Oranga Looking after you
To look after whānau well, you need to look after yourself too. Eating well, getting enough sleep, being active and asking for help are all things you can do to look after yourself.
Supporting whānau is rewarding mahi, but in order to sustain this and be at your best, you need to look after yourself too. Sometimes it’s only when things feel really stressful that we look to our own oranga, hauora and wellbeing. The good news is that looking after our wellbeing can be simple – it’s the enjoyable everyday things that do this for us.
What is hauora, oranga and wellbeing?
Hauora is our overall health which includes more than just our tinana (physical bodies). Hauora is paying attention to all the parts of yourself, including hinengaro (mental), and the activities which fulfil and sustain you. Oranga is wellbeing – if our hauora is good, then so is our oranga.
There are several models of health and wellbeing that might be helpful to refer to. You may have a favourite one that resonates fully with you, or you might like to pick and choose the best bits from several models. Just make sure that you pay attention to all the different aspects of hauora to keep you feeling balanced and well.
What fills your cup?
Check in with yourself regularly to see if you are ‘feeling good and functioning well’. If the answer is yes, then you have positive wellbeing – healthy oranga. And if the answer is ‘some days’ then look for some ideas to start weaving enjoyable activities into your day.
You might enjoy digging in your māra , scrapbooking, dancing, being with friends, crocheting, painting, volunteering, learning new things, biking, waiata, walking in te taiao, making kai or being at the beach, kapa haka or looking at the sky. Anything that makes you feel good!
Managing the tough times
Life and mahi can be challenging sometimes, and we may find ourselves struggling with stress and burnout. Knowing the signs to look out for is a great start, but don't wait until you feel overwhelmed before you make changes. Try to pay attention to your wellbeing daily, so that when the tough times hit you will be better prepared to deal with them.
Fill up your wellbeing kete with tips and hints from these resources – they've been created with you in mind!
