India has gone under a 21-day national lockdown, till April 14, to tackle the Coronavirus, or COVID-19, outbreak. Now, this kind of situation is new for most or all of us, where we have to stay indoors, and this is sure to cause anxiety, worry, fear, or stress in you.
Here are a few things you can do to take care of your mental health during these tough times.
Meditate
Since there are not many people to interact with face-to-face and not much work to do, this might lead to a lot of thoughts in your head, some of which can be negative. Processing these thoughts can be exhausting and toxic. Under such circumstances, I’d say that 20 minutes of meditation is your time to concentrate and connect with yourself, and it works wonders.
Eat Healthy!
Eating a simple balanced diet is very important to only for your physical well being but also for your mental health. A balanced diet helps you stay active and energised throughout the day. The more colourful your meals are, the more balanced they are in terms of the required nutrients
Get Creative
Pick-up a hobby. Maybe writing or doodling. What this does is it cheers the mind and keeps it delighted that you can create something no matter what the situation. Creativity helps positive thoughts flow in your mind and keeps you happy.
Listen To Music!
I call this the music therapy. If you don’t want to meditate, listen to some good, happy and positive music. If you can play an instrument it’s a plus, otherwise listening to energetic songs will help you stay positive and motivated. Listen to these songs on full volume to create a happy and positive environment around you. Additionally, you can listen to podcasts that can help you expand your knowledge and skill set. Click here and listen to a playlist of motivational songs I have put together.
Learn Something New
Learning a new skill keeps your mind busy and keeps the negative thoughts away. Start simple, cook something every day or sign-up for an online course that you’ve always wanted to take up, start that blog or podcast you have been procrastinating about. The process of learning new things may be slow, but it will help you stay positive and active.
Find Your Inner Bookworm
Books are a great escape from reality. It is a fact that books are not just a great source of entertainment but they also enhance your knowledge of people, society, history and culture. Reading a good book as a good exercise for your mind as it improves your critical thinking, imagination and makes you more empathetic. So maybe it’s time to pick up a good book from your shelf or download an e-book and start reading.
Exercise
45 minutes of exercise works best to freshen up your mind. I’m not talking about anything rigorous, just some push-ups, spot jogging, jumping jacks, sit-ups or planks will do. This will help you release tension and you’ll feel happier.
Maintain A Healthy Sleep Habit
Being sleep deprived not only affects your mood but it also affects your energy. Make sure you are well-rested and are getting your 8 hours of sleep. Following a good sleep cycle will ensure that you feel fresh and are full of energy every day.
Communicate With A Selective Number Of People
What most people are doing, I feel, is overusing social media, and in a situation like this, an overdose of social media is not a good thing. Since social interaction is anyway limited, choose your circle of people you want to communicate with wisely. Make sure you have the right support system and these people keep you motivated. Communicate with them freely.
Apart from all this, you can set small targets for yourself that you can try to achieve every day. Successful accomplishment of these targets will keep you motivated and your mind occupied. In a state of lockdown, many might feel that time is passing slowly, but setting and achieving daily targets will keep you busy and create a sense of time going fast. This will help you develop a positive outlook and get through the lockdown.
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