In order to maintain sanity in times of isolation in the coronavirus lockdown, we must adopt certain practices to sustain our mental health and keep ourselves calm. The lockdown has been harsh on everyone with social connections being cut off, plans disrupted and no particular routine to follow.
To make matters worse, each one of us wakes up to news about plane crashes, celebrity suicides and death toll rising due to the virus. The constant bombardment of information surrounding the pandemic and uncertainties about the future is leaving all of us anxious and overwhelmed.
This anxiety is triggering feelings of vulnerability, loneliness, depression, worthlessness but don’t be overwhelmed- it’s normal to feel so considering the times we live in.
Here are 5 Simple Ways to Maintain Your Mental Health During Lockdown before it takes a toll on your physical and emotional well-being.
1. Sticking to a Routine is Must
Start your day by having a healthy breakfast after a quick workout session, if possible. Since you don’t have offices to rush to, we are more than tempted to sleep in late and have our meals at unstructured times.
Having a set time for sleeping and waking up helps us feel we are in control of our life. So don’t sleep in late and don’t skip meals. Having unstructured time for routine tasks can cause spikes in depression and anxiety.
In addition, make to-do lists for tasks and stick to those. Having mark things off a list is at the end of day is considered therapeutic.
2. Exercise & Meditate Daily
Start your day with a 10 minute meditation exercise. Research proves that meditation and or a morning yoga stretch routine minimizes depression and anxiety symptoms. Morning meditation can also help you calm down and improve self-awareness.
Here are a few meditation and short yoga- stretch video that you can play online and just follow:
If you’re not the one to meditate or do yoga, then take out 15 to 20 minutes from your day and workout. Anything that gets the blood pumping and helps build muscle is beneficiary for your mental and physical health.
Here are a few quick workout videos which will help build muscle and lose weight:
3. Declutter your Room/ House
De-cluttering your room or your home, can be a therapeutic way to find balance and control of your life. It makes you feel productive and clears your head.
As one of the popular books on stress and trauma, Trauma-Informed Care states, “the predictability of cleaning not only offers a sense of control in the face of uncertainty, but also offers your mind body and soul a respite from traumatic stress.”
Now you don’t want to become an obsessive cleaner- but dividing your time into clearing the clutter, redecorating or organizing can really help reduce anxiety and help regain control.
4. Let the Creative Juices Flow
Since you aren’t physically going to the office, you’re saving a lot of commute time. Also, no social gatherings or activities planned over the weekend either? Don’t worry! Get creative and become your own entertainer.
You can sing, learn a new instrument, paint, cook, bake, do anything that makes you feel productive and relieves stress! And do these things just for fun. No competition or proving anything to anyone.
5. Maintain Social Connection & Sense of Community
This lockdown had made us realize how much human beings crave social interactions. It is natural for us to want to gather, sit and chat about our sorrows. Social connection is perhaps the greatest deterrent of mental well- being and an innate psychological desire.
Friends, family members, acquaintanes – the lockdown has made us all realize what true blessings they really are.
Since we can’t physically meet our loved ones, it is important to stay connected virtually. Try to videochat with your family (if you’re living alone or are in quarantine) atleast once a day. Pick up the phone and call your friends to simply check up on them.
It is essential in times like these, to build a sense of community, for your sake and for the sake of your loved ones, who might be struggling in their own way.
Have any more ideas to stay calm and stress free during lockdown? S,hare them in the comment section below.
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