HOW TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR MENTAL HEALTH DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
An infectious disease outbreak is scary and can affect your mental health on various levels. Now is the time more than ever to prioritise your mental health and think about how you can support and manage your well – being.
10 tips to help you and your loved ones below:
1. Create a routine for yourself even at home.
Yes even though you’re working from home partake in your morning routine like your regular day: Brush your teeth, take a shower, get dressed, moisturise, style your hair, drink your tea/coffee and get ready to start your day. Doing just these little things already puts you in a right mindset to give you a feeling of normality. Create a to-do list and every hour give yourself a break and check back on how much you have achieved. Change your work setup often so that you don’t feel monotonous . Take your lunch break, move around the house or walk around the neighbourhood for a break and end your day as per usual.
2. Take care of your body.
Eat nutritious meals: You have more time in hand to cook for yourself, get creative in the kitchen, plan your meals and try that healthy recipe you’ve always wanted to. If you want to know what we do click here.
Exercise: Do some at home bodyweight workouts. Lastly, hydrate and get plenty of sleep. If you want to try our workouts – for beginners here, for intermediate here.
3. Enjoy 15 minutes in the Sun
Vitamin D is a natural mood elevator so why not enjoy some sun time. Just don’t forget to apply sunscreen :). Highly recommend sun before noon.
4. Keep a gratitude, achievement and feeling journal
Write 3 things that you are grateful for and three things you accomplished that day in the respective journals. The feeling journal is for days when you are angry, sad or upset so you can let it all out.
5. Value Yourself
We have a tendency to partake in self-criticism quite a lot. Instead treat yourself with kindness and self-respect. Make time for yourself everyday and dedicate this time to indulge in your hobbies; play musical instruments, photography, dance, sing, paint and so on.
6. Give Yourself
Focus your energy on helping someone. Helping someone increases life satisfaction, provides a sense of meaning and feeling of competence. It can help take our minds off our own troubles too.
Giving to others can be as simple as a single kind word, smile or a thoughtful gesture. It can include giving time, care, skills, thought or attention. Sometimes these mean as much, if not more, than financial gifts.
7. Unplug
Especially during a pandemic when we are bound to be home and naturally derivate towards technology to keep ourselves occupied. Turn off your cell phone or any other electronic devices completely and don’t indulge in any form of technology once a week. If you’re working from home disconnect from the emails, alerts and your to do lists on your days off. Instead spend some time doing something fun with someone face-to-face or alone if that’s what you enjoy.
8. Spend quality time with friends and family
Spend quality time with friends and family – if this was a regular time in the world you could have a potluck, go for a picnic or BBQ, do activities such as bowling or go to the movies. So how do we do this during the pandemic? Take a virtual museum tour through Google Arts & Culture, visit the wonder of the worlds the Guardian has a great round- up of must – see virtual tours here. Set up group video calls over FaceTime, Zoom or other Apps such as HouseParty, play virtual games or even have a Netflix party.
9. Learn to deal with stress
Like it or not stress is a part of life. Practice good coping skills such as play with your pet, do some yoga, meditate, laugh – watch funny videos, shows, memes, take a nap, go for a walk, walk barefoot on grass, call up a friend and chat, listen to music and sing out loud in the comfort of your home.
10. Take a warm bath or cold morning showers
Put on your favourite music, add epsom salt to your bath to soothe aches and pains. Magnesium levels are deleted by stress and epsom salt help with that.
OR
If you happen to be someone that likes to take cold showers do so in the mornings to get yourself started for the day. Cold showers also help you relieve muscle pain, face your fears and help create a better blood flow in your body.
9. Learn to deal with stress
Like it or not stress is a part of life. Practice good coping skills such as play with your pet, do some yoga, meditate, laugh – watch funny videos, shows, memes, take a nap, go for a walk, take a bath, walk barefoot in the grass, call up a friend and chat, listen to music and sing out loud in the comfort of your home.
8. Take care of your body.
Eat nutritious meals: You have more time in hand to cook for yourself, get creative in the kitchen, plan your meals try that healthy recipe you’ve always wanted to.
Exercise: Do some at home bodyweight workouts. Lastly, hydrate and get plenty of sleep.
