It’s mental health awareness week this week. An annual event, run by the Mental Health Foundation, to raise awareness of mental health. There remains a stigma, perhaps, around mental health. It is more common than we realise but a lot of people just shrug things off instead of seeking help. It could just be a case of talking things through with someone neutral, to help you see things more clearly.

Wellbeing, particularly mental wellbeing, has been high on the agenda over the last year. Yes, people have been physically ill with Covid-19 and thousands have been affected through the loss of a loved one. But many have been impacted in other ways.

Lockdowns meant routines changed and trips out we took for granted disappeared. On top of that,  jobs lost some security and the High Street took another hit. For some, they were suddenly living and working in the same room all day; some were juggling work and home schooling. All this extra stress over a prolonged period of time was bound to cause friction and add to any wellbeing issues.

At least, the enforced working from home provided us with more time. Without the commute many found time for a new or re-kindled hobby, a daily walk/ride for exercise, perhaps family dinners became the norm. But over time, even this novelty wore away.

We had social interaction at work which many started to miss, perhaps we had taken it for granted or just not realised it was there until it was gone.

Those that ran their own business or were freelancers were perhaps hit a bit harder. Used to working from home, or by themselves, but always with the option to pop to a coffeeshop to work through emails with a latte. But this wasn’t an option anymore.

This is where networking has been so useful. Some networking groups simply stopped. Without the businesses operating they decided there was no point in meeting – but Southend Peers decided to continue to meet to support each other. The meetings online were an opportunity to discuss how we were getting on, a chance to talk through things and reflect on what was happening. Ultimately, talking things through with someone neutral. Some business referrals continued if they came up but the focus was on each other’s wellbeing.

When asked, this is what some of our members said about meeting during lockdowns.

“Networking with Peers gave me a chance to talk over concerns.”

“Continuing with Peers gave re-assurance and some continuity and normality.”

“Through Peers I learnt about government support and how to access it.”

“Meeting once a week gave me focus; Thursday, following a meeting, was my most productive day.”

Perhaps one of the lessons to learn from all this is that regardless of how successful someone is they may always need someone to chat to. It may seem a little thing but just be open and available can make a big difference to someone else. There’s no better time to see how you can help others with their wellbeing – and of course, don’t forget yourself!