Looking After Your Mental Health During the Coronavirus Pandemic

Health & Wellbeing

Tue, April 14, 2020

Let’s talk about looking after your mental health during the coronavirus pandemic. To help control the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), the Government is asking us to practise social distancing and self-isolation.  Understandably the challenges associated with this, including separation from loved ones, loss of freedom and reduced income, are leaving many people feeling anxious and stressed.

Looking After Your Mental Health Mulpha Norwest Blog

When looking after your mental health during the coronavirus pandemic, There are several ways to manage your mental health during periods of self-isolation or quarantine:

 

Stay connected

When looking after your mental health during this period, it is important to stay connected and maintain your social networks using available methods of communication.  This can be as simple as phoning a friend or using technologies such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Facetime or Skype to keep in touch with friends and family members. You can even download the Houseparty app to enjoy a ‘virtual’ gathering with friends at a set time each week.

 

Maintain regular exercise

Doing some form of exercise is a great way to boost your mental and physical health and can ease tightness in your shoulders and neck, which often come with stress and anxiety. Exercise releases chemicals in your brain, like serotonin and endorphins, which are great for your mood and can lead to better sleep and more energy. While your usual exercise like gym classes and team sports are no longer an option, walking, cycling and running are great solo activities to do if you can avoid streets and parks with high foot traffic.

Many personal trainers, dance instructors and other qualified fitness professionals are moving their classes online, and there are many free exercise videos on YouTube, including yoga, Pilates and high intensity interval training to do in your own home.

 

Maintain perspective

While it is understandable to be concerned about the outbreak of coronavirus, try to remember that medical, scientific and public health experts around the world are working hard to contain the virus, treat those affected and develop a vaccine as soon as possible.

Remind yourself that this is a temporary period of isolation to slow the spread of the virus and remember that your effort is helping others in the community avoid contracting the virus.

 

Limit your intake of negative media coverage

While it is important to stay informed, limit your media intake if you find it distressing.  Being constantly bombarded with large volumes of negative information on a regular basis can heighten feelings of anxiety.

 

Practical strategies to keep anxiety at bay

The World Health Organisation has developed some practical tips for dealing the stress of this outbreak. Here are a few of them:

  • accept that it’s normal to feel sad, stressed, confused, scared or angry during an outbreak
  • find ways to talk about how you feel with others, especially if you are in quarantine.
  • remember to keep an eye out for your children during this time, and for loved ones who already have mental illness. They may need help dealing with this added anxiety
  • don’t use smoking, alcohol or other drugs to deal with your emotions.
  • keep your body as healthy as possible by eating well, exercising and getting enough sleep
  • limit worry by limiting media exposure to a few trusted sources
  • draw on skills you have used in the past that have helped you to get through difficult times.

 

There are several organisations that offer free counselling by health professionals, including:

Beyond Blue Mental Health Support Service – call 1300 22 4636

Lifeline (anyone having a personal crisis) — call 13 11 14 or chat online (24/7 phone and online chat for young people aged 5-25 years) — call 1800 55 1800

Protecting Your Privacy

Mulpha Norwest Pty Ltd ACN 000 004 633, Norwest City Pty Ltd ACN 603 333 615 (in its personal capacity and as trustee of the Norwest City Trust ABN 26 695 958 023), Norwest Real Estate Pty Ltd ACN 000 692 213, Norwest Flexi Pty Ltd ACN 607 435 165 (in its personal capacity and as trustee of Flexi Trust ABN 49 958 864 033) and Circa 1 Pty Ltd (“Norwest”) is committed to providing you with exceptional service, and this includes protecting your privacy and being open and transparent about what we do with your personal information. In abiding with the Australian Privacy Principles and the Privacy Act 1988, we take all possible steps to ensure information about you, is not disclosed to or accessed by unauthorised persons.

This Policy

This privacy policy explains what kind of information we collect and hold, how and why we collect, hold and use it, and how and to whom we disclose that information. It also provides details about how you may access and seek correction of the personal information that we hold about you, and what you can do if you are not satisfied with how we have dealt with your personal information.

