sleep is as comfortable as possible.

Eat regularly and stay hydrated - think about your diet. Your appetite might have changed since the start of lockdown. This may be because your routine has changed, for example if you’re working more than usual. If possible, try to eat regular meals and keep a balanced diet, as this can help your mood and energy levels. See our tips on food and mood for more information.

Drink water regularly - drinking enough water is important for your mental and physical health. Changing your routine might affect when you drink or what fluids you drink.

If you need to self-isolate because you have symptoms of coronavirus, you can ask someone to drop off essential food items for you. If they do this, ask them to leave food at your doorstep, to avoid face-to-face contact with each other. You may find that supermarkets feel busier than usual at the moment. If you're feeling anxious about going to the supermarket, arrange an online delivery.

Think self-care, sleep, routine, rest. You may find yourself working longer hours or more shifts so take care of your physical health as best you can.