How to Make the ‘5 Ways to Wellbeing’ Work in 2024
Fifteen years ago, the New Economics Foundation set out five actions to improve personal wellbeing – with the view that making small improvements can help to tackle bigger health issues – and also help people to flourish at work.
Echoing the familiar ‘five a day’ message for fruit and vegetables, the method is aimed at helping individuals to understand and incorporate wellbeing into their everyday lives. Many people have taken the advice to heart, making small yet valuable changes to their day-to-day routines.
The 5 Ways to Wellbeing Are:
Connect: Connecting with the people around us is a great way to remind ourselves that we’re important and valued by others.
Be active: We know that there’s a link between staying active and positive mental health and wellbeing. By making sure we are regularly moving our bodies, however we can, we can look after our mental and physical health at the same time.
Take Notice: Taking notice of our thoughts, emotions and surroundings is a great way to stay present and pay attention to our needs.
Keep learning: Learning new things is a good way to meet new people and boost our self confidence, which in turn improves our mental health and wellbeing.
Give: Research has found a link between doing good things and an increase in wellbeing.
The Bupa Approach — Healthy Minds — Because Mental Health Is Key to Our Wellbeing
Mental health can impact all of us. Each year, about a quarter of individuals in Europe alone face mental health challenges. Recent global events, from the pandemic to the climate crisis, have exacerbated people’s mental wellbeing.
According to Bupa UK’s Workplace Wellbeing Census in March 2021, one-fifth of workers reported struggling with overall wellbeing during the pandemic. Additionally, Bupa Global’s Executive Wellbeing Index 2021 revealed that 77% of business leaders experienced symptoms of poor mental health in the preceding 18 months.
Dr. Robin Clark, Medical Director for Bupa Global & UK, emphasizes, “Mental health issues can touch everyone. Timely diagnosis and treatment lead to better outcomes. Our extended coverage, which includes ongoing support for mental health conditions, ensures that more individuals than ever have access to the necessary assistance.”
Bupa Health Plans
Bupa Global believes that mental health and wellbeing are just as important as physical health. To support this, annual benefit limits across all plans for in-patient and day-patient mental health treatment are the same as for physical health treatment. This means that the mental health cover doesn’t include specific mental health waiting periods – you are able to access your benefits as and when you need them. Bupa also do not include lifetime limits for mental health, as we know that mental health conditions can be complex and can reoccur.
Additional Preventive Health and Wellbeing Services
If you’re a Bupa Global customer and have a health concern, the Global Virtual Care (GVC) service provides confidential access to a global network of doctors by telephone or video call, with virtual appointments available 24/7 in multiple languages – enabling you to speak to a doctor at a time that suits you.
Additionally, with a Bupa Global insurance plan, customers also have access to a Healthline service, which gives access to general medical information (mental and physical) as well as providing advice from health professionals and referrals for a second medical opinion.
If you have access to Bupa Global through your employer – you will be able to access Bupa LifeWorks, our Employee Assistance Programme. This service entitles Bupa members access to trained advisors 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, via phone or online to talk through any work, life, or personal concerns.