When we refer to ‘personal information’ we mean information from which your identity is reasonably apparent. This information may include information or an opinion about you.

Collecting your information

In the course of our business we collect and hold information about our customers, including former and potential customers. This information is usually personal information (any information including sensitive information from which your identity is apparent). Generally we only collect personal information from you unless it is not reasonable or practical to do so.

Information we collect from you

We collect personal information about you and your interactions with us, for example if you make an enquiry about our products and services, if you enter into an agreement with us in relation to our products and/or services, there has been a complaint made, and when you phone, email or write to us, or visit our website. The personal information we collect from you may include your name, date of birth and contact details (including residential address, phone numbers and email address), and any other information we may need to identify you and/or comply with applicable legislation.

When you use our website we may store some information (commonly known as a “cookie”) on your computer when you look at this website. We are able to read these cookies for information purposes when you revisit this website. The type of information we collect as a result of a cookie being accepted by you is specific to your PC and includes the IP address, the date and time the PC visited the website, what parts of this website were looked at and whether the web pages requested were delivered successfully. This information is anonymous; it represents a computer rather than a person. We use the cookie information to improve our knowledge of the traffic and user activation of this web site and to enable us to be able to ascertain whether this website is operating at an optimal level. This allows us to enhance our web offerings to you and to provide an enjoyable and an innovative online experience. You can erase or block this information by changing the settings on your computer (please refer to your help screens or manuals). If you do erase or block this information you may not be able to utilise some features of this website.

Using your information

We collect, use and exchange your personal information so that we can:

We may also collect, use and exchange your personal information in other ways where permitted by law.

Direct marketing

If you don’t want to receive direct marketing, you can tell us by emailing us at marketing@mulpha.com.au or write to us at Level 6, 99 Macquarie Street Sydney, NSW 2000 Australia.

Using government identifiers

If we collect government identifiers, such as your tax file number, we do not use or disclose this information other than required by law. We will never use a government identifier in order to identify you.

Exchanging your information

We may exchange (i.e. collect from and disclose to) your personal information with the following parties for the following purposes:

Sending information overseas

Occasionally we may send your information overseas, but only directly to our own offices or agents in an overseas location, and to service providers or other third parties who operate or hold data outside Australia. Where we do this, we make sure as far as reasonably possible that appropriate data handling and security arrangements are in place. Please note that Australian law may not apply to some of these entities. You may obtain more information about these entities by contacting us.

Sending information overseas

We will take all reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. We will destroy or permanently de-identify personal information we no longer need or which we are no longer required by law to retain. We have physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to protect your information which is held by us. Your information, both hard-copy and/or electronic records, are held at our secure office premises and at secure offsite premises using trusted third parties. Our office premises are protected against unauthorised access by electronic security passes which are held only by our staff, alarms and cameras. Access to information stored, including electronic records which require login and password authorisation, is restricted to our staff whose job purpose requires access. All our staff undertake information security and privacy training. We have firewalls, intrusion detection systems and virus scanning tools to protect against unauthorised persons and viruses accessing our systems.

Customer rights

Wherever it is lawful and practicable, we will give you the option of not providing information when entering into transactions with us. However, in most cases, if you do not provide the full and complete information requested we will be unable to provide our products or services to you.

How do you access your information?

You may ask us what personal information we hold about you, and you may make a request to access to this information at any time. You may make a request by us by contacting our PRIVACY OFFICER (see below contact details). We may ask you to complete a PERSONAL INFORMATION REQUEST FORM and will process your request within a reasonable time and try to make this information available within 30 days of your request. Before we give you the requested information we will need to confirm your identity.

We generally will not charge you a fee in respect of such access but reasonable administrative costs may be charged in some circumstances. If there is an access charge, we will give you an estimate first and ask you to confirm that you would like us to proceed, if you would like us, upfront payment will be required. Generally, the access charge is based on an hourly rate plus any other reasonable costs incurred by us, such as photocopying and postage. We do not need to provide access to your information in several circumstances; for example, the information is commercially sensitive, the request is frivolous or would unreasonably interfere with another person’s privacy or be in breach of the law, or, where to provide access would pose a threat to health or public safety. If we refuse you access we will advise you of our reasons for doing so.

