# data[].attributes.body
After spending so much time at home online learning, it's normal to feel a little lonely and disconnected. It is no surprise that 'loneliness' is the theme of this year's Mental Health Awareness Week May 9th-15th. Look through this document for some ideas of what could help.

# data[].attributes.body
Everyone needs a little bit of stress, but too much stress can cause you to lose sleep, get sick, or negatively impact your studying and your relationships with others.

# data[].attributes.body
This is what you might notice in your body if you are feeling really stressed.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
what stress does to the body infographic (2)

# data[].attributes.body
We all respond differently to stress. How do you notice yourself responding?

# data[].attributes.body
Sometimes a stress can turn into anxiety when we worry about a future we might not be able to predict or control.

# data[].attributes.body
This workbook has so many exercises and activities you can experiment with in your own life.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook ( PDFDrive )

# data[].attributes.body
We all have mental health, just like we all have physical health. And we should all strive to be mentally heathy, just like we would strive to be physically.

# data[].attributes.body
Everyone's mental health is on a spectrum. Some days you might be feeling better or worse than others.

# data[].attributes.body
Everyone struggles with their mental health at times. It is never a sign of weakness and there is always something that can help you feel better. But often, it is perfectly ok to not feel ok.

# data[].attributes.body
Sometimes how we feel can be described as a mental illness if we notice it has been significantly impacting our lives.

# data[].attributes.body
For many year, there has been misconceptions, judgements and stigma surrounding mental health. Lets try and bust these myths and learn to understand.

# data[].attributes.body
Research is finding that most students across the world struggle to motivate themselves during online learning. This is because students need to rely on their own motivation instead of relying teachers and peers keeping them motived. It's normal to feel this way - but there are always things that might be able to help.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted students' opportunities to learn worldwide. Students and teachers have been forced to shift from traditional classrooms to emergency online / remote learning. They face key challenges in adapting practices away from a focus on face-to-face learning to an online learning environment mediated by various forms of technology. The pandemic reveals the urgent need to augment the educational system's technological infrastructure, expand the teachers' pedagogical expertise and the students' learning repertoire. Under the circumstances, researchers and practitioners should carefully reconsider the role of teachers, students, as well as the technological environment for online learning and put ongoing efforts to adequately address the underlying epistemological basis of education (Tsai et al. 2013). These emerging challenges have never been apparent during this critical period of time. Hence, it is urgent and crucial for researchers to reflect and improve the current practices of online learning and teaching through appropriate designs and evidence-based strategies for the time being.

Online learning also heavily relies on the students' ability to make meaning through assuming agency in learning, initiating and sustaining meaningful multimodal communications, and developing conceptual and epistemic understanding through active engagement with digital resources (Hartnett, 2016). In such online contexts, the critical role of students' self-regulation, motivation, and positive learning dispositions are accentuated (Chiu & Hew, 2018). Although a substantial number of studies have encompassed these relevant issues in the field of educational technology, research evidence on how to appropriately adapt pertinent learning and motivational theories to design effective and sustainable online pedagogy in a complex, multifaceted, and even situational online learning environments are still relatively under-investigated.

A broad range of motivational theories derived from motivation research such as self-determination theory (SDT) (Ryan & Deci, 2020), expectancy-value theory (Wigfield & Eccles, 2000), achievement goal theory (Senko et al. 2011), and control-value theory (Pekrun et al. 2017) have been widely applied to understand the contextual and psychological factors that optimize students' learning and engagement. These relevant theories have been successfully applied to understand the underlying environmental and psychological factors that affect learners' motivation, engagement, and learning. When pedagogical design adequately addresses these needs, students are actively motivated to engage in learning tasks.

However, the aggregated stress and anxiety from the pandemic may easily demotivate and disengage student learning as prior studies have highlighted that negative emotions may inhibit learning (Pekrun et al. 2017). Although applying various motivational theories to traditional face-to-face environments has proven to be a productive undertaking (e.g., Lazowski & Hulleman, 2016), little attention has been paid to how existing motivational theories can be adapted to understand how to optimize online learning or student engagement within technology infused learning contexts (Chiu, 2021; Hsu et al., 2019). This is a critical and urgent gap that cannot be ignored given the growing need for online learning in light of the pandemic. In addition, how student motivation can be build/leverage upon to sustain prolonged collaborative online meaning making is also an essential dimension that needs attention.

