The Five Ways to Wellbeing

Research shows there are five simple things you can do as part of your daily life – at work and at home – to build resilience, boost your wellbeing and lower your risk of developing mental health problems. These simple actions are known internationally as the Five Ways to Wellbeing*.

The Five Ways to Wellbeing are – Connect, Be Active, Keep Learning, Give, and Take Notice. They help people take care of their mental health and wellbeing. Regularly practising the Five Ways is beneficial for everyone – whether you have a mental health problem or not.

Why the Five Ways Work

Connect: Strengthening relationships with others and feeling close to and valued by others, including at work, is critical to boosting wellbeing.

Be Active: Being physically active, including at work, improves physical health and can improve mood and wellbeing and decrease stress, depression and anxiety.

Give: Carrying out acts of kindness, whether small or large, can increase happiness, life satisfaction and general sense of wellbeing.

Take Notice: Paying more attention to the present moment, to thoughts and feelings and to the world around, boosts our wellbeing.

Keep Learning: Being curious and seeking out new experiences at work and in life more generally positively stimulates the brain.

The Five Ways in Action

Connect: Spend time in nature with whānau/family, friends and community to uplift your wairua/spirit and those around you. Receive and give strength to each other. Connect with Papatūānuku (Mother Earth) and touch, smell and eat the bounty she provides.

Keep Learning: There’s always something new to learn and discover when you let nature in. Embrace new places. Learn the names of native plants and animals. Learn (or share with others) where you are from, your maunga/mountain and awa/river. Visit places you feel connected to and learn more about them.

Take Notice: See nature through a different lens and take some time to Take Notice and be mindful of what’s happening around you. Take Notice of the natural world and find ways to let nature in to your everyday life, e.g. bring a native plant into work and ensure you take time to nurture it.

Be Active: Getting outside and exercising is good for your overall health and wellbeing and strengthens your connection with nature. You don’t have to run a marathon to Be Active. Do what you can to move your mood.

Give: Nature provides for us - it gives us everything we need to not only survive, but thrive. We, in turn, have a kaitiaki/guardianship role to give back to nature for future generations. Share the wonder and the joy of being in nature - gift your harvest, prepare and share kai/food together, create things made with your own hands.