To support all of our valued clients, family, friends, and colleagues during this unprecedented time, we've compiled a list of great tips and resources to assist you with reducing stress, enhancing your wellbeing and the wellbeing of your friends and family, while also giving you some inspiration of fun and productive things to do during lockdown.
The pandemic has affected our lives in many ways. As we stay home to reduce the spread of the virus, we may feel lonely and isolated due to limited connection with others, or perhaps some of us are working through other challenges. You may feel worried about loved ones and be managing new responsibilities such as working from home and homeschooling, studying online, or you may currently be out of work. With uncertainty about the future, it is understandable to feel distressed and anxious. In fact, it is natural to feel that way.
If these feelings are interfering with your daily routine, or if you feel overwhelmed, it is important to make positive changes to enhance your sense of well-being. When you feel well, you will be better able to cope with stressors, and you will be able to move through this challenging time with even just a little bit more ease.
Reducing Stress & Enhancing Wellbeing
When many things feel uncertain or out of our control, one of the most effective ways we can manage stress and anxiety is to focus on the actions that are in our control. Here are some ways you can take intentional steps to look after your physical and emotional wellbeing during this challenging time:
Maintain your day-to-day activities and a routine as much as possible
Having a healthy routine can have a positive impact on your thoughts and feelings. Go back to basics - eating healthy meals, physical exercise (e.g., walking, stretching, running, cycling), getting enough sleep, and doing things you enjoy. Even if you're in quarantine, or working from home, there are many ways to develop new routines and stay healthy.
Do the things you enjoy
Take your mind off your worries by making sure you allow plenty of time for enjoyable activities. This could include listening to music, reading, gardening, spending time connecting with family and friends online, making your friends care packages or writing them letters, or doing a short course online. Starting a project, like making a gift for a friend, can provide a goal to work towards and give you a great sense of achievement when complete. It's natural for our minds to think of all the usual activities we may not be able to do at the moment.
Make a conscious shift to focus on the activities we are still able to do or those that we may have more opportunity to do if we're at home more often.
Here is a list of some fun and productive things you can do at home.
Set limits around news and social media
It’s understandable to want to keep informed and prepared. At the same time, constantly reading, watching, or listening to upsetting media coverage can unnecessarily intensify worry and agitation. Schedule a specific time to check in with the news instead of acting on every urge you have to tune in. It's also okay to take breaks from conversations with others about the pandemic and suggest talking about other topics.
Exercise regularly
Physical exercise can help relieve tension and relax your body and mind. Try to do some physical exercise every day, even if it’s just going for a walk around the block or doing some star jumps in your backyard. There are plenty of great online workouts available which are great for both your physical and mental health.
Here is a list of the top 20 workouts on YouTube.
Contribute
Showing care towards friends, family, or vulnerable people in our community can be all the more important during times like this. It can foster a sense of hope, purpose, and meaning. Some ideas can be to: send someone you care about a message of encouragement or affirmation; cook and deliver a meal to someone in your neighbourhood; or donate to a cause that means something to you.
Here is a list of popular charities in Australia.
Keep things in perspective
In a situation that’s uncertain, it’s natural to have many what if? questions in our minds. In the absence of information, our anxious mind will often fill in the blanks with worst-case scenarios, which can leave us feeling overwhelmed, helpless, or vulnerable. Here are some questions you can ask yourself to shift your thinking from catastrophizing to a more helpful mindset:
What are the things within my control?
Am I overestimating the likelihood of the worst-case scenario?
What strategies have helped me cope with challenging situations in the past that will serve me well during this time?
What is a small helpful or positive action that I can take now?
Try to relax
Relaxing does always come easy. Some of us need to practice relaxing by setting up a time each day to take deep breaths, consciously relax our bodies, and calm down our racing thoughts. Incorporating breathing and muscle relaxation exercises into your daily routine may be helpful, and these types of exercises can also be used as short-term coping strategies.
Here is a link to a short and simple breathing technique called 'box breathing' that works to bring you back into a state of calmness.
Things To Do
While what we can do is limited, Time Out has put together a great list of things that we can do in Melbourne and beyond during this week of lockdown. Time Out's suggestions include:
1. Take a virtual class to learn a new hobby such as making gnocchi, blending wine, making your own herbal remedies, be your own barista, and the list goes on!
2. Create a fun outdoor dining experience
3. Stream the online program for the 35th Melbourne Writers Festival
4. For the kids: celebrate Nature Book Week with free online talks and live readings.
Here is the link to what's on in lockdown!
We are living through an unprecedented and uncertain time, requiring each of us to navigate our way, as best we can, through a rapidly evolving global health crisis. With things changing so quickly, such uncertainty and unpredictability can take a toll on our mental and physical health. Managing our emotions and supporting each other can be challenging at the best of times. This is why, more than ever, we all need to be doing our best to regularly pause, take a breath and be proactive in looking after ourselves and others.
As always, we are here to support you all as best we can, so please reach out if you need some assistance.