Given that the pandemic is evolving into a unique combination of public health crisis, social isolation, and economic recession that causes varying levels of anxiety and stress, we believe that the accepted papers would contribute new insights on how to leverage motivational theories to optimize online learning based on existing ongoing efforts and experiences gained from the pandemic. They also facilitate our discussions on how to rethink education to prepare teachers and students for technology infused learning during crisis period and beyond.

Overview of the Nine Papers

This special issue consists of nine empirical studies conducted in different countries and regions including China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore and the USA. Six of them deal with student remote learning, and the other three concern teacher remote teaching, during the pandemic. The first paper is Lin's Taiwanese study. He used three prominent motivation theories related to self-regulated learning - expectancy-value, achievement goal, and social cognitive - to understand university students' motivations by examining the changes in their values and goals of online learning tasks. He developed and validated a COVID-19 Online Learning Motivation (COLM) questionnaire, and collected 558 students' online motivation before and after the outbreak of the pandemic. His study suggests that the pandemic has impacted on how the students value the personal relevance and the future expected returns of adopting online learning. Besides, the gaps between students' ideal and actual motivations may need to be proactively attenuated before the implementation of online learning.

The next three papers used the Structural Equation Modelling technique to examine their proposed research models driven from different theories of motivation, and aim to identify factors influencing students to learn remotely or online in China. The second paper, by Zhou, Chai, Jong and Xiong used SDT and a social cognitive perspective as a framework to investigate how perceived relatedness with instructors and classmates influence online self-regulated learning, perceived learning gains, and satisfaction. They analyzed self-reported survey data from 572 undergraduate students from a teacher education university in Southwest China, and found that relatedness had effects on perceived learning gains and satisfaction mediated by online self-regulated learning. They conclude that teachers can promote students online self-regulated learning by building a learning community and designing collaborative learning activities. The third paper, by Lian, Chai, Zheng and Liang, recruited 529 non-English major students from a comprehensive university in northern China, and examined their model regarding the intricated relationships among the perceptions of meaningful learning such as self-directed learning, collaborative learning, self-efficacy. The results revealed that student perceived authentic language learning has a strong relationship with their English self-efficacy. This relationship can be mediated by collaborative, but not self-directed learning. These findings suggest that online collaborative learning opportunities appeared to be more pronounced for students when learning alone at home, and structuring authentic language learning with self-directed and collaborative learning is very important for blended learning. The fourth paper conducted by Lin, Jin, Zhao, Yu and Su, used switching behavior to explain student initial motivation (behavioral intention) in transiting face-to-face to online learning. They examined their proposed Push-Pull-Mooring model to understand the influence of habits and switching costs on student motivation to the harsh transition. Their results showed that the push effects (perceived security risk, learning convenience, and service quality), pull effects (usefulness, ease of use, teacher's teaching attitude, task technology fit), and mooring effects (switching cost, habit) can predict the transition intention. The findings suggest that teachers should take these relevant factors into account when accommodating students into a new online learning environment.

The fifth and sixth papers aim to understand what and how to design effective online tasks to constantly motivate students in learning. The fifth paper, by Lee, So, Ha, Kim, and Park, conducted an experimental study to examine the patterns of students' academic emotions and facial expressions detected in asynchronous video-based learning. They used Ekman's Facial Action Coding System to analyze the recorded video data collected from 25 Korean students, and analyzed interview data to understand the plausible explanations for students' negative emotions. This paper suggests how to detect and intervene in potential issues associated with student motivation and affective states. The sixth paper, by Ismailov and Ono, used expectancy-value, SDT and the Attention Relevance Confident Satisfaction (ARCS) model to identify the design characteristics of the online tasks assigned to 80 Japanese first year undergraduate students. Their inductive content analysis revealed that student motivation was strongly associated with student autonomy, social interaction, personal interest, and practical utility of the tasks. They suggest that teachers should pay more attention to the motivational effects of the designed instructional materials and assignments.

