Student Wellbeing

Tips to improve your health and wellbeing

Here are six ways that you can make sure that you have good health and wellbeing, especially while you are completing the Traineeship programme and entering into your apprenticeship.

If you are able to successfully implement even a few of the ideas on this page you will notice that you have more energy, vitality and feel better about yourself.

Taking regular exercise

Try to get at least 10 to 20 minutes of regular exercise every day, this could include a walk, jog around your local park, or some fitness training. Doing a quick stretch stretch or some yoga poses in between classes could also help you to stay fit and healthy. If nothing else just jog on the spot in your bedroom for 5 minutes, anyone can manage that!

Drinking plenty of water

Most of the time when you think you are hungry you may actually just be dehydrated and need to top up on your water intake. Try to get at least 8 glasses of water every day and avoid sugary or fizzy drinks which might not actually help you to become hydrated. Drinking too much coffee or energy drinks can actually leave you feeling low in energy after a short high and spurt of energy.

Regularly communicating with friends and family

If possible try to speak to someone in your family or friends circle everyday even if it’s for a few minutes. You can let them know how you are getting on with the programme and your progress in the journey towards completing the apprenticeship. You can also discuss how you are feeling about the qualification and any feelings of anxiety or concerned about successfully finishing it. You may then find you need to contact someone within the organisation if you are not sure about how much progress you are actually making.

Eating healthy

Even though it is tempting to grab a quick snack it’s better to try and eat fresh food which you may need to take more time to prepare and cook. This is a great opportunity to learn a quick recipe from a cookbook or a YouTube video. The best way to learn is to just start, even if this means a few burnt meals initially!

Using a Journal or diary to reflect and organise

If possible try to keep a daily Journal using a diary or exercise book to write down any thoughts, ideas and reflections. This will help you to see where you are improving or need to work on. For example if you miss classes on more than one occasion you can make a note as to why you have been absent and make sure that this doesn’t become a long term pattern. If you prefer you can use a digital calendar to help yourself stay organised and feel less overwhelmed or stressed about all the things that you have to do, such as handing in your portfolio of work.

Taking time to practise mindfulness or meditation

Even if you only have ten minutes in the morning or five minutes before bedtime try to sit in a quiet space then using any mindfulness or meditation technique to calm yourself. This may mean just closing your eyes and focusing on your breathing in and out or going deeper into relaxation using one of many meditation and mindfulness apps such as headspace or calm.