How do you correct or update your information?

You may ask us at any time to correct the information we hold about you or that we have provided to others by contacting our PRIVACY OFFICER (see below contact details). We will process your request within a reasonable time and try to correct the information within 30 days. If it looks like it will take longer, we will let you know the reason for the delay and try to agree to an extended timeframe with you.

If we are able to correct your information because it is inaccurate, we will inform you when it is so corrected.

If we disagree with you that the information is inaccurate and should be corrected, we will inform you in writing of our reasons. You may request that we attach a statement to the information noting that you consider it is inaccurate misleading, incomplete, irrelevant or out-of-date. We will take reasonable steps to comply with such a request.

What can you do if you have a complaint?

If you are not happy in respect of how we have dealt with your personal information or in gaining access to it, please contact our PRIVACY OFFICER to discuss your concerns (see below contact details). If we do not resolve your complaint to your satisfaction or we are unable to resolve your complaint, you have the right to refer the matter to the Office of the Federal Privacy Commissioner – Privacy Hotline on 1300 363 992 or visit their website at www.oaic.gov.au or writing to GPO Box 5218 Sydney NSW 2001.

How to contact us:

PRIVACY OFFICER
Norwest
Level 6, 99 Macquarie Street
Sydney NSW 2000 Australia
Phone: +61 2 9270 6186
Email: company.secretary@mulpha.com.au

Disclaimer

Mulpha Norwest Pty Ltd ACN 000 004 633, Norwest City Pty Ltd ACN 603 333 615 (in its personal capacity and as trustee of the Norwest City Trust ABN 26 695 958 023), Norwest Real Estate Pty Ltd ACN 000 692 213, Norwest Flexi Pty Ltd ACN 607 435 165 (in its personal capacity and as trustee of Flexi Trust ABN 49 958 864 033) and Circa 1 Pty Ltd (“Norwest, we, us, our ”) updates this website as often as practicable and tries to ensure that all information provided as part of this website is correct at the time of its inclusion; however, we do not guarantee its accuracy at any time. All information provided as part of this website is intended to be general in nature and you should not rely on it in connection with the making of any decision.

We are not liable for any action you may take as a result of, or loss incurred from relying on this website, including from data corruption on download. We do not take responsibility for websites of other organisations, whether or not linked, or any device used to access or view our website.

By accessing and browsing this website you agree to these terms, and acknowledge reading them. These terms may be changed from time to time so you should check these terms each time you revisit this website.

This website has been prepared under Australian law and these terms are governed by and to be interpreted in accordance with Australian law, and the information to which it relates is intended to be received only by persons in Australia.

The information contained on this website is provided by us in good faith. The information is derived from sources believed to be accurate and current but has not been verified by Norwest, its related bodies corporate, its affiliates, or their employees, agents or advisors, and we are under no obligation to notify you or publish any amendment if we become aware of any change to, inaccuracy in or omission from, the information. To the extent permitted by law, we give no representation or warranty. The information is not to be relied upon as being complete, accurate, or up to date and is subject to change.

The information provided in this website is provided on the basis that you will not rely on it in any way to the maximum extent permitted by law. We will not be liable for any direct, indirect, special or consequential loss or damage (including any legal costs) or any claim, suit, demand, action or proceeding brought which results from, or in any way (including without limitation through negligence) arises out of or is connected with, this website and your use of this website. You agree to indemnify and release us from any such liability.

No one guarantees the performance of Norwest or any of its related body corporates or associated entities. Amounts are in Australian dollars unless specified otherwise.

Personal information provided to Norwest through this website will only be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Please read this carefully before proceeding. By providing your personal information to us you are consenting to its use in accordance with our Privacy Policy. You can review our Privacy Policy on our website.

Mulpha Norwest Pty Ltd ACN 000 004 633, publishes this website unless specified otherwise. You may not modify it or reproduce any content of, or link to, our site without our prior written consent. © Mulpha Norwest Pty Ltd. All rights reserved.