With Victoria back in lockdown over the next few weeks, it’s important to remember to keep our mental health and wellbeing in check and take the time to focus on the positives!
We chatted with some of our past Victorian graduates and current trainees to get their helpful tips on how to cope during lockdown 2.0.
Chloe Ong graduated from her traineeship in 2017 at Killester College and studied a Certificate III in Business, her tips are “Make sure you stick to a routine, this is really important to help you stay motivated. Also exercising every day, even just a little is key, even just a short walk, it will do wonders for your mind.”
Gabrielle Snell, former Certificate III in Business trainee at Siena College also believes exercising every day is a top tip, she also adds “eating clean is a big one! What you put into body matters and determines how you feel mentally, you will also have more energy.”
“Another great tip is to keep your mind active! Just like our body we need to exercise our mind, and learning something new, taking on DIY projects, whatever it is, doing things to help your mind feel engaged will help you stay productive and aid your mental wellbeing,” she added.
Kieran Landers, who graduated in 2019 from his Certificate IV in Sport Development traineeship at St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School, suggests to get creative and use your imagination where you can, he said “my brother and I turned our backyard into a mini soccer pitch, which brought back memories of when we were younger. I would definitely advise to get outside in your garden and be imaginative, spend time with your family. Doing activities with the people you are isolating with makes the time so much more meaningful and fun!”
Zack Brown completed his traineeship in 2019 at Kosciuszko Primary school and studied a Certificate III in Sport and Recreation his advice, a little more specific to our trainees, is to “continue to focus on your studies, put your energy into smashing out your coursework and getting ahead, it will allow you to put your energy into something that will benefit you rather than focusing on negative things.”
Last but not least current Sport and Recreation trainee, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, who you may remember from channel 7 news after his epic kick, gave one more final bit of advice “Honestly, it has been a rough time we had a loss in the family however the way I get through it is by staying connected to my family and friends and building a strong mindset, so using a mindfulness meditation app called Headspace to get me through the days.
“Also, if I am not training for footy or at school sometimes I play a spot of PlayStation and I even started playing guitar to learn something totally new”
There you have it, some awesome tips on how to stay sane during lockdown 2.0
Don’t forget, we are here to support you. Your Field Officer, Mentor, or Educator are available to answer any questions you might have on your traineeship; be that related to your course or any other matter. Don’t forget you can access the Employer Assistance Program 24/7. It’s free and confidential.
You are not alone and together; we will get through this!
