It really felt like we were approaching the light at the end of the tunnel; and just like that, we’re faced with fears of a second wave. There’s been a lot of talk about getting back to work, but with Covid cases back on the rise, we once again need to take a step back… and breathe.
Here’s 8 self-care habits you can do to prioritise your wellbeing in the midst this uncertainty…
- Practise gratitude
You know when you’re already running late and then you spill your coffee on fresh bed sheets and you’re really annoyed about it – and then you put another coffee on but you realised you’re out of milk… you know where I’m going with this….
These thoughts that you let spin through your mind will control your mood. And then they’ll end up hijacking your life too, if you them.
Gratitude is an easy way to break this habit. Positivity breeds positivity; the more of it you put out, the more you will attract.
Gratitude exercises:
- Start a gratitude scrap book and pop in photos of your favourite people and memories.
- Practice gratitude affirmations each night.
- Start a gratitude jar. Whenever you think of something you’re grateful for, jot in down on a piece of paper, fold it up and pop it into the jar.
When it’s one of those days, you can dig out your scrap book or your gratitude jar and shift your frame of mind.
- Don’t suppress your emotions, work through them.
Suppressing them just creates more work for another day. Not everyone talks about emotions, but we all have them and we need to be able to deal with them.
If your anxious thoughts about the virus are back on the rise, some psychologists have recommended scheduling ‘worry time’ into your day. This is where you allow yourself to worry for 20-30 minutes and essentially ‘release’ these feelings before relaxing.
- Know when to say no
Pleasing everyone is impossible. It’s draining and will leave you with an empty cup. Fill yours up first, say cheers and then (and only then) help someone else.
- Make your room a sanctuary
Your room is somewhere you should feel calm and relaxed. Hang up some fairy lights, light a candle, pin up photos that make you happy, and add some house plants – they lift your mood and improve your health. Read the science behind this here.
- Breathe
It’s an absolute blessing that we breathe without instruction, because if we didn’t, most of us would probably miss it off our to-do lists!
As well as keeping as alive, a few deep breaths calms us down and improves our health. When your heart rate is high, our body goes into what’s known as fight or flight. Deep breaths tell our brains to calm down and steer clear of fight or flight.
- Get outside, be active
Just for 20 minutes – or even 10. Exercise causes our bodies to release ‘happy hormones’, otherwise known as endorphins. They lift our mood and make us happier.
Even if you don’t want to work out, remember that fresh air is free, it’s therapy and it’s available to everyone. Take advantage of it.
- Limit your media consumption
With cases rising once again, resist the urge to dwell. Or if you insist, be sure to check out the positive things happening that the media doesn’t magnify. You can check out our blog about the rise of empathy and kindness.
- Accept the situation
If the virus is spreading again, there’s really not a lot we can do about it (well, other than social distancing). But we have two choices: face the difficulty with optimism, or face to difficulty with pessimism. Choose wisely.
Wellbeing is a huge focus for many of us right now – and it’s not always easy knowing where to begin. We’ve created a free wellbeing toolkit, to help support our network. Find out more here
