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COVID-19 Tips

Disclaimer:

This publication is based on a Mind UK publication and the original version may be found here: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/a-z-mental-health/

Thank you to Mind UK for sharing their valuable content with us. Content included in Mental Health A-Z is made available free of charge and does not form part of any commercial activity. The adaptation has been done independently by Mind HK and is intended for general information purposes only.

Remote Working and Studying

While one of the perks of remote working or studying is a flexible schedule, it can also affect the structure of our daily lives and diminish the boundary between work and personal life – an imbalance between work and life can be detrimental to our work efficiency, and also our quality of life.

This booklet includes tips and ideas to help you maintain a healthy work-life balance, and take care of your mental health at work.

Download PDF Booklet
English｜Traditional Chinese

 

Burnout

The seemingly never-ending remote working guideline in place and the lack of balance between life and work can contribute to our feelings of prolonged stress. Without a healthy balance between work and life, social connections and proper stress management in place, it is likely that we will experience burnout – this is the state of emotional, physical and psychological exhaustion due to prolonged stress from work.

Signs of burnout

  • Fatigued and tired all the time
  • Headache
  • Feeling on edge or irritated
  • Feeling trapped and helpless
  • Loss of interest in activities
  • Feels detached from the world
  • Not wanting to meet friends or family

 

It is important to keep a healthy work-life balance, especially if remote working/studying is taking a toll on your mental health, and you are experiencing signs of burning out:

  • Stick with a routine. Routine gives us structure, keeps track of what we are doing, and provides us with a sense of accomplishment. Maintain your usual routine of getting ready, finishing work after regular hours, and scheduling some time for activities that bring you joy and pleasure.
  • Set a to-do list. We might over-schedule tasks for ourselves when we think we have spare time, which sabotages our work-life balance. Try to set a to-do list for yourself and focus on three main tasks to work on each day.
  • Schedule breaks. Remember to schedule breaks from time to time, especially when working or studying remotely. Take a 5-minute break every other hour, or after meetings, to get a cup of water, or to stretch and move your body.
  • Setting boundaries for yourself. This includes setting a limit when checking and replying to emails and messages from colleagues within work hours, turning off notifications from work-related apps during off-hours and the weekend.
  • Keep your lunch hour! We are so used to sacrificing lunch hours to compensate for work. Having a proper lunch not only benefits our physical health, but it also gives us a chance to relax and take a break from work hassle.
  • Use something to signal yourself to get off work. Schedule a walk, grab a snack, or use dinner to signal the end of your work/school day.

 

Zoom fatigue

Since the pandemic, we have gotten used to video and zoom meetings – many of us were familiar with the feeling of zoom fatigue prior to the pandemic. Recent research has identified different factors that contribute to zoom fatigue, such as the increased amount of eye contact and decreased usual physical activity, all of which may contribute to the feeling of zoom fatigue. It affects our ability to concentrate on our work and our work efficiency.

  • It doesn’t have to be a video call. While it is nice to see your teammate’s face, conducting meetings over a phone call allows us to take a break from overexposing ourselves to video meetings.
  • Switch to a speaker view instead of a grid view. Grid view allows you to view all participants at once, which can be overwhelming from time to time, as you are attending to many things simultaneously, which can overload your brain. Focusing on the speaker can minimise distractions and allow us to focus on one thing at a time.
  • Hide or turn away from your self-view during video calls. Constantly seeing our own faces during meetings – when we talk, think, make decisions and interact with others – can be mentally taxing. We are also more likely to be more self-conscious as we attend to the negative details about ourselves.
  • Arrange walk meetings. Schedule in walk-meetings, if possible, to make sure you stay active and match the mobility you had before the shift to working from home.

 

Keeping the peace with your roommate

You may find yourself having more conflict with people you live with; especially if you stay in a small space together, it can be frustrating. Times of high stress like these can significantly strain relationships and increase our stress levels.

  • Set up a work or study schedule, if possible, to avoid conflicts. Set boundaries around work time and housework responsibilities, and respect each other’s limits.
  • Put out a reminder in advance if you have meetings to remind your roommates to lower their noise level or avoid scheduling meetings around the same time.
  • Let the small things go and pick your battles. If you are ever in doubt, ask yourself, “will I care about this in 5 hours? Will I care about this tomorrow?”

