Staying at Home; Tips for our Mental Health

I have been hesitant to write too much about the pandemic as I feel that most people (including myself) are feeling that our circuits are overloaded at the moment. And so this post is going to step into what we are faced with right now, but it is applicable to any time that we, or our loved ones are relegated to home. It might be that someone is recuperating from surgery, has stress leave from work, is grieving the loss of a loved one. It can also include those newly retired, or those who have recently lost their job.

Following are some general tips for when we are relegated to home:

• Remind yourself that things are not always in your control. Very often, this becomes a major roadblock in being able to not only accept what is happening, but to then make the best of it.
• Be creative. Very often we rely on filling time by watching TV or scrolling on our phones. Unfortunately, these are activities that allow us to “zone out” and will end up feeding our despondency. Finding ways to occupy yourself that are creative in nature will help to counter complacency and boost our sense of accomplishment. Start a book series that has been on the shelf, get out a jigsaw puzzle, play a board game, do a craft.
• Get outside. Being out in nature is always good for the soul. Always.
• Build your time. Knowing what you are doing the next day will give you a sense of purpose. When we wake up with no plan, we are immediately in the position of filling our time which is always more difficult than building our time.
• Keep your same routine. Get out of bed in the morning at the same time, take your shower and get dressed. We have built in associations to being in our pyjamas and day after day of not keeping a routine will lead you to disengagement.
• Stay connected with loved ones. That might look a bit different these days, but there is always a choice in front of us – isolate to the point of cocooning, or keeping our connections strong, despite needing to use creative means.
• Take advantage of this time. Home is our safest spot to be; where we feel the most comfort. Give your home the honour it deserves by deciding to de-clutter. This can do wonders to your inner sense of self.
• Find ways to laugh. Make laughter a priority; seek joyful moments. This will help counter despondent feelings and remind us that life may have its challenges, but it also has its charms.

Staying home when it is not our choice can seem overwhelming at times. When we are pro-active in choosing healthy activities and keeping an open mindset, we can lean into the positives of the situation, allowing ourselves to feel more grounded, settled, and in control.

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Photo credit: http://Photo by Christopher Harris on Unsplash