With the new Government guidance in place following the emergence of the Omicron variant in the UK, its again a time of concern for many of us.
While more information is gathered, targeted measures have been introduced from 30/11/2021 as a precaution to slow down the spread of the virus.
New measures announced in response to the Omicron variant
From 4am Tuesday 30 November
- International arrivals from non-red list countries who are fully vaccinated will need to isolate at home and take a PCR test on or before day 2 following your arrival. You are only permitted to leave isolation if this test result is negative. If your test result is positive, you will need to isolate for 10 days. This is the law.
- Face coverings are a legal requirement in shops and on public transport. This is the law.
- Those who have come into contact with an individual who may have been infected with the Omicron variant will need to self-isolate. This will apply even if you are fully vaccinated or aged 18 or under. This is the law.
These temporary measures will be reviewed in 3 weeks’ time.
(Information taken from GOV.UK website)
With the new guidance in mind, there is no better time than now, to begin your journey for a positive work-life balance and to improve your health and well-being.
According to Mental health First aid England, 1 in 4 people experience mental health issues each year.
There are many ways in which to improve our mental and physical health, but I wanted to personally share with you one of the methods that really helps me.
Being out in nature with my camera
The nights are drawing in, the leaves on the trees are falling to become a colourful carpet underfoot. The daylight is changing and the warm hot days are a distant memory.
So why not capture what you see? Its easy….
- You do not need an expensive camera, your mobile phone will capture a great shot
- You do not need any experience or training to start
- Its free to walk around in nature, most of us have access to a green space nearby
- As well as supporting your mental health, photography also supports your physical health, as your body is moving as you walk around your environment
- It doesn’t matter if the photo you take is not pleasing, delete it and try again
Take a look at some of the photos I captured last weekend
No, they are not perfect, but the colours, composition, listening to the birds and the memory of walking in the woods brings a smile to my face.
Your photos could start a conversation, inspire others to also capture what they see and improve people’s appreciation of the beautiful natural environment around us, wherever we may live.
What’s to lose, try it out, it may become your new hobby and please share your results with me.
At Ouch, we always try to improve our health and well-being. For example:
- At lunchtime we walk the Midday-mile with our Ouch dogs.
- We have alarms set to raise our standing desks. According to Michael Mosley’s recent podcast on BBC Sounds, this activity can lower blood sugar, burn calories and is an easy win for your health.
We currently offer a range of Mental health first aid courses and health and well-being training. For more information see here.
Su Turner
Ouch Training Team
su@ouchtt.co.uk
01202 880999