 

 

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What is iACT Service?

Improving Access to Community Therapies (iACT®) is one of the services from Mind HK. Trained Wellbeing Practitioners will offer initial assessment and early intervention for people dealing with mild to moderate symptoms of depression, anxiety, or other emotional difficulties.

 

The service includes 6-8 sessions of low-intensity psychological support, the flexibility of the service allows individuals to receive free and timely support when needed.

If you’re aged between 18 – 65 and are facing some emotional challenges, we would like to invite you to take an online assessment for us to gain a better understanding of your current emotional struggle.

 

If you’re eligible, we’ll get you connected with a Wellbeing Practitioner within two weeks to sort out the next steps.

The service runs for about 3 months and includes 6-8 support sessions, tailored to your needs.

 

We encourage you to attend all sessions and actively practice the tips and exercises provided by your Wellbeing Practitioner.

We take your privacy seriously. Your chats with the Wellbeing Practitioner are confidential.

 

We won’t share any of your info unless you’ve provided consent or if there are risks detected.

This programme isn’t suitable for people facing emergencies, major setbacks, or those diagnosed with serious or complex mental health conditions.

 

If you’re having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, this programme might not meet your needs, so please seek help right away. You can check out Mind HK’s “Find Help Now” page for immediate information and services.

Most of our Wellbeing Practitioners have backgrounds in psychology or counselling and are passionate about mental health. They’ve gone through about 140 hours of intensive training and completed at least 120 hours of supervised clinical practice over 9 months to ensure the quality of service.

 

They’re trained by accredited local experts in the mental health field, including clinical psychologists, counselling psychologists, counsellors, and psychiatrists. Plus, we regularly check how effective our services are. All service outputs and performances are subject to consistent monitoring.

Who is suitable for participating in this programme?

This programme welcomes anyone between the ages of 18 and 65 who may be feeling lost or facing emotional difficulties. Please note that this programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions.

This programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions, but suitable for those who experience mild to severe moderate anxiety, mild to moderate depression, or other emotional challenges. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

After signing up, our Wellbeing Practitioner will contact you within two weeks to schedule a convenient time for a 45-minute conversation, either via video or phone call, according to your preference. During the conversation, the Wellbeing Practitioner will understand your current situation and help you gain a better understanding of your emotional state based on the questionnaire you filled out during application. Additionally, they will provide recommendations for appropriate community resources based on your needs, helping you take an important first step in taking care of your mental health.

Although the intervention procedure is mostly standardised, Wellbeing Practitioners will work flexibly with clients to address individual presenting problems and unique characteristics.

Our Wellbeing Practitioners are trained to support people who experience mild to moderate mental health difficulties primarily. This programme is not suitable for the situations mentioned above. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

Your conversations with the Wellbeing Practitioner are absolutely confidential. Any information about you will not be shared with anyone without your consent unless you or others are at immediate risk or the Wellbeing Practitioner has reason to believe that you may be in imminent danger.
Supervisors will monitor trainees’ development throughout the placement to ensure that they are meeting the required level of competency to pass the training course at the end of the placement.

Yes, it is necessary to book an appointment in advance by filling out the form. Additionally, you can select one of the five stores yourself. We will allocate clients to different Wellbeing Practitioners based on their chosen location.

Before having the conversation, we will ask you to fill out a basic questionnaire for preliminary screening assessment. This screening process aims to ensure that the training received by the Wellbeing Practitioners is sufficient to meet the needs of the individuals receiving the service. If it is determined after the screening assessment that the service is not suitable for you, Mind HK will provide alternative recommendations to ensure your safety and support.

For adults who are suitable for this service, all Wellbeing Practitioners have received training on how to identify and respond to safety and risk issues. If you have any concerns about the support process, the Wellbeing Practitioners have appropriate measures in place and will develop response plans based on the urgency of the situation. They can also access support from clinical practitioners from Mind HK or participating organisations.

What private training does Mind HK provide?

Mind HK provides 4 themes of mental health training, including: Supporting Self, Supporting Others, Family Wellbeing and DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion).

 

Check out the brochure here for more information.

Mind HK provides a wide range of standardised mental health training, which can be tailored to different circumstances. Chat with our team to explore more! 

