We are currently on lockdown as we work to stop the spread of the coronavirus to reduce demand for healthcare services. Some countries who first encountered the virus in December/January have begun to see the light. They may begin to slowly return to normal life, but travel and freedom of mobility will be severely affected for the foreseeable.
We spend more time at home during this period, which is not normally a problem, but when a lockdown occurs and all travel essentials are canceled, our mental health can be affected. It’s important to maintain a positive emotional state for yourself and others, and to be kind and patient, even during this turbulent time. Follow the tips below to boost your mental health, and to help others.
Listen to your body
We are experiencing something new in our bodies and minds, which can cause our fight or flight response to react strangely. The virus is able physically to overwhelm us, but we can’t escape. This puts us in a state of ‘freezing,’ which is similar to “playing dead,” and it can cause us to feel exhausted, emotional and negative. You should rest more if necessary, especially if working from home is a new concept for you.
Take it easy
Staff who have only worked in team environments will notice that their productivity can increase when they are able to focus on their work without being distracted. They may even finish their work more quickly than usual. It can improve your mood, but if you do it for too long, you can experience mental burnout. Try to mimic how you work at the office. Take breaks to catch up with your colleagues, or get up to make some tea or coffee. It is possible to increase your productivity without going from zero to one hundred. Instead, you can start by increasing it gradually to make it easier to maintain.
Maintain a Healthy Diet
You may be tempted to grab low-effort, high-energy foods to keep you going, but this could have long-term negative effects on your body. It will take effort to break the habit. Instead of relying on high-carbohydrate or high-energy food that you won’t burn through, try to get smaller portions and explore healthy, low effort recipes that can easily be created using a handful nutritious ingredients. You may be worried that you will not have the motivation to prepare and cook healthy meals when you return home from work. Consider creating large batches of meals on the weekend to defrost throughout the week.
Reach out to others
You may be stuck at home for a long time, but your communication won’t. We have more options than ever before to keep in touch with family and friends. You can use your smartphone, computer, or any other device that has an internet connection to connect to social media platforms, and communication apps such as Skype, Discord, and others. We can now feel closer to friends and family by using live video chats. BetterHelp’s licensed therapists are available to assist you if you need help coping during lockdown.
Help others Where You Can
There are many people in the world who have it worse than us in developed countries. Millions of people live in poverty without the resources we have available to lessen the impact of lockdown. These communities, which previously depended on donations and charity, like zakat (in Islamic countries), may no longer be receiving the help they need. If you’ve not been affected negatively by current events, try to find a way that you can help those who aren’t as fortunate. You can help by providing nutritious food, warm clothing in winter and much needed care and support during this difficult time.
Our actions are crucial, not just for ourselves, but also for everyone else. We want to have the ability to look back on this time of negativity and be proud of ourselves and our reactions. Today, do your part to be positive and enjoy the day.
