Coronavirus - Tips To Look After Your Mental Health
If lock down has left you feeling disorientated waking up to a world that is changing everyday. there are a few tips below on ways you can help settle into this new way of life
Take control - Focus on the things you can control
You can use the Government Website, and the NHS website to keep yourself updated, these are both updated on a regular basis.
The World Organisation also offers a WhatsApp service to provide automatic updates
During your normal day to day life it may help to go back to basics. Assess what your new week looks like and who are you able to stay in contact with? Make use of social media and video chats to organise mini events with your friends. Just because you can’t meet together doesn’t mean you can’t all sit down and watch a film or have dinner together.
We are all creatures of habit and routine, having a structured day can help bring back some normality to your day. You are still in control of what time you wake up, when you shower and get dressed. You can ensure you eat well and get some exercise, making sure you talk to someone each day outside of your own household can help too.
Writing a list - Admin time
I’m sure there has been a lot of stuff you’ve been wanting to do for a long time, but you’ve never had the chance to sit down and figure it all out. Well, now is the time to write that list, and investigate those plans. But don’t put any unnecessary pressure of yourself.
You may be ones of the people that have had plans change, weddings, holidays etc cancelled. Accepting this is out of our control will be your first steps and believe you can still do things to have a good year and be happy.
What can I do to still be happy?
Taking a moment to think about something you’d like to achieve over the next few weeks no matter how big or small. Finding an online course, finishing some DIY or having a clear out. Make sure you give yourself a goal of something that will be satisfying to complete.
Remember To Switch Off
Giving yourself a chance to step away from anything that makes you feel anxious, to help reduce anything that increases those physical anxiety symptoms.
We are being fed information from so many different sources, all over social media everyone has their own opinion on the outbreak and what’s happening. Taking a break or skimming past these sources of news is so important for our brains.
Our brains can only cope with so much, we need to preserve our mental health and do what we can to keep our spirits up to aid our resilience to cope with whatever challenges come our way. Making sure you are eating, sleeping and doing what we can to reduce those anxious feelings will help us reserve our mental health so we can deal with new things when they happen.
Over the last few weeks there really has been some amazing act of kindness in our communities, this can be another way of giving yourself a break. Having a focus on someone or something else can help give your mind a break and feel you are doing something positive.
Personally, I have been making Halo’s, Masks and Scrubs bags for the local hospital and friends. Through this I have learnt a new skill, sewing. I’d never used a sewing machine until now, and I think I make have developed an addiction. I really enjoy being able to make things and see a finished product.
But of course, if we focus too much of others it can cause us to forget about ourselves. If you do take up another hobby, plan it into your day and work it around your normal daily routine. Making sure you still give time for you and your family.
There are still positives
We are all in this together, it’s happening all over the world and there is a constant daily reminder to everyone how important kindness is. We have learnt to appreciate and respect our keyworkers in a new light as they work away hard to keep our lives as normal as possible.