Teacher motivation and capacity have emerged as the top priority in remote learning. The last three papers are qualitative studies and concern how teachers teaching in different educational settings. The seventh paper, by Moorhouse and Kohnke, used SDT as framework to interview university teachers in Hong Kong and identify two distinct teacher groups as either Thriving or Surviving. The results showed that the Thriving teacher group gained new instructional skill as the online teaching reinvigorated their teaching, and the Surviving group questioned their ability to teach because they felt isolated, struggled, and unsatisfied. The eighth paper, by Lambert, identified challenges a special education teacher from California faced when teaching mathematics to students with disabilities. An inductive thematic analysis revealed that one of the biggest challenges was supporting students with productive struggle in remote teaching. The findings suggest that fostering student engagement in mathematical problem-solving require considering emotional and affective dimensions of learning and coaching students and families in self-regulation strategies. The last paper, by Tay, Lee and Ramachandran, investigated how to design effective online home-based lessons for elementary and secondary student engagement. They adopted a ground-up thematic analysis to analyze interview data from elicit eight Singapore mathematics teachers. The findings suggest five design components including student engagement, technology, teacher professional development, social networking platforms and self-directed learning for the effective online lessons.

In sum, the major themes that emerged for the above studies seem to be motivation, socialization, and self-directedness. While these are familiar themes in educational research, the pandemic has greatly enhanced its importance in that without sufficiently strong pedagogical designs in these aspects, and the building of students' capacities and repertoires in these areas, learning will virtually grind to a complete stop.

Challenges and Future Development

The current pandemic is catalyzing a global debate on how knowledge, education and learning need to be reimagined in a world of increasing complexity, uncertainty, and precarity. The papers in this special issue raise 8 challenges that are pertinent in the times of the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. We summarize the challenges raised and suggest future development as follows; therefore, hope they can facilitate discussions among researchers and practitioners on how to rethink education and shape the future of learning and teaching.

1. 1
Attending to initial and maintaining student and teacher motivation for the emergency transition from face-to-face to online (remote) learning. Understanding the motivational process from the initial arousal of the motivation to the sustained motivation of unfamiliar and sudden environments is necessary.

2. 2
Preparing students for future learning. Most current studies suggest self-directed and collaborative learning as prerequisite skills for online instruction. Using online technology-assisted environments to foster the digital skills needs to feature more strongly in future research, i.e., nurture the skills and cultivate self-efficacy from various aspects during online learning.

3. 3
Addressing the psychological needs of students in designing online learning. Previous studies related to online learning give primacy to autonomy and competence support for cognitive development (Chiu, 2021). Future studies should pay more attention to relatedness support and emotional development for student wellbeing.

4. 4
Promoting technology-supported social and collaborative environments for peer mutual support. Current online learning studies highlight the importance of collaborative learning need to add specifically mutual peer support and social presence (Sormunen, 2020).

5. 5
Enhancing teacher's design beliefs and efficacy for applying theories in motivating students. Currently, there are many theories and principles for better engaging students in online environments (Chiu et al., 2020; Ryan & Deci, 2020); however, teachers may not able to execute the theoretical ideas in teaching. To bridge the gaps between theory and practice, teacher professional development program should encourage teachers to operationalize and implement what they learned from theories to experience the benefits, rather than telling them what the theories and principles are.

6. 6
Supporting teacher wellbeing. Discussions about teacher wellbeing is overlooked as a 'nice to have' rather than as essential, and is often dominated by negative mental health. Wellbeing is not only essential to cope with negative situations, but also encompassing ideas such as job satisfaction and good relationships. It is important to think about and promote teacher wellbeing in a more holistic way (both negative and positive), which benefit both student and teacher learning. Recent research indicate that wellbeing may coexist with burnout symptoms, when teachers are devoted and simultaneously lack resources and work too hard. In a study by Salmela-Aro et al. ( 2019) Finnish teachers appeared to be very committed and engaged to their work, whereas many suffered at the same time some signs of exhaustion and inadequacy as a teacher. After COVID-19, it shall be important to follow and promote teachers' wellbeing in Asian countries as well.

7. 7
Addressing equity and social justice concerns in learning with technology (Chiu & Lim, 2020). Majority of educational studies related to the pandemic are conducted in mainstream schools or city areas. More studies are needed to investigate how to use technology to support minority groups such as students with special education need (inclusive education) and students living in rural areas (digital divide).

8. 8
At a policy level, studies are also needed to reexamine research related to how the pandemic impact educational policies in Asian countries, while comparing with policies of more progressive countries (e.g., the United Kingdom, Australia), in order to better rethink what our future digital education should be envisioned.

Conclusively, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in school closures all across the world, triggering unprecedented challenges for education systems, and its impact on the world's education, particularly online learning, will be long lasting and resurging. It is clear that the future of education needs rethinking in many ways amid the pandemic. We truly hope this special issue will facilitate our discussions and research about the future of learning and teaching related to motivation.

Author information

Affiliations

1. Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

Thomas K. F. Chiu

2. National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan

Tzung-Jin Lin

3. University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

Kirsti Lonka

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Thomas K. F. Chiu.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

About this article

Cite this article

Chiu, T.K.F., Lin, TJ. & Lonka, K. Motivating Online Learning: The Challenges of COVID-19 and Beyond. Asia-Pacific Edu Res 30, 187-190 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40299-021-00566-w
Download citation

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Motivating Online Learning: The Challenges of COVID-19 and Beyond - The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly impacted students' opportunities to learn worldwide. Students and teachers have been forced to shift from traditional classrooms to emergency online / remote learning. They face key challenges in adapting practices away from a focus on face-to-face learning to an online learning environment mediated by various forms of technology.

# data[].attributes.body
If you are feeling really tense and stressed behind your desk. try using this technique a couple of times a day to relax your muscles.

# data[].attributes.body
When you are feeling overwhelmed, panicky, or your mind has stopped working and gone blank. Try stepping away from your desk and focus on your breathing. This will help calm your mind and body down after a few minutes.

# data[].attributes.body
If there is nobody around that can help comfort you, sometime a butterfly hug might do the trick. Wrap your arms around your shoulders and give them a good squeeze. Many of same the happy hormones will still be released.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Video Lesson of the Week (week 49) - Stop, Think, Act

# data[].attributes.body
There are loads of mindfulness apps you can try. The best thing is to set aside a regular time of the day to check-in with your self, focus on being mindful, and notice how that changes the mood of the rest of your day.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Calm is the #1 app for sleep and meditation. Join the millions experiencing better sleep, lower stress, and less anxiety.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Beautiful Flute Music - Native American Flutes 24/7 for Sleep or Relaxation

# data[].attributes.body
Try see if you can move your body in between classes. Yoga is great for stretching those muscles and refreshing your brain before the next activity.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Office Break Yoga  |  14-Minute Yoga Practice

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Pomodoro Technique - Study And Productivity Technique (animated)

# data[].attributes.body
Sometimes, in order to achieve your (online learning) potential and be motivated, you need to remember to take care of your basics first. It will be really hard to motivate yourself if you haven't gotten enough sleep, hydrated, eaten breakfast, or gotten some social interaction.

# data[].attributes.body
Have you started to notice that you've been putting off tasks you don't like or are finding really difficult? See if this article can offer you any useful advise.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
How to Overcome Procrastination

Step 1: Recognize That You're Procrastinating

You might be putting off a task because you've had to re-prioritize your workload. If you're briefly delaying an important task for a genuinely good reason, then you aren't necessarily procrastinating. However, if you start to put things off indefinitely, or switch focus because you want to avoid doing something, then you probably are.

You may also be procrastinating if you:

Fill your day with low-priority tasks.

Leave an item on your To-Do list for a long time, even though it's important.

Read emails several times over without making a decision on what to do with them.

Start a high-priority task and then go off to make a coffee.

Fill your time with unimportant tasks that other people ask you to do, instead of getting on with the important tasks already on your list.

Wait to be in "right mood," or wait for the "right time" to tackle a task.

Step 2: Work Out WHY You're Procrastinating

You need to understand the reasons why you are procrastinating before you can begin to tackle it.

For instance, are you avoiding a particular task because you find it boring or unpleasant? If so, take steps to get it out of the way quickly, so that you can focus on the aspects of your job that you find more enjoyable.

Poor organization can lead to procrastination. Organized people successfully overcome it because they use prioritized To-Do Lists and create effective schedules. These tools help you to organize your tasks by priority and deadline.

Another major cause of procrastination is poor decision-making. If you can't decide what to do, you'll likely put off taking action in case you do the wrong thing.

Step 3: Adopt Anti-Procrastination Strategies

Procrastination is a habit - a deeply ingrained pattern of behavior. This means that you probably can't break it overnight. Habits only stop being habits when you avoid practicing them, so try as many of the strategies, below, as possible to give yourself the best possible chance of succeeding.

Forgive yourself for procrastinating in the past. Studies show that self-forgiveness can help you to feel more positive about yourself and reduce the likelihood of procrastination in the future.

Commit to the task. Focus on doing, not avoiding. Write down the tasks that you need to complete, and specify a time for doing them. This will help you to proactively tackle your work.

Promise yourself a reward. If you complete a difficult task on time, reward yourself with a treat, such as a slice of cake or a coffee from your favorite coffee shop. And make sure you notice how good it feels to finish things!

Ask someone to check up on you. Peer pressure works! This is the principle behind self-help groups. If you don't have anyone to ask, an online tool such as Procraster can help you to self-monitor.

Act as you go. Tackle tasks as soon as they arise, rather than letting them build up over another day.

Rephrase your internal dialog. The phrases "need to" and "have to," for example, imply that you have no choice in what you do. This can make you feel disempowered and might even result in self-sabotage. However, saying, "I choose to," implies that you own a project, and can make you feel more in control of your workload.

Minimize distractions. Turn off your email and social media, and avoid sitting anywhere near a television while you work!

Aim to "eat an elephant beetle" first thing, every day! Get those tasks that you find least pleasant out of the way early. This will give you the rest of the day to concentrate on work that you find more enjoyable.

Another way to make a task more enjoyable is to identify the unpleasant consequences of avoiding it. For instance, what will happen if you don't complete the work? How might it affect your personal, team or organizational goals?

If you procrastinate because you're disorganized, here are six strategies to help you get organized:

1. Keep a To-Do List. This will prevent you from "conveniently" forgetting about those unpleasant or overwhelming tasks.

2. Use task- and time-management apps. There are numerous apps designed to help you to be more organized, such as Trello and Toggl, for example.

If you're prone to delaying projects because you find them overwhelming, try breaking them down into more manageable chunks. Organize your projects into smaller tasks and focus on starting them, rather than on finishing them.

In his 2011 book, " The Procrastination Cure," Jeffery Combs suggests tackling tasks in 15-minute bursts of activity. Alternatively, you can create an Action Plan to organize your project. Start with quick and small tasks first. These "small wins" will give you a sense of achievement, and will make you feel more positive and less overwhelmed by the larger project or goal that you are working towards.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Stop Procrastinating - Overcoming the Habit of Delaying Important Tasks

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Procrastination can damage your potential, your career, and your mood. Use these strategies to overcome it and take back control of your day!

# data[].attributes.body
We all need sleep. In fact, sleep experts say that if you don't sleep enough it can impact your concentration, motivation, engagement, memory, appetite, and mood!

# data[].attributes.body
In fact, skipping sleep in order to watch videos, message friends, and or finish work may seem smart but actually leads to bigger consequences down the road.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Routine is important for each and every one of us. Without a routine, we are thrown into a state of disarray, often unsure of what we should be doing or even what day of the week it is. For children, having a routine is particularly important, especially for the sake of their mental health and behaviour.

The current COVID-19 pandemic has led to the closure of schools for many students, meaning that the routine of the normal school day is completely upended. This means that many parents and guardians are having to form new routines as a way of providing structure to their child's, and their own, life. However, this can feel like an overwhelming task and it can sometimes be difficult to know where to start.

This article will provide tips and ideas to add to your weekly routine, as well as a downloadable weekly planner, that you can use to regain some structure during these unprecedented times.

Why is Routine Important for Children?

Having a routine helps to bring consistency and comfort to a child's life, as well as providing a sense of normality. Children tend to fear the unknown, and while change is important in life, it can also create a lot of added stress for children. Routine helps to reduce this stress and brings with it a feeling of security.

The benefits of implementing a routine for children are vast and very wide-ranging. Having a routine:

Teaches a child the importance of time management as well as helping them to follow a schedule. For example, if your child goes to bed at the same time every night, then they will soon begin to learn that the hour before bedtime is their time to begin winding down.

