Even though we’ve been here before, level 4 lockdown might still be taking a toll on your mental health. Here are some helpful actions you can take to beat the mental stress of COVID-19.
Get some fresh air
Make sure you’re actually taking a breather to properly enjoy the outdoors when you can. You should be trying to get out of the house a couple of times a day just to get some air – being around trees and all the green goodness of nature will actually help you more than you think!
Stay away from social media
This one’s probably going to be the hardest one of all, but whether we realise it or not, everything we see on social media works its way into our brains, and not all of it is good stuff. You’ll likely see a newsfeed full of negativity and people working out their own uncertainty and stress through sharing unhelpful info. Best to limit yourself to this kind of stuff if you can.
Avoid alcohol use
It can be tempting just to grab a cold one from the fridge, especially when you’re stuck at home, but hold off if you can. It’s a slippery slope downwards, and while that one drink might make you feel better for an hour or two, it’ll become a habit if you’re not careful. Nothing wrong with the odd beer or two, but just beware that stressful times can lead to an excess of alcohol consumption which is ultimately going to make you feel worse.
Work it all out
You know how it goes, you go for a run or do a workout and you feel a hell of a lot better afterwards because you’ve managed to sweat out all the stress and anxiety. If you can, try to get moving as much as possible to keep your head clear and your body strong. Check out YouTube for tonnes of awesome workouts that don’t require any equipment at all – and they’re free!
Make yourself useful
One thing that can help is to do something that makes you feel useful. Is there something you’ve been meaning to fix? Something you’ve been meaning to clean out? Now’s the best time to do something productive. If you don’t feel up to it, no biggie, remember that you don’t always need to be productive during times like these – it’s enough just to keep trucking!