Everyone’s mental health around the world has been on a toll ever since we’ve been in self-quarantine. This fight against COVID-19 has brought the world to a standstill affecting our mental health. Anxiety, loneliness, fear and depression can be more threatening to humans than corona itself. Because you clicked on this link, It could be possible that going through the same.
So, here I have for you, the top 10 things that helped me improve my mental health during the lockdown.
Let’s have a look!
1. Cut down on reading negative news
I can’t emphasize on how much this has helped me to stay positive. The constant buzz of negative news just makes us more anxious. When your mind wavers into the possibilities of the future is when dissociation happens; thoughts of disappointment, consternation, fear tends to get in our minds.
By this time, we all know what precautions we need to take during Covid-19, right? So why not turn off the notifications for all the news apps and ask your friends to avoid forwarding them to you. Take some time off of your phone or just simply reduce your phone screen time.
2. Indulge in Skincare
It’s easy just to slip into your pyjamas and lie on the bed like a sloth all day. But taking care of your body every day in some way or the other can just make you feel × 10 times better. You don’t necessarily need to do this every day but doing some or the other form of skincare always helps. Body oiling, steaming, masking, scrubbing or even just a long shower with warm water can calm you down and make you feel clean and good about yourself.
3. Be physically active
We are scarcely involved in any physical activity during this lockdown, and therefore, it’s essential to rectify this.
I know how demotivated we all are to workout during the quarantine. However, you can indulge in something fun like zumba which is a fun way to dance your heart out to your favorite music. There are so many YouTube videos out there which have good zumba cardio workouts. You could also do yoga and stretching. Not only do these things help us improve our immunity and strength while we are fighting corona but also to make us feel good about our body.
4. Journal
Journaling makes one feel more mindful and helps you understand your thoughts better. Any time of the day, when you feel like there are boundless overlapping thoughts in your mind, offload them down on paper. This helps to release all your thoughts and give them a conclusion. You can write about whatever you’re feeling that day, goals in life, things you’re grateful for, ambitions and dreams. This exercise makes you comprehend yourself better and will make you feel calm. The more you practice mindfulness, the stronger your mind becomes and more tranquil.
5. Learn a new skill
If we see, we have a lot of free time in our lives right now, in fact, more than we have ever got or ever will. Utilize this is the time to explore what you want to do, find something that feeds your soul and try your hands at it. It could be an art form, a different job opportunity, learning a new language or volunteering. There are a million videos on YouTube with all the information you’ll ever need. There are a few online learning platforms that offer courses for free such as Coursera, Duolingo etc. Coursera also offers financial aid assistance on all their courses and most of them have free trials and you get certificates too.
6. Eating Right
By eating right I mean eating everything you wish to but in the right quantity. It’s not always about having a healthy diet and to eat salads and oats but just eat well to make yourself happy. As they say, eat good feel good. Bake a cake if it makes you feel good, some cookies, a jar of watermelon juice or anything that elates you.
Dark chocolate, almonds, bananas, coffee and berries are some delicious foods which help in reducing stress and for improving your mood.
7. Meditate
Until last year I always used to think that it’s too difficult to meditate or how is it even helpful. But it is safe to say that it has transformed and shaped me in so many ways ever since I started doing it. It has helped me to overcome my over thinking and anxiousness problem. The human mind is so fickle-minded and full of unconnected thoughts that it’s difficult to not get distracted. However, with practice, you can ace the art of meditation. Once you start doing it, trust me there’s no going back. Instead, you’ll feel relaxed throughout the process. Start by 5minutes a day and slowly take it up to as much as you can. Even 5 minutes is enough when done right.
8. Cleaning/Organizing
De-cluttering and organizing can have a very positive effect on your mental well-being. It helps in reducing anxiety and stress. Take the opportunity of the extra time you have in hand to organize things around you. Just start with a small space and remove everything you don’t need. Donate clothes that you don’t require and remove the unwanted things. After all, this would only create space for new things to come in, right?
9. Reading
People believe that reading is boring and they’d rather watch a movie. But there’s nothing, that a movie can teach you, which a book can. It can take you to a whole new world. I have only started my reading for a few years now and I only wish that I could have started earlier. Well, better late than never. You can download apps like AnyBooks, Amazon Kindle, Wattpad etc, which offer you to read unlimited books for a small fee. Here are some of my book recommendations.
- The subtle art of not giving a fuck- Mark Manson
- Attitude is everything- Jeff Keller
- The Alchemist- Paulo Coelho
- To all the boys I’ve loved before (series)- Jenny Han
10. Having Tea and listening to music
Sitting near the window while it rains, with a cup of tea, some music and a book- Such a mood, right? Listening to uplifting beats soothe your mind and help in reducing feelings of anxiety. Tea is proven to calm you down and reduce stress. You can try some of these to improve your mental well-being.
1. Chamomile tea promotes sleep and treats insomnia and is great for reducing stress.
2. Peppermint tea reduces stress, improves the quality of sleep and boosts your immunity.
3. Lemon tea is rich in antioxidants which calms you and makes you feel refreshed.
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