Helps to set expectations. For example, rather than having a debate at dinner time about who has the job to set the table, if it's written in someone's weekly planner then they'll know that it's their job and they will be prepared to do it.

Gives a child confidence and independence. If a child has a task written in their weekly planner, even if it's something as small as brushing their teeth before they go to bed, then they will be able to look at their planner and know to do this themselves rather than having to be told, which will instil a sense of independence and pride.

Creates habits. Whether it's brushing their teeth in the morning or completing their homework before dinner time, having a routine in place helps to create these habits in children and teaches them how to manage their time.

Helps children to get excited about what's coming up. If children know what to expect, such as watching a film together one evening or making pizzas together at the weekend, then they have something to look forward to.

Finally, and perhaps the greatest benefit for having a routine for children during this pandemic, is that a routine offers stability and something constant for children when times are often uncertain, uncontrollable, and unpredictable. While we cannot control what is happening outside of our homes and in the world around us, we can control what happens within it. When you create a routine, you help to instil a sense of normality in a child's life and ease the stress of the outside world.
Free Weekly Planner for Children Example Free Weekly Planner for Children Blank Template
Five Ideas to Add to Your Child's Weekly Routine

Pressure and stress levels are high at this time, and you don't want to add to this by creating a routine that's too complex or has unrealistic daily targets, for both your child and for yourself. A planner doesn't need to be complicated or filled with dozens of ideas for it to be effective. Below are some tips we have for following a routine, as well as ideas that you can add into your own planner.

Follow a Similar Routine to Usual

Although the current times are far from normal, following your usual routine as much as possible can help to bring about a sense of normality. For children, this can mean getting up at the same time everyday as they would if they were going to school, having all three meals at the same time throughout the day, and having structured times for other activities, such as for taking naps, exercising, and going to bed on a night.

Additionally, while it can be tempting to stay in pyjamas all day, you should encourage your children to get dressed. This will help to boost productivity and ensure a separation between daytime and nighttime.

Stay Active

Encourage your children to get up and move around during the day. As well as making the most of your one allocation of outdoor exercise everyday, which you could use on a family walk, for example, find new ways to move around at home. This could be anything from skipping in the garden, running up the stairs a few times, or engaging in more structured activity. For example, Joe Wicks is streaming P.E. lessons that all children, regardless of their age, equipment, and available space, can join in with from the comfort of their own home.

As well as having physical benefits, such as strengthening bones, developing muscles and helping to keep children a healthy weight, exercise also has a number of benefits for a child's mental health. Exercise has been proven to improve a child's self-confidence and self-esteem, has positive effects on their behaviour and their outlook, and teaches them the importance of exercising and remaining healthy from an early age.

Encourage Learning

Although schools are currently closed for the foreseeable future, that doesn't mean that learning should be paused. However, it's important to remember that nobody is expecting you to homeschool your children for six hours a day, five days a week. Don't put too much pressure on yourself at this time.

There are many resources available online that children can access to ensure they're keeping their brains ticking and focused. For example, 'The Maths Factor' by Carol Vorderman is now free for everyone to join, rather than the usual price of around £2 a week, BBC Teach contains lots of curriculum-mapped videos that are arranged by age and subject as well as live lessons, and Twinkl have opened up their website so that all teachers and parents can use the resources designed for teachers, for free. This includes entire schemes of work, assessments, and online educational games.

What's more is that learning doesn't have to be completely curriculum-focused. Even asking your child to help you with preparing dinner can teach them a valuable life skill and about different types of food, reading a book is great for improving a child's vocabulary and empathy, and encouraging them to be creative through other fun activities like colouring can help to improve their ability to concentrate and focus. Additionally, if you want to teach your children about the importance of environmental awareness, we've produced a range of great resources that you could use during this time.

Stay Connected

Social interactions and connections are important for everyone: they're what make us human and we can get lonely without them. While going out and socialising with our friends isn't possible during the current lockdown and social distancing measures, keeping in touch with people virtually is not only possible but also encouraged.

Technologies such as Skype, FaceTime, and Zoom are a great way to keep in touch with friends and family members alike and have a virtual face to face conversation. Additionally, messaging apps including WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger are also a great way of keeping in touch with people, so long as all of these apps are used safely.

