Digital self-care tools for you to try
Between the pandemic and January Blues, prioritising your wellbeing has never been more important, says Liz Connor
With social distancing, financial fears and the health of loved ones weighing heavy on our minds, it’s never been more important to prioritise your mental wellbeing. But when you’re stuck at home — and gyms, pools, friends’ houses and other resources we usually rely on are off limits — where can you turn?
Thanks to technology, we’re no longer limited to face-to-face appointments for therapy and support, plus there’s a wealth of digital self-care tools out there, which you can access without having to leave the house.
From shrinks you can stream, to digital sound healing sessions, that all-important calm might be just a few clicks away...
1. Get symptoms checked with a digital doctor
During the pandemic, it can be hard to know what to do if you’re unwell or have a health concern that isn’t related to Covid-19. It’s really important to seek medical advice if you need it though — and digital doctor appointments can be very handy. Push Doctor (pushdoctor.com) is an app and website that offers online consultations, giving you quick, easy and convenient access to GPS.
Push Doctor has teamed up with select NHS surgeries across the UK, meaning some patients can access the service for free — but if you aren’t registered with a partnered surgery, you can still access a doctor through their paid service.
Babylon (babylonhealth.com) is another digital service that allows you to talk to a doctor at any time. Through the platform, you can get prescriptions sent to a pharmacy, and get connected to a range of experts.
2. Get a sweat on with home workouts
If you’re just starting out on your fitness journey, check out FIIT (fiit.tv). Dubbed by some as the ‘Netflix for fitness’, it offers access to a huge variety of video-led workouts with some of the best trainers in the country, all for £10 a month.
Meanwhile, Frame’s On Demand
classes (moveyourframe. com) are great for feel-good workouts on days when you’re not feeling your best. You can beam the boutique London studio’s classes straight into your home for as little as £6 per month.
3. Find spiritual healing with online workshops
If you’re struggling with stress, try tuning into a gong bath — an immersive sound experience that’s said to soothe anxiety and calm the mind into a meditative state. Gong (aboutgong. com) are one of the leading online services, offering sound baths and gong baths via Zoom. Classes can be purchased online and they currently have an intro offer where you can buy three classes for £16, as well as monthly memberships.
4. Find your mojo with life coaching
Life coaching could help you work on your own business, pick apart what you want from your career, and even figure out patterns in your personal relationships. By honing in on your skills and goals, life coaches can assist you in setting clear action plans, and may be particularly helpful if you feel like you’re losing motivation while working from home.
Some of the UK’S leading life coaches, who are offering sessions over Zoom, include Nick Hatter (nickhatter.com), Liz Goodchild (lizgoodchild.co.uk) and Michael Serwa (michaelserwa.com).
5. Relax and de-stress with meditation
If you’re looking for an introduction to meditation, Calm (calm. com) is the place to start. The popular mindfulness app has a vast library of guided mindfulness programmes designed to help with some common lockdown mental health issues — from managing stress and anxiety, to improving disrupted sleep.
Netflix has just launched its first meditation series in partnership with Headspace. The Headspace Guide To Meditation includes eight bite-sized episode.