Top 5 Quarantine Mental Health Tips

April 4, 2020 10:21 pm / Posted in , ,

To reduce the spread of COVID-19, we have been told to stay home unless absolutely necessary. A lot of us are relishing in the extra free time, maybe catching up with some of our favourite TV shows or finally finishing that book we’ve been reading for months. But, after a while, staying indoors 24/7 can be crazymaking. Especially when you consider that spring is on its way! I cannot emphasize enough the importance of caring for your mental well-being, now more than ever. I created this list of 5 tips to help you stay sane as you stay indoors:

1. Pick Up an Old Hobby

Most of us have had many hobbies throughout our lives, but got busy with other things over time. One way to keep your life joyful despite the stressful circumstances is to engage in hobbies that make you smile. Maybe you used to play the flute, draw, knit, or dance, but haven’t done so in a long time. Well, now’s a great time to pick that hobby back up! Personally, I have reconnected with my love of painting miniatures. Hobbies play the double whammy of keeping you sharp and engaged and distracting you from any coronavirus angst.

2. Look for New Ways to Socialize

All of our social lives have taken a hit since quarantine started. We are being actively discouraged from socializing (in person) with anyone we don’t live with. While these precautions are absolutely necessary to #flattenthecurve, they can definitely make us feel lonely. To keep my social life alive, I have started to use the wonderful tools technology gives us access to. Playing online roleplaying games with my friends and having actual phone conversations have kept me connected to my loved ones. Loads of free apps allow you to video chat with one or even groups of friends – take advantage of the Internet!

3. Get Your Exercise In

As you well know, moving your body is great for your mental health. So get off the couch and get moving! You can do whatever you’d like – be it dancing, yoga, weight training, or some other exercise you enjoy. To make it easy to stay active, I’m hosting free live workouts on Facebook at 8:00- 8:30 AM every day Monday- Friday. Check them out if you want to keep working out with me!

4. Get Some Fresh Air

Like the cartoon says, humans are just house plants with complicated emotions – as in, we need sunlight and fresh air to survive. We especially need some sunlight after the winter darkness, so don’t hesitate to get comfortable shoes on and get outside. Take advantage of the warmer weather by going out for a walk, run, bike ride, or doing outdoor activities like gardening.  Please make sure you physically distance yourself from others every time you go outside. The City of Ottawa’s physical distancing recommendations can be found here. Please follow these guidelines and keep yourself and your community healthy.

5. Contribute to Your Community

Very few things are as meaningful and rewarding as contributing to your community, especially in times of crisis. If you have all that you need and more, it’s an amazing time to find ways to help others in your community who could use a hand right now. Consider donating to groups who are getting food to the most vulnerable or finding ways to support the community. You can volunteer to help with COVID-19 relief efforts. You can also help your neighbours directly, perhaps by getting their groceries for them if they are older and can’t do so themselves. Supporting local businesses can be very helpful for your community by stimulating the local economy and signaling demand for local products. There are a plethora of ways you can get involved – so jump in!

 

What has been keeping you happy and feeling good over the past couple of weeks? Please share with me in the comments below!

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