Wellness Activities During Lockdown - Looking After Your Mental Health
We currently find ourselves in the middle of a global pandemic. There is an enormous amount of uncertainty around Coronavirus (COVID-19), creating a feeling of unease, worry and anxiety. What will the new normal look like? Will my family be affected? How is this all going to affect me financially? Will I be able to get married this year?
We have all been asked to stay at home and practice social distancing - which is vital to keep us and our loved ones safe. This is to protect our physical health, but what about our mental health?
You might, like me, find yourself on Furlough Leave - with your daily routine being turned upside down, or maybe you are now having to adapt to working from home or find yourself in between jobs. Whatever your situation, your life will have changed during this unprecedented time.
We have lost some of our freedom, our ability to pop to a friend’s house when we need a pick me up or to embrace in a hug with our mum when we really need it. However, we need to remember that this is temporary, that we’ll get to see our loved ones soon and that we are saving lives by staying at home. With all this overwhelming uncertainty taking hold of our lives, it’s more important than ever to prioritise our mental health and wellbeing.
Keep in touch with loved ones regularly, check in with those who are living alone or who you know have difficulties with their mental health. And always take time to check in with yourself.
Here are a few things we can do to help our mental wellbeing during lockdown….
Wellbeing Activities During Lockdown
What Activities Can I Do During Lockdown to Support My Mental Health?
Create A Routine
If you suddenly find yourself with a lack of structure in your days - you’ve been placed on Furlough (like me) or are currently in between jobs, then I find it helps to create some sort of daily structure. My days look a little like this;
This doesn’t mean I don’t let myself have days of doing absolutely nothing. Trust me, there are days when all I want to do is sit on the sofa, watch Disney + all day and devour a pack of chocolate hobnobs. And that’s OK. But try and stick to your daily plan as much as possible and be kind to yourself on the days that you don’t.
Spend Time In Nature
Spending time in green open spaces can have such a positive impact on your mental health and wellbeing. Explore your local woods, enjoy a picnic in the park or spend time sitting in your garden, taking in the Vitamin D and appreciating your green space. If you’re unable to explore outdoors, open your windows and breathe in the fresh air as it runs through your house.
Practice Gratitude Daily
Start each day by writing three things you are grateful for. Research has shown that people who take time to think about the positives in their life are generally happier than those who don’t. People who practice gratitude regularly are able to experience more positive emotions, feel more alive, sleep better, express more kindness, and even have stronger immune systems.
I use the 6 Minute Diary which has space to write what you are grateful for, positive affirmations and positive experiences. It enables me to reflect on all the positive aspects of my life and is the perfect star to my day.
Explore Your Local Area
Depending on where you live, you might not be able to hop in the car to get your hiking fix (I am most definitely missing the mountains!), but you can spend time exploring your local area. Over the last eight weeks, I have explored more of Chester and its surrounding area than I ever have. I’ve discovered canal walks, open meadows and hidden open green spaces that I never knew existed. Take this time to get to know where you live - you never know what you might stumble across.
Stop Scrolling
From mindless scrolling through Instagram to losing hours of your day to TikTok - don’t be controlled by your phone. Stop comparing yourself to someone else’s perfect social media presence - remember that Instagram is just a highlight reel and not a true reflection on someone's life. Limit your screen time, turn off your phone and be present in the current moment.
Go For A Jog
Exercise of any form, whether it’s running, hiking or going on a bike ride can instantly improve your mood. There are loads of resources to help you exercise in your own home - from sweating out with Joe Wicks every morning to some shorter 10-minute workouts from the NHS. I’ve been enjoying some morning runs and workouts with Jonny in the garden - he definitely puts me through my paces!
Check out some of these Chester walking routes I’ve been enjoying during my time in lockdown.
Learn A New Skill
Keep your mind active by learning a new skill. New challenges help to increase your confidence levels, relieve stress and help keep you entertained during lockdown. I’m using Duolingo to learn French, whilst my best friend is currently learning how to juggle - anything goes!
Connect With Friends And Family
It is so important to still feel connected to friends and families during this time. You can keep in touch with people virtually through FaceTime, Zoom or HouseParty or (depending where you live in the UK) you can now meet another person for a picnic in the park or a socially distant walk. Make the most of these opportunities, whilst sticking to the government guidelines.
The girls and I have been getting creative - from a virtual bottomless brunch one weekend to a 90’s fancy dress quiz the next. My mum even created a virtual scavenger hunt for us during Easter, which was great fun!
Make Time For Self-care
Whether it’s a long soak in the bath, a DIY at-home facial or writing in your journal, make sure you take time to look after yourself, recharge and make self-care a part of your weekly routine.
Be Present
Focusing on the present can have such a positive effect on your mental wellbeing. Try guided meditation, breathing exercises or practice mindfulness. Apps such as Headspace and Calm are useful guided meditation aids for those beginning their mindfulness journey. Find a quiet spot, listen to your body and calm your mind.
Keep Your Mind Active
I love a morning crossword with a cuppa to start my day (yes, I’m a 30-year-old jigsaw and crossword lover - and proud!). Whether it’s Sudoku, a wordsearch or other puzzle, find something that works for you.
Practice Yoga
Practicing yoga every morning can improve both your physical and mental wellbeing. I love Yoga with Adriene - it’s completely free via YouTube and sets me up for a productive day. Yoga has been found to act as a natural anxiety relief and reduces perceived levels of stress.
Manage Media and News Intake
Watching the news 24/7 is going to have a negative impact on your mental health. If you find that the news is causing anxiety or stress, then limit the time you spend consuming it. Only read articles from credible sources such as the BBC, the NHS Website or gov.uk and avoid sharing information without fact-checking it against credible sources.
I limit myself to watching the daily government briefing once a day and try to ignore any other articles, social media links or stories sent via Whatsapp - otherwise it can become too overwhelming.
De-clutter Your Home
We’ve been given the gift of time - try to use it wisely. Have you got that one messy cupboard that you’ve been meaning to sort out for months? Now’s the time to give your house a big de-clutter. Research has shown that spending time tidying up and de-cluttering is beneficial for your mental wellbeing, giving us a sense of control and calm.
Don’t Beat Yourself Up
This is my most important point - if you haven’t been able to stick to your routine, things aren’t going to plan, you haven’t been able to work-out or finish that course, don’t beat yourself up over it.
In the long run, it really isn’t a big deal. It’s way more important that you are kind to yourself, understand that this is just a temporary situation and that you’re doing the best you can.
It’s OK Not To Be OK
For more information on mental wellbeing during the coronavirus outbreak, the government has published guidance on how to look after your mental health and wellbeing during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Other important resources and websites;
