The Five Ways to Well-being for Coaches
Article by UK Coaching
In this recording of a Time2Learn session, Sport and Exercise Psychologist and Founder of Life-in-sport Rebecca Chidley explores the NHS’ Five Ways to Well-being
Good well-being is key to continuously showing up for your participants and delivering great, meaningful sessions.
This session:
- explores the concept of well-being and what it means for you
- identifies the potential barriers to looking after your own well-being
- explores how you can apply the five ways to well-being to your daily life.
What does well-being mean to you?
What are the potential barriers to your well-being?
The World Health Organization describes well-being as: "A positive state experienced by individuals and societies."
Potential barriers to well-being
Time:
- Long or unsociable hours.
- Time pressure or deadlines.
- Late nights or early mornings.
Other daily habits:
- Lack of sleep.
- Poor nutrition options.
- Difficult to take time off.
Personal values and ways of working:
- High personal standards and expectations (possible perfectionism).
- Find it difficult to hand over responsibilities to others.
- Asking a lot of others so expect same of self.
- Focus on supporting others with their goals.
Five ways to well-being
Evidence suggests there are five steps you can take to improve your mental health and well-being.
Trying these things could help you feel more positive and able to get the most out of life.
When considering the five ways to well-being, think about:
- time: planning, management, organisation
- windows of opportunity
- how these apply to you.
Click into the tabs below to explore strategies to improve your well-being, split into the five themes.
Good relationships are important for your mental well-being. They can:
- help you to build a sense of belonging and self-worth
- allow you to share positive experiences
- provide emotional support and allow you to support others.
How can you have more meaningful interactions with other coaches and colleagues?
Being active is not only great for your physical health and fitness. Evidence also shows it can also improve your mental well-being by:
- raising your self-esteem
- helping you to set goals or challenges and achieve them
- causing chemical changes in your brain which can help to positively change your mood.
How active are you?
How can you get your body moving more while you are coaching?
Research shows that learning new skills can improve your mental well-being by:
- boosting self-confidence and raising self-esteem
- helping you to build a sense of purpose
- helping you to connect with others.
Research suggests that acts of giving, and kindness can help improve your mental well-being by:
- creating positive feelings and a sense of reward
- giving you a feeling of purpose and self-worth
- helping you connect with other people.
It could be small acts of kindness towards other people or larger ones like volunteering in your local community.
Paying more attention to the present moment can improve your mental well-being. This includes your thoughts, feelings, body, and the world around you. Some people call this awareness mindfulness.
Mindfulness can help you enjoy life more and understand yourself better. It can positively change how you feel about life and approach challenges.
How much do you notice what is going on around you?
With each of the five ways to well-being reflect on:
- What does it mean to you?
- What do you currently do well?
- What can you do more of?
Breaking down your barriers
You might find it helpful to:
- only try what feels comfortable (to start with)
- give yourself time to figure out what works for you
- go at your own pace
- remember that good days for your well-being won't always look the same. We don't always have the same levels of energy or motivation
- be kind to yourself and do what feels right for you at the moment.
Top Tips
The busier you are the more you need to:
- be proactive with the five ways to well-being and self-care. Proactive strategies are better than reactive. Find what works for you
- pay attention to the cues your body and mind are giving you. You can't pour from an empty cup
- focus on your daily habits, planning and windows of opportunity
- understand your limits and protect your personal time
- accept that you can’t do everything.
Related Resources
Duty to Care
Return to our dedicated Duty to Care page to learn more about how you can promote diversity and equality, discover more about Duty to Care, or read our guides on the other pillars.
GO TO THE DUTY TO CARE PAGE
Earn Your Digital Badge
Learn about the importance of Duty to Care with our newly-enhanced Toolkit and demonstrate your commitment to looking after the people you coach by earning our Sport England-funded Digital Badge.
EARN THE BADGE
Guide to Mental Health and Well-being
Learn how to apply the principles of mental health and well-being to your coaching, and discover its importance to participants, coaches, and coaching practice through key messages, practical tips, videos, and downloads.
READ THE GUIDE TO MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING