Time to Talk

Today, Thursday 04 February 2021 is Time to Talk Day. This national event and campaign is all about encouraging us to talk to each other about the issues we are going through, particularly when we are struggling with our mental health. 

The theme this year is the Power of Small to reflect all the lost little chats we would have had around a watercooler in the office, over a coffee, or a drink down the pub, all those interactions we have lost due to the pandemic. 

Without actually being able to see people in person it can be really hard to get those little interactions that were previously taken for granted. The pandemic replacement zoom calls also aren’t quite the same as they are harder to engage with as was widely reported last year.

These small interactions are really valuable though. When we did Mental Health First Aid training, we looked and talked about stress as a container with various inlet valves and outflows. Those little chats would be some of our outflows, when something gets you down and you just need to get it off your chest and move on, a quick and easy way to relieve a little stress. 

Although it is hard at the moment to factor these in with all the things that everyone has going on, it’s crucial to spend some time to reach out to people. This doesn’t have to be straight off talking about mental health, just take the time out to have a catch up. 

If you’re not sure how best to get started, the Time to Talk virtual festival has had lots of sessions running throughout the day which are available to catch up on including cooking lunch, laughter yoga, and Bollywood dancing. 

Likewise, this month is Action for Happiness Friendly February, with the focus on being a good friend. Their calendars have tips and suggestions for every day to help get you speaking. Call a friend, ask how they’re doing, and as they say the best way to cheer up is to cheer someone else up.