COVID-19 & Taking Care of Your Mental Health – 8 Tips to keep in mind
This is the time to make your wellbeing a priority!
COVID-19 is not only affecting us physically but also
mentally, this time of crisis is creating stress and anxiety for a large amount
of people. The reality is that we are in this together, and at one point or
another many of us will experience stress and anxiety, yet the important thing
is that we have the right tools and healthy coping mechanisms in place to combat
these overwhelming emotions as soon as they hit us. We need to figure out how
we are going to put our well-being at the forefront as we get through this
trying time together.
Every individual reacts differently to stress and anxiety,
whether it is a change in sleeping or eating patterns, finding difficulty in
concentrating or increased use of alcohol or other substances. In a worrying
time like this, being anxious is normal, so do not get stuck in over analysing
that anxiety. Like in all other stressful situations, we will be able to adapt
to a new way of living and working, as long as we pick what wellbeing tips work
for us and practice them daily.
Let us Stop Refreshing those News Sites
As hard as it may be, limit yourself to the number of times
you frantically check all the news sources you know of at once, as you look for
the number of increasing cases, or what doctors and Governments are claiming
all over the world. You need to find the right balance between keeping yourself
updated on important revelations and overwhelming yourself. Choose specific
times a few times a day when you are going to check and stick to them and make
sure the sources you choose are reliable.
Keep Connected
Social distancing does not mean we cannot stay connected –
video calls are an effective way of reaching out to others, to support each
other and make us feel less anxious and alone. Organising a virtual dinner date
with friends, a virtual drink with colleagues at the end of a long day or
beating your family at an online board game are all ways for us to help each
other get through.
Let us be honest and transparent with our colleagues,
friends and family – share your concerns, feelings and challenges. Keeping in
emotions and putting on a front will increase the anxiety and stress mounting
inside, so take advantage of the sense of community and support that this
uncertain time is fostering.
Keep Active and Healthy
Although you might feel that this is a huge hurdle, with
gym, fitness classes and sport events being stopped and closed, it can be done!
There are loads of workout videos on YouTube and the ‘’Are you being Served’’
Facebook page are even holding free yoga sessions.
Use trusted Apps, such as Calm and Headspace, which will
teach you how to breathe properly, stretch in full force and practice
meditation.
Try and get into cooking healthy meals, even if you claim
that you hate it. Being stuck inside will have you running to the kitchen to
snack or binge any free second you get - but stop yourself and stick to well
balanced meals.
Tip:
Organise an online workout with your friends or colleagues if you prefer a ‘gym
buddy’ to get you going and stick to your fitness routine.
Routine. Routine. Routine
Keep to your routine or create a new one once you manage to
adapt to this new reality, as these are good for your mental wellbeing. Try and
sleep, wake up, eat, shower, workout, have virtual chats with your friends at approximately the same times daily. This regular routine will work
towards managing your days and helping you adapt faster once things start going
back to normal.
For the Brave, and certainly we have our own heroes too!
Many of us still show up at our place of work to service the
community. We are lucky enough to have many unsung heroes ensuring our safety
and continuously providing support to the rest of the nation. These individuals
with capes are found in our Healthcare and Emergency services and also our very
own colleagues who are showing tremendous dedication and are working around the
clock to keep our services running and our customers connected, entertained and
safe. Words do not seem to be enough to express our gratitude to you all!
Helping your Children will Help You
If you keep your anxiety and stress levels low and remain as
calm as possible, your children are more probable to follow suit. According to
the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), some of the ways in which
children respond to stress are; unhealthy eating or sleeping habits, acting
out, difficulty in concentrating and unexplained body pain or headaches.
Depending on your child’s age try answering questions and
sharing COVID-19 information in an easy way for them to understand, more info here. Ensure that
they know you are there to listen to them and keep them safe. Once you limit
your exposure to COVID-19 media coverage you will be limiting theirs also,
which will avoid scaring them and misinterpreting any facts.
Also in reverse, ensuring that you keep your children’s
stress levels low will automatically make you feel calmer and more confident.
Time to Reflect & Relax
In the past few weeks, have any of you stopped and realised
how frivolous the things we normally stress about are? Let us take this time
inside to reflect on where we are and the people that we want to be, our morals
and values and everything that we take for granted, so that once all this is
over, we will slowly integrate back into the community as the best versions of
ourselves.
Reflect on any challenges you have faced no matter how
impossible and daunting they may have seemed and focus on the fact that you
kicked these challenges in the ass, and through maintaining a sense of hope and
togetherness you will get through this also.
It is also time to get creative when exploring new ways to
unwind. We all need to switch off and re-boost our minds, no matter if we are
spending our days indoors. Figure out what things help you relax; whether it is
lighting scented candles, having a bubble batch, curling up on the sofa with a
good book, chatting to a friend or getting into some arts and crafts.
Bonus Tip for Employers - Provide Online Professional Support for your People
There are instances where people feel ashamed or do not feel
safe to discuss their innermost struggles and difficulties with their
colleagues, families and friends and this is OK. Should this be the case,
please reach out to professionals, who know how to discuss your problems in a
certain way to make the situation more comforting. We truly believe that it is
always better to share emotions and not bottle them up, and that is why we have
provided our people with free online counselling and therapeutic sessions for extra emotional support as we learn to adapt to this new normal.
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