In theory some of us should have more ‘free’ time under lockdown; yet in truth many of us feel overloaded or overwhelmed. For although some of that time can be filled with sourdough baking and embroidery, finding some mental space is proving to be somewhat more difficult. Group video calls, the negative news spiral and never ending number of socially distanced picnics captured for Instagram all combine to create rather a lot of virtual noise.

To try and combat this, since lockdown began, Nina Stephenson-Camps has been hosting free Instagram Live meditation sessions for 11 minutes at 11am from Monday to Thursday. Stephenson-Camps, who has worked at Google and Ogilvy, runs a mindfulness business that creates bespoke meditations and workshops for people across adland.

The 11@11 daily sessions taking place under lockdown, which have seen teams from agencies like The Brooklyn Brothers and Iris tuning in, are designed to support people’s mental health during a time of acute stress and uncertainty, to try and encourage people to take some time for themselves. Previous sessions have seen Stephenson-Camps focus specifically on mindfulness to unlock creativity.

While this week recognises Mental Health Awareness Week, it is vital to remember that looking after our mental health is something that should be prioritised every week. Mindfulness can provide people with the tools to do so, meeting unexpected shifts with calm and determination and last minute changes with poise and objectivity, as Stephenson-Camps explains.

Visit Nina’s Instagram page to find out more to take part.