Manage Screen Time

While keeping in touch with friends and family is incredibly important at this time, it's also important to ensure that screen time is well managed. With more time on their hands than before, children will be increasing their screen time, whether that is to message their friends, play games online, or try to become TikTok famous. However, it's important to try and control the time that children are spending looking at screens, as well as ensuring that they are remaining safe online.

It's beneficial to build free time, which your child could spend on a game or on their phone, into part of their routine. For example, allowing them to do this at a certain time each day, or after completing a piece of schoolwork, will teach your children the importance of taking the time away from their screens, and valuing the time that they do spend on them.

Weekly Routine Planner for Children Template

One great way of making a routine, and sticking to it, is to physically write it down and display it somewhere where all of the family will easily see it. We've produced a template for you to use that you can print off, fill in, and display somewhere in your home.

The template contains all seven days of the week as well as different times of the day. We've filled one side of the template in to give you inspiration, but the other side is free for you to print and complete. You can download the template using the button below.
Free Weekly Planner for Children Example Free Weekly Planner for Children Blank Template We are currently living in unusual times, with our usual school and work routines postponed for the foreseeable future. Despite this, having a routine in place that is adapted to our new environment is a great way for us to gain control over the situation and bring a bit of normality to our lives. Use our downloadable template to help establish a routine that you and your children can stick to.
Further Resources:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Importance of a Child's Routine | Free Planner

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Routine is important for each and every one of us. Without a routine, we are thrown into a state of disarray, often unsure of what we should be doing or even what day of the week it is. For children, having a routine is particularly important, especially for the sake of their mental health and behaviour.

# data[].attributes.body
Just like this TedTalk title says - sleep will be your superpower down the road!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sleep Is Your Superpower | Matt Walker | TED

# data[].attributes.body
Research shows that the two best things you can do to improve your sleep are: 1) Wake up at the same time everyday (this helps kickstart your body's daily rhythm) and 2) reduce your screen time! Too much screen time before bed doesn't allow your brain to release melatonin (the sleep hormone) that gets your body ready for sleep, making is more difficult to actually fall asleep when you want to.

# data[].attributes.body
Sometimes the hardest thing is letting other people know how we are feeling or that we may need help. Brene Brown is one of the leading experts on why this is so difficult to do, but why it is still so important.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Power of Vulnerability | Brené Brown | TED

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Tapping for Kids with Alison - Tapping to Start Your Day

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What is Positive Self-Talk? (Incl. Examples)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Self-talk is the internal narrative you hold about yourself and has a much bigger influence on the way you see yourself, and the world, than you realize.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Deep Sea Music 🎵 Study and focus | Yoga Music | Work Time | Calming Meditation | Peace

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
SEL Video Lesson of the Week (Week 35) - Asking for Help

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
4 TIPS TO PRACTICE MINDFULNESS #SocialEmotionalLearning

# data[].attributes.body
This document has a bit more information on sleep and what might be able to help.

# data[].attributes.body
Use this daily schedule template to help you create your own daily routine.

# data[].attributes.body
Daily exercise is another way to relax! Find an activity that works for you and see whether you can find a regular time each day to move your body.

# data[].attributes.body
Once a day, try and have a laugh. Send each other memes, videocall each other, or walk into the other room and see if someone there wants to have a chat. The best jokes to share are dad jokes.

# data[].attributes.body
Feeling stuck? Or noticing you are putting off something? Start small. Break down the task into smaller steps and start with something easier. Often this is just what you need to get started.

# data[].attributes.body
This book was only recently published, but it is a great one to read if you are looking to know a bit more about mental health basics and what might be able to help :)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
"Smart, insightful, and warm. Dr. Julie is both the expert and wise friend we all need." -Lori Gottlieb, New York Times bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone and co-host of the "Dear Therapists" podcast?

Drawing on years of experience as a clinical psychologist, online sensation Dr Julie Smith provides the skills you need to navigate common life challenges and take charge of your emotional and mental health in her debut book.

Filled with secrets from a therapist's toolkit, Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before teaches you how to fortify and maintain your mental health, even in the most trying of times. Dr Julie Smith's expert advice and powerful coping techniques will help you stay resilient, whether you want to manage anxiety, deal with criticism, cope with depression, build self-confidence, find motivation, or learn to forgive yourself. Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before tackles everyday issues and offers practical solutions in bite-sized, easy-to-digest entries which make it easy to quickly find specific information and guidance.