Our trainers come from a diverse, accredited pool of clinically experienced professionals. Check out our trainers’ biographies here.

Yes, the Mental Health First Aid class of Mind HK is internationally accredited by the MHFA International. The content and certification is delivered by trainers certified from the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong. You can find out our trainers accreditation here.

We are here to support your mental health education journey! Reach out to us and chat with our team.

Remote Working and Studying

Remote Working and Studying

While one of the perks of remote working or studying is a flexible schedule, it can also affect the structure of our daily lives and diminish the boundary between work and personal life – an imbalance between work and life can be detrimental to our work efficiency, and also our quality of life.

This booklet includes tips and ideas to help you maintain a healthy work-life balance, and take care of your mental health at work.

Download PDF Booklet
English｜Traditional Chinese

 

Burnout

The seemingly never-ending remote working guideline in place and the lack of balance between life and work can contribute to our feelings of prolonged stress. Without a healthy balance between work and life, social connections and proper stress management in place, it is likely that we will experience burnout - this is the state of emotional, physical and psychological exhaustion due to prolonged stress from work.

Signs of burnout

  • Fatigued and tired all the time
  • Headache
  • Feeling on edge or irritated
  • Feeling trapped and helpless
  • Loss of interest in activities
  • Feels detached from the world
  • Not wanting to meet friends or family

 

It is important to keep a healthy work-life balance, especially if remote working/studying is taking a toll on your mental health, and you are experiencing signs of burning out:

  • Stick with a routine. Routine gives us structure, keeps track of what we are doing, and provides us with a sense of accomplishment. Maintain your usual routine of getting ready, finishing work after regular hours, and scheduling some time for activities that bring you joy and pleasure.
  • Set a to-do list. We might over-schedule tasks for ourselves when we think we have spare time, which sabotages our work-life balance. Try to set a to-do list for yourself and focus on three main tasks to work on each day.
  • Schedule breaks. Remember to schedule breaks from time to time, especially when working or studying remotely. Take a 5-minute break every other hour, or after meetings, to get a cup of water, or to stretch and move your body.
  • Setting boundaries for yourself. This includes setting a limit when checking and replying to emails and messages from colleagues within work hours, turning off notifications from work-related apps during off-hours and the weekend.
  • Keep your lunch hour! We are so used to sacrificing lunch hours to compensate for work. Having a proper lunch not only benefits our physical health, but it also gives us a chance to relax and take a break from work hassle.
  • Use something to signal yourself to get off work. Schedule a walk, grab a snack, or use dinner to signal the end of your work/school day.

 

Zoom fatigue

Since the pandemic, we have gotten used to video and zoom meetings - many of us were familiar with the feeling of zoom fatigue prior to the pandemic. Recent research has identified different factors that contribute to zoom fatigue, such as the increased amount of eye contact and decreased usual physical activity, all of which may contribute to the feeling of zoom fatigue. It affects our ability to concentrate on our work and our work efficiency.

  • It doesn't have to be a video call. While it is nice to see your teammate's face, conducting meetings over a phone call allows us to take a break from overexposing ourselves to video meetings.
  • Switch to a speaker view instead of a grid view. Grid view allows you to view all participants at once, which can be overwhelming from time to time, as you are attending to many things simultaneously, which can overload your brain. Focusing on the speaker can minimise distractions and allow us to focus on one thing at a time.
  • Hide or turn away from your self-view during video calls. Constantly seeing our own faces during meetings - when we talk, think, make decisions and interact with others - can be mentally taxing. We are also more likely to be more self-conscious as we attend to the negative details about ourselves.
  • Arrange walk meetings. Schedule in walk-meetings, if possible, to make sure you stay active and match the mobility you had before the shift to working from home.

 

Keeping the peace with your roommate

You may find yourself having more conflict with people you live with; especially if you stay in a small space together, it can be frustrating. Times of high stress like these can significantly strain relationships and increase our stress levels.

  • Set up a work or study schedule, if possible, to avoid conflicts. Set boundaries around work time and housework responsibilities, and respect each other’s limits.
  • Put out a reminder in advance if you have meetings to remind your roommates to lower their noise level or avoid scheduling meetings around the same time.
  • Let the small things go and pick your battles. If you are ever in doubt, ask yourself, “will I care about this in 5 hours? Will I care about this tomorrow?”