Coping with going into work during coronavirus

On top of common difficult feelings about going into work, being in healthcare or the emergency services may pose further difficulties.

For example, you may have to:

• Make lots of tough decisions. This could be about what or who to prioritise in your work, which can be difficult when you already feel stressed or tired.
• Do extra, unfamiliar tasks. These might not have been part of your normal work before coronavirus, which can feel hard.
• Work in a completely new job or role. This can feel overwhelming when you weren't expecting to do so.
• Enforce coronavirus control measures. If you’re in the police, you might feel stressed by working with the public.

See our useful contacts list for support in your area of work.

Many of us are worried about ourselves and those close to us. But your job may also involve being around or caring for people who are very unwell. This may include providing end-of-life care.

You might lose people you are caring for, colleagues or others in your life. Working in this environment can be distressing or traumatic.

It’s natural to have to cope with difficult emotions during traumatic events. For example, you might feel:

• Sad or depressed. You might feel this way about what has happened, or what’s currently happening.
• Shocked and numb. This may happen as your mind tries to protect you from pain or feeling overwhelmed.
• Panic and confusion. This might be caused by sudden changes and news.
• Overwhelmed. You might be starting to wonder why you’re going through this.
• Worried. You might worry about how you will cope with your work and your own wellbeing.
• Anger, hostility or frustration. You might be looking to blame something for what's happening, to help make sense of it.

It might feel difficult to focus on your mental health when you're dealing with so much more.

But it’s ok to ask for help whenever you need it. This could be right now, in the future, or both.

“I feel that we have to be stoic, and that because we’re working in healthcare we should be willing and able to put ourselves at risk and deal with the pressure.”

Talk to someone you trust

Telling someone about how you feel can make a difference, even if they can't change what you're experiencing.

You may want to talk to a colleague who understands your experiences. Or you may prefer to speak to someone outside of work, for a different view on things.

“Regular communication with work helped me manage my anxiety and stress about eventually returning, and the measures that were put into place for when I was ready.”

Keep in touch digitally 

Keep in touch with others as much or as little as you find helpful. It could be your colleagues or people close to you. If you can’t meet up in person, you could: 

• Make plans to video chat. Video calls have become even more popular during coronavirus. If you don’t feel very confident with them, Age UK’s guide to video calls may help. 
• Arrange a phone call. Chat to someone from work, another friend or family member.
• Keep in touch by text. You can send instant messages or texts if you don’t feel like talking.
• Join a peer support community. Mind runs an online peer support community called Side by Side. You can share your experiences and hear from others.

If you're going online more than usual or seeking peer support on the internet, it's important to look after your online wellbeing.

See our pages about online mental health  for more information.

Meeting safely with others

Guidance on how to safely spend time with others indoors or outside is changing frequently. And there are different guidelines across England and Wales. 

You can check the government coronavirus guidelines for where you live to find out if it is possible to meet up with others, including if you are in a 'support bubble':

• UK Government guidance on coronavirus restrictions across England (in English).
• Welsh Government guidance on coronavirus restrictions across Wales (in English and Welsh).

“I’ve drawn on all my coping mechanisms – exercised, meditated, got out into green spaces when I can. And I’ve been staying in contact with friends over the phone and through video calls.”  

You might find it helpful to stay connected with current events. But be careful where you find news and health information. Try to use trusted sources to find reliable updates.

Follow useful sources of information 

• Our page of coronavirus useful contacts lists organisations, public services and other reliable sources of support and guidance.
• For the latest guidance in England, see the NHS coronavirus webpages and GOV.UK coronavirus webpages, in English.
• For the latest guidance in Wales, see the Public Health Wales coronavirus webpages and Welsh Government coronavirus webpages, in English and Welsh. 
• You might want to read the NHS guidance on self-isolation. It explains what to do if you, or people you live with, have symptoms and need to self-isolate. This includes information about getting tested as part of the NHS Test and Trace service.

Find an online-offline balance

If news stories make you feel anxious or confused, you could:

• consider switching off or limiting what you look at
• look at news at certain times only, or for a certain amount of time
• do something relaxing or creative after looking at the news.

Social media can help you stay in touch with colleagues or friends, but might also make you feel anxious. This may be because of people sharing news stories that you want to avoid. Or people posting how they feel about coronavirus.

If this is the case, you could:

• consider taking a break from social media
• limit how or when you use social media
• view certain groups or pages, rather than scroll through timelines or news feeds.

See our pages about online mental health for more information.

It may feel very difficult to make time for yourself while working.

You may also feel guilty about relaxing while your colleagues are working. Especially if you’re all working more than usual or under a lot of pressure.

