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During this time of uncertainty, most of us will be spending an exceptional amount of time indoors, which is perhaps more than you’re used to. These can be stressful times, and if you find yourself being challenged mentally, don’t worry, you are not alone. If we were to take a positive from this COVID-19 pandemic, it would be how the whole nation has come together, in order to uplift one another. This has inspired me to put together these 5 tips for those who need it and if it just helps one individual, then that’s good enough.
1) Keep Active:
Now I understand space may be extremely limited, and equipment is very hard to come by, but with various tips and videos online, keeping active is definitely achievable. If you know of any workouts, then that is great, but if you don’t and you’re struggling for inspiration, Joe Wicks has an abundance of home workouts on his YouTube channel, which are great whether you are a beginner or expert: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAxW1XT0iEJo0TYlRfn6rYQ. Alternatively, if this doesn’t work for you, take the government's advice to get out for your daily exercise, and take a nice stroll whilst keeping social distancing. Not only is keeping active good for you physically, but it is also very beneficial for your mental health and wellbeing.
2) Stay in contact with Family & Friends
Lots of us are missing our loved ones, and it won’t be long until we can see and spend time with them once again. This time has given us a chance to reflect and not take for granted the little things that are important to us, like spending time with our family and friends. Now we might not be able to go round to someone’s house, but there are ways we can get around this obstacle. In this age of the internet, there are many ways to stay connected with family and friends while social distancing. Video calling or just ringing can be a great way to speak to one another and once you do, it can automatically make you feel more positive and mentally strong. There are many apps and programmes that allow you to video call, try WhatsApp, Facetime, Facebook, Zoom, Skype and many more.
3) Get into a routine
Now many of you may be working from home, but others may have been placed on furlough or have found themselves without a job during this time. At this moment in time, it’s become easy and somewhat ordinary to go to sleep at silly o’clock and wake up halfway through the day. Now some of us may be night owls, and find they are more productive at night, which if that works for you, then that’s great. Others (including myself) don’t operate well this way, which may lead to you finding it hard at the moment. The first thing to improve would be that sleeping pattern. Your routine can be very simple, try making lists of things you have always wanted to do or learn, and then space them out in order to feel more productive. The connection between having a routine and positive mental health has been outlined by many scientific studies, which is why this is one of my tips.
4) Try Meditation
Meditation has increased in popularity over the years, and rightly so. Meditation is a process of training your mind to focus on a particular object, thought or activity in order to achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state. This practice is used to develop beneficial habits and feelings, as well as enabling a positive mood and outlook on life. Some of you may have never tried meditation, but don’t let that put you off, there are brilliant resources out there to help you learn and get started. Try www.headspace.com where you can find a number of different practices to help you during this time.
5) Maintain a Well Balanced Diet
As we spend more time at home, the snack cupboard seems to be getting extra attention. Now you don’t have to cut out absolutely everything, but a well-balanced diet with plenty of nutritious foods is more important than you think. A well-balanced diet has been known to improve your mental state and help with other aspects that relate to a healthy mind, such as sleep. As well as helping you mentally, a healthy diet will help reduce your risk of developing diseases. If you don’t know much about diet, and the right foods to fuel your body with, there are some really brilliant books and articles out there, including this guide from the NHS: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/. As long as you are aware of what you are fuelling your body with, drink plenty of water and try to include fruit and vegetables, you are on the right track. Everything in moderation!
This time will give us a chance to reflect and understand what’s important to us. However, it’s important we don’t forget about ourselves and our mental state. Not everything has to be negative and we must find positives that can be taken from this situation. Try to find ways to better yourself so that you are ready to accomplish great things when this is all over. Although I can't currently perform any sessions in person, I will do my best to help you, whether that's on the phone or by email. Please feel free to contact me if you find yourself struggling.
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