COVID-19 has greatly affected the world economically as well as within the health industry. In order to prevent the spread of the new strain of coronavirus, everyone is required to self-isolate, improve sanitation practices, and observe social distancing. While we may initially rejoice with the idea of extended relaxation at home with more free time at hand, after two or three weeks of this routine, many will start to feel bored and lonely.
Extroverts and those who love the outdoors will dread the possible continuation of quarantine and start to crave human connection, putting our mental health at risk. In order to fight loneliness and depression during the pandemic, consider the following self-care activities you can safely do at home.
- Stay connected
Loneliness is the number enemy during this time of quarantine. While you can’t meet your family and friends physically, you’re able to make use of modern technology to connect with them. Talk to your loved ones. Call them over the phone or schedule a video call with them through Facetime, Zoom, Skype, or any video calling platform. Catching up with them will reduce the feeling of isolation.
- Declutter your area
The isolation caused by Covid-19 is a great time to do general home cleaning. Because it might take you days to finish cleaning every nook and cranny of your house, take everything slowly. It may start by arranging your desk or your room, getting rid of the things that you no longer use, and then moving on to another area in your home the next day.
- Be smart in watching or reading the news
The rising cases of Covid-19 can really get you worried and frustrated. Be careful with false headlines that may grab your attention. If you notice that you get easily depressed with the news about Covid-19, then filter the news that you read and watch. If you are on social media, don’t dwell on the negative posts you read on your newsfeed.
- Get some fresh air
Fresh air does the mind good. Just because society has been called to social distance from each other, it doesn’t mean that you have to stay within your four walls every day. If you have a backyard, spend a couple of hours outdoors. If you don’t, open up your windows when the weather is nice and take walks around the neighborhood while being mindful of others.
- Meditate and pray
The pandemic Covid-19 does not only bring a threat to our health, but it can also put our faith and mental health in jeopardy. Take time to meditate or pray, even if it’s 15 minutes of your day. Meditation will help clear up your mind with negative thoughts and helps you stay focused on the things that you can control.
- Stay active
If you can’t visit the gym, there are ways to do your exercises at home. You can browse through videos on YouTube for step by step workouts for strength training or yoga, as well as exercise apps that can help you track your progress. There are plenty of great body-weight exercises that don’t require dumbbells or other equipment. You can also focus on cardiovascular exercises by taking a jog around the neighborhood, while social distancing of course.
