Maintaining Good Mental Health During Social Isolation
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair…” The Tale Of Two Cities by C. Dickens
This entry is not about Covid19 or the Corona Virus but it is about how to cope and manage to 'stay healthy'. Social Isolation is as hard. It is unnatural because human beings are created to interact and relate. We want to communicate with others for our well-being and therefore isolation can strain the most balanced person on the planet. In normal everyday life we can deal with and 'absorb' negativity by various means, mainly by diverting our busy mind elsewhere, instead of dwelling deep. During social isolation, dealing with negativity can be more challenging, especially for those living alone. Going on over and over about the same problems won't help solving them and get you and other people ‘down’. So HOW can you deal with this social isolation?
Stay kind to yourself, no expectations, no demands
Daily routine: get up, have a drink, do some fitness exercises for 30-40 minutes, get washed, get dressed and have breakfast
Eat healthy meals ans don't snack!
Make a list of tasks, long overdue - end date behind each task
Fresh air - Tidy the garden. Pulling weed is very therapeutic.
Get a box or a bag ready and go through shelves, drawers, cupboards etc. (Charity shops will be grateful when this is over.)
Organise paperwork, photographs, kitchen cupboards, bookshelves so on.
Fix things and catch up on small DIY stuff.
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Make food that you don't normally get the time to prepare. Bread, fresh pasta, Pancake, cookies…
Walk or cycle the calories off. Brisk walking is a fantastic exercise and since an hour outdoors is allowed, it's using the time well. Wash your hands well upon your return!
Learn new things. TED talks online are wonderful and satisfy absolutely any interests.
Read those books you've been meaning to for ages.
Write a letter to someone, or keep a 'Diary of Thoughts During Social isolation’.
If you're a creative, then Be creative!
Pray or Meditate
Most importantly, stay positive! This too shall pass.