Rachael's isolation diary

Coping through a difficult time

 

Hello! My name is Rachael, I am 20 years old and I work for the #Skills2Achieve programme at Enham Trust as a Teaching Assistant apprentice.

Mental Health is something which is very close to my heart. I live with Autism and ADHD which can be a real struggle at times for me, change being one of the hardest things for me to adapt to.

At the start of the #Covid19 pandemic, I liked the idea of working from my own space! It felt needed and refreshing - a detox some may say - but this was something completely new to me. I had no idea how long this would last or when I would next be back to work in the #Skills2Achieve centre... That’s when the anxiety set in, sadly followed by the loss of a family member. 

I decided that I needed some time away from the laptop screen for the good of my mental well-being. I took this time off to catch up on sleep and spend time with my family, and soon found myself slipping away from my newly adopted bad habits and beginning to appreciate life more. I have since thrown myself into my art, creating new displays for our classroom walls, and I really have never felt more productive!

My job means that I can help other young people who are also struggling. There is never a day where I don’t have time for one of our learners and there is never a problem too small or too silly! I want to change the minds of these young people to help them believe that they are good enough and worthy of this precious life At a time like this where support isn’t easily accessible, I want to make it my duty to ensure that all of these young adults are safe and well. An e-mail or a phone call can really encourage someone to reach out and ask for help especially when they may feel silenced and alone during this difficult time.

“Life will never put you through more than you can handle” and remember there is always someone out there who will be willing to offer you an ear.

 

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Dan's isolation diary

Lockdown life at Enham Trust

 

Hello! My name is Dan and I live in Michael House at Enham Trust. Since the lockdown, I have been unable to see my family which has been really hard. I miss being able to go home at the weekends to see my mum and dad, and our dog, Jessica.

I continue to access activities at @enham.trust, including work on our new sensory garden as part of my outdoors exercise. For this, I have been cutting willow and learning to weave fencing panels which keeps me and my mind busy!

Before the lockdown I was in the process of seeking employment and hope to start this once things return to normal. I can’t wait to start working!

 

Dan like so many others are shielding during the #Coronavirus pandemic and his health and happiness means everything to us! Please stay safe for people like Dan at this time and check in on your shielding friends from time to time.

 

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Hannah's isolation diary

Knowing when to take a break

 

Hi everyone, I’m Hannah and I work at Enham Trust! Working from home brings many challenges and is something many have us have never experienced for long stints of time, so after feeling run down for a few weeks, I decided I needed a break.

I chose to take an extra day one bank holiday weekend and boy did I need those 4 days off! Now, they weren’t the most perfect or particularly outstanding, but having time away from the laptop screen to relax and look after me really did me the world of good! I came back the following week refreshed and more motivated to work.

What it taught me is to be kind to ourselves. Listen to your body and your mind, and if you need a break, take it! We are too quick to downplay the seriousness of the world we live in right now and put on a brave face, but at a time when we are all working so hard, time for yourself is more important than ever!

 

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Robert's isolation diary

Keep doing the things you love

 

Hello there! My name is Robert. I am 78 years young and live in Elizabeth House at Enham Trust. I’ve been self-isolating for a while now. The care staff here at Enham Trust have been taking great care of me and are keeping me busy along the way!

I like to weave, knit and create colourful tapestries to keep me entertained! I have also been going for lots of walks to keep up my exercise.

It’s great that I can still do the things I love whilst in lockdown with my friends, carers and activity leaders. We’re all having fun and keeping each other’s spirits high. You should try to keep doing the things you love too!

I do however hope everything goes back to normal before too long. I love to go shopping and am looking forward to being able to get back out there in the future. Stay safe and see you all soon!

 

Robert like so many others are shielding during the #Coronavirus pandemic and his health and happiness means everything to us! Please stay safe for people like Robert at this time and check in on your shielding friends from time to time.

 

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Sadie's isolation diary

The effects of lockdown on working life

 

Hello everyone! My name is Sadie and I work at Enham Trust. Life in lockdown has been a rollercoaster ride of emotions for myself, my colleagues who are also working from home, and especially for our charity’s front line heroes.

At first, lockdown for me was welcomed with open arms as I found that a much-needed social detox was due. I took time for myself and was actually growing quite fond of life behind the make-shift workspace at home.

Three different workspaces and many weeks later, the novelty of it all began to wear away and the bad habits creeped in... Motivation to get out of bed in the morning became a big problem, my eating pattern was slipping and sliding to the point of going hours without eating anything of nutritional value, and my moods became inconsistent.

I wondered ‘𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐞?’

The answer of course was and still is: no! I urge anyone who is feeling (even just a little!) down in the dumps to speak openly to their boss and/or colleagues and share how they’re feeling. I am very fortunate to work for an organisation that cares so deeply about mental wellbeing and it’s so important to acknowledge its importance. Please do not suffer in silence during these difficult and surreal times. Your #MentalHealthMatters!