Self-care guide: Look after your mental health during lock-down with these 7 tips

We, as a society, are anxious and grappling with the onslaughts of the novel coronavirus. 5 months ago the first case was discovered and now, we eagerly await the day when the last case will be treated. This isn't just a respiratory infection but a pandemic, that is affecting every facet of the human race. The effects are financial, emotional, mental and physical. In this time of turmoil, when we are all sitting back at home with uncertainty hovering above our heads more than anything else, it is difficult to have faith in ourselves and hold on to any ray of hope. So, as we all distance ourselves socially and stand in solidarity in these tough times, we bring to you a few checks to help you keep a tab on your mental health during lock-down. Let us all ensure that we come out of this stronger and better!

But while everybody is at war, fighting this disease with every bit of strength they possess, giving up is not an option. And to make sure that we have strength enough to fight this battle, we need to keep ourselves healthy, both mentally and physically. Where physical health is easy to be taken care of during lock-down, mental health is more subjective - wearing our physical strengths away with negativity, anxiety and depression.  

So, as we all distance ourselves socially and stand in solidarity in these tough times, we bring to you a few checks to help you keep a tab on your mental health during lock-down. Let us all ensure that we come out of this stronger and better!

1. Fix a time for News 

In times of crisis, our first instinct is to switch on a news channel to see what’s actually going on around the globe. In the matter of a few days, it becomes a habit and there isn’t a minute when your television is not on. Unconsciously, the thought about an on-going pandemic sticks to your brain, all the time, creeping slowly into your day-to-day activities, making you anxious.

So, the first and foremost step to eliminate negativity is to switch that box off. To keep a tab on news, you can turn it on at a specific time, every day. This will help you take time off the screen and whatever is going on and around the world and focus on other important things in life. 

2. Meditate

Since time immemorial, Meditation has been regarded as the perfect way to cleanse one’s body and soul. It is known to have an amazing impact on our overall well being. So, in such stressful times, when all you can think of is the time when you will actually be able to walk out of your place, stop. 

Keep everything aside for a while. Take 10 minutes out from your daily schedule, close your eyes and meditate. Reflect on yourself and your well being and see irrelevant thoughts fade away into thin air. Meditating every day will help you connect with your inner self, rejuvenate and focus on what's important.

3. Practice Yoga

Yoga, since ancient times, has been a constant part of daily activities, if you are to maintain a healthy lifestyle. But as we evolved and stepped into the modern lifestyle, we somehow evaded its presence altogether. We’ve now started laying more emphasis on keeping our bodies toned, instead of keeping ourselves healthy. 

But where lock-down has forced everybody to stay at home, now is the perfect time to start practising Yoga. In addition to keeping you fit, it takes good care of your mental health, thus helping you focus better. 

4. Read                              

If you have never had the habit of reading books, now may be a good time to pick a book up and start reading. There are people who believe that only the ones who possess the virtue of patience can read books. But that’s a myth you’ve been made to believe. 

Reading helps you calm yourself down in stressful times, at times giving you a parallel world to dive into. Depending on the book you choose to read, it might even give you a purpose in life and help you establish new goals in life. To take care of your mental health during this lock-down, the book The Self Care Project by Jayne Hardy is a good read and might help in putting your troubled thoughts to rest. 

5. Stay in touch with friends       

Another great way of keeping your sanity in place is by staying in touch with your loved ones. Calling or texting your friends in times of stress or anxiety will help you calm your nerves. Talking to them will act as a therapy and will keep you fresh and upbeat. They will also help you divert your attention from the current scenario to other things in life, helping you stay positive in difficult times. 

6. Spend quality time with family

We often are so busy in our daily life, that we rarely pay attention to our family and their needs. Most of the time, we do not even respond to their calls, be it because of meetings, personal life or anything else. But now that we are all at home and have nothing else to look up to, except our respective families, it is a great time to bond with them. 

Talk to your family members, relive old memories together and even play games. This will help them stay sane in addition to enriching their lives with renewed happiness. You will feel a lot more connected to them, thus spreading a pinch of positivity in their lives as well as your own. Remember - you are home and that’s where you truly belong. 

7. Eat healthy food              

Believe it or not, it takes 21 days to form a habit. And this lockdown is the perfect time to adopt a healthy lifestyle. While quarantine seems to have disrupted everybody’s lifestyle, turning your disciplined life upside down, you can step up and break this streak. Shift to healthy eating habits and let this time act as a blessing in disguise. 

Since all of us are at home, eating healthy wouldn’t be an additional problem and you’ll also be able to try various recipes. Fun fact: A happy stomach results in a happy mind, that goes to say that if you eat healthily, you will be able to keep yourself mentally fit. 

The battlefield is set and everybody is in this together. But to fight this disease with all our strengths, we will have to keep ourselves mentally fit too. Surrounding yourself with positivity and finding ways to calm your nerves down will not only make your lock-down days easy but will also take care of your mental health. Let us all pledge to save the world, but first, let us save ourselves by keeping sane.