Your mental well-being is just as important as your physical well-being. Packed with proven strategies, Dr. Julie's empathetic guide offers a deeper understanding of how your mind works and gives you the insights and help you need to nurture your mental health every day. Wise and practical, Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before might just change your life.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? [Smith, Dr. Julie] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before?

# data[].attributes.body
Struggling to fall asleep? Sometimes it helps to grab a piece of paper or a journal and write down all of our worries, thoughts, and future tasks. You'll start to notice that once your worries are written down, it's easier to get perspective, know what the next step, and fall asleep.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Start Journaling for Better Mental Health

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Journaling can change how you look at life.

# data[].attributes.body
Watch this video if you want to see examples of different ways people struggle with their mental health.

# data[].attributes.body
If you wan to see what you can contribute to help tackle loneliness, check out this website and get involved!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The theme of Mental Health Awareness Week 2023 was anxiety.

Anxiety is a normal emotion in us all, but sometimes it can get out of control and become a mental health problem.

Lots of things can lead to feelings of anxiety, including exam pressures, relationships, starting a new job (or losing one) or other big life events. We can also get anxious when it comes to things to do with money and not being able to meet our basic needs, like heating our home or buying food. But anxiety can be made easier to manage.

Focusing on anxiety for this year's Mental Health Awareness Week will increase people's awareness and understanding of anxiety by providing information on the things that can help prevent it from becoming a problem. At the same time, we are keeping up the pressure to demand change - making sure that improving mental health is a key priority for the government and society as a whole.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Mental Health Foundation is the home of Mental Health Awareness Week. Mental Health Awareness Week 2024 is taking place 13 to 19 May. Mental Health Awareness Week is an annual event where there is an opportunity for the whole of the UK to focus on achieving good mental health.

# data[].attributes.headline
Are u ok?: A Guide to Caring for Your Mental Health

# data[].attributes.subject
Are u ok?: A Guide to Caring for Your Mental Health

# data[].attributes.body
This book includes numerous answers to common questions regarding mental health. It is also easy to read with clear and simple explanations. Another bonus of this book is how it helps readers to recognize when they need help, where to find it, and how that process may look like :D

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A licensed marriage and family therapist and YouTube personality, Kati Morton answers the most commonly asked questions about mental health, including when to get help and where to find it. walks readers through the most common questions about mental health and the process of getting help -- from finding the best therapist to navigating harmful and toxic relationships and everything in between. In the same down-to-earth, friendly tone that makes her videos so popular, licensed marriage and family therapist and YouTube sensation Kati Morton clarifies and destigmatizes the struggles so many of us go through and encourages readers to reach out for help.

Get answers to your most common questions about mental health and mental illness -- including anxiety, depression, bipolar and eating disorders, and more.

Are u ok?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Are u ok?: A Guide to Caring for Your Mental Health

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Are u ok?: A Guide to Caring for Your Mental Health - Kindle edition by Morton, Kati. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Are u ok?: A Guide to Caring for Your Mental Health.

# data[].attributes.body
If you're feeling distracted or anxious, perhaps the body scan meditation might help!

The body scan meditation explores and acknowledges physical sensations in the body by scanning one’s awareness through the entire body. This practice helps with self-awareness about the relationship between physical and emotional experiences, allowing us to recognize and better respond to such cues in the future. Be aware and connect with the range of emotions that will come up, and know that they're completely validated, so please don't be frightened by them. Instead, try to think about why you're feeling that way and accept them <3

You can also listen to this VPN-free accompanying audio (http://johnyoga.com/podcasts/bodyscan.m4a) or find other ones online. There is a myriad of options on YouTube!

# data[].attributes.body
You can call your friends on Teams and virtually watch a movie together! Simply share your screen and audio –– voilà! This works pretty well and you can pause whenever you want for bathroom breaks or civilized discussions. My friends and I tried this last year when online learning happened and it was a lot of fun :D

# data[].attributes.headline
9 signs that you should reach out for help

# data[].attributes.subject
9 signs that you should reach out for help

# data[].attributes.body
Remember, you are not alone! Taking the first step might seem daunting and challenging at first, but putting your mental health first is the bravest (and healthiest) thing ever :)