But making time for yourself is important for your mental and physical health. Try to use the time when you're not working to take care of yourself. This can help you keep going when you are at work.

Find ways to relax

If you're finding it difficult to switch off from work, see our pages on relaxation. They offer tips and exercises to help you relax. You can try these at home or during a break at work.

Do something you enjoy

It may feel unrealistic to make time for activities you enjoy. But doing something else outside of work can help you stay well. This could be video chatting with someone close to you, reading a book or listening to podcasts and music.

Try mindfulness

Mindfulness is a way of paying attention to the present moment. It uses techniques like meditation, breathing exercises and yoga. It might help you feel calmer and less stressed.

See our pages on mindfulness for more information. You could try some mindfulness exercises during a work break, or outside of work

"I'm trying to make time to try new things that I've always wanted to do but never had time for. And spending more time on things I enjoy."

It may feel hard to take care of your physical health if you're feeling busy or stressed by work. But looking after your physical health can have a big effect on your mental health.

There are many small changes you can try to improve your overall wellbeing.

Eat regularly

Your appetite might have changed since the start of the pandemic. This may be because your routine has changed, for example if you’re working more than usual or different hours.

If possible, try to eat regular meals and keep a balanced diet. This can help your mood and energy levels. See our pages on food and mood for more information.

If you have a difficult relationship with food and eating, our pages on eating problems have information and tips which may help.

Stay hydrated

Try to regularly drink enough water. This is important for your mental and physical health.

It could help to set an alarm or use an app to remind you to keep hydrated. See the NHS information on water, drinks and your health.

Get active indoors and outdoors

Where possible and safe to do so, you could go outdoors to try:

• taking in some fresh air
• going for a short walk or a jog
• cycling, if you have a bike
• gardening, if you have a garden or local allotment.

If you’re staying indoors, try some ideas for getting active where you live. You could try:

• cleaning your living space
• dancing to music
• going up and down a set of stairs
• following an online workout
• moving more often if you’re seated for a long time – getting up or changing position can help, or try some NHS sitting exercise ideas.

See more on our pages about physical activity and your mental health.

Think about your sleep

Getting the right amount of sleep is important for your mental health. But it can be hard to manage when you also need to go into work. You could try:

• setting a bedtime routine to help your sleeping pattern
• having some screen-free time before sleep
• practicing relaxation exercises before bed
• making sure where you sleep is as comfortable as possible.

See more on our pages about sleep and mental health.

“It’s not always corona worries that keep me awake. It’s more work worries that have been brought on by corona.”

• Mind's Blue Light information can help people in Ambulance, Police, Fire and Search and Rescue services with their mental health. It offers tips and support options for wellbeing, stress, anxiety, seeking help for mental health problems and supporting colleagues.
• Shout has a textline to support emergency service workers' mental health during coronavirus. Text the word BLUELIGHT to 85258.
• The Police Federation Welfare Support Programme is accessible via a 24-hour support line.
• Police Care UK is for serving and veteran police officers and staff, volunteers and their families. It offers practical, emotional and financial support.
• The Ambulance Staff Charity supports the ambulance community with mental, physical and financial wellbeing.
• Head First is a free, online mental wellness resource for people in the ambulance service.
• The Fire Fighters Charity coronavirus support hub is a resource for firefighters, including ways to improve your wellbeing.

• NHS support for staff during coronavirus includes free, confidential helplines and textlines, virtual staff common rooms and wellbeing apps.
• NHS Practitioner Health lists support services available to NHS staff, including online sessions with qualified therapists.
• Health for Health Professionals Wales provides self-help, peer support and online therapy services. This resource is for health professionals and students in Wales.
• National Health Supporters is a directory for healthcare students who are volunteering practical support to NHS staff. Find support with childcare, grocery shopping, pet sitting and other practical tasks.

• The Care Workforce COVID-19 app offers practical information, plus health and wellbeing support. It was created by the Department of Health and Social Care.
• The Queen's Nursing Institute listening service provides emotional support to registered nurses working in the community.
• Open Change offers visual resources about coronavirus for health and social care workers. It covers stress, resilience, hard conversations and care homes. 
• King's Health Partners offer staff health and wellbeing resources for coronavirus.

• Education Support offers a free, confidential 24/7 helpline with trained counsellors. It can be accessed by all serving and retired teachers, lecturers and staff in education (primary, secondary, further or higher education) in England, Wales and Scotland.
• Twinkl has produced some resources with Mind for people working in education. They offer tips for looking after your mental wellbeing.
• Our Frontline's coronavirus toolkit offers a range of resources for people working in education during the pandemic.