Rugby league: tackling mental wellbeing

You don’t have to have a mental illness to need some help with your mental wellbeing from time to time. We all go through good and bad periods in our lives – even rugby players will have an off day when they miss a tackle or give away a penalty.

Looking after your mental wellbeing is simply another way of thinking about ways to cope with the common difficulties life puts in your way. And if you learn to cope with the smaller problems in your life, it may help you to get some perspective on other issues.

There is evidence to suggest that five simple steps can improve our mental wellbeing. If you approach them with an open mind and try them, you can judge the results yourself. The steps are:

• Connect. Connect with the people around you – your family, friends, colleagues and neighbours.
• Be active. You don't have to go to the gym. Take a walk, go cycling or play a game of touch rugby. Find the activity that you enjoy and make it a part of your life.
• Keep learning. Learning new skills can give you a sense of achievement and a new confidence. So why not sign up to start learning to play a musical instrument or figure out how to fix your bike?
• Give to others. Even the smallest act can count, whether it’s a smile, a thank you or a kind word. Larger acts, such as volunteering at your kids’ rugby club, can make a big difference to your mental wellbeing.
• Take notice. Be more aware of the present moment, including your feelings and thoughts, your body and the world around you. It can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges.

For more information on what is being done to help members of the rugby league family, visit the Rugby League Cares website or follow @rlcares on twitter.

Find out more about the five steps to mental wellbeing or try the mental wellbeing app below.