As a whole community, we’re in the middle of something we haven’t experience yet in this generation. The on-going COVID-19 outbreak is causing schools to close, shops are limiting opening hours, and time seems too long as we retreat to our homes for quarantine. We can’t even afford to go to the gym to take care of our physicals. That’s why times like these are very challenging to our physical and mental health. And we must pay attention to them.

Here are five tips we list for maintaining your mental wellness during a life-altering crisis:

Wellness First

Times like these would make us feel conscious about our physical health, and we can choose to strengthen it. In addition to all the things that are “expected” of us to do: sanitizing our hands, staying home and getting enough rest, we must also consider what we want to do to remain mentally well. It may include writing down coping strategies when things feel overwhelming, addressing self-compassion, sharing our emotions to a trust-worthy friend and other things that improve our mental health.

Follow A Routine

One of the advantages of being in school is the system it provides. If your college closes, most likely you will be introduced with a chance to be more independent, which can be great, but it can also bring its challenges. Routines can be valuable for our mental health- it trains our mind to look forward to the day, it accumulates structure, and assist us to be focused and responsible. If you have nothing so much to do, keep a routine as much as possible.
It includes eating breakfast, lunch and dinner, the time spent changing clothes and focusing attention on certain things. As tempting as it is to relax in your pajamas and watch TV all day long, it may harm your well-being. Try to find a balance: try writing down your curated schedule and attempt to do it. Make sure your routine includes break time, physical activity, and snacks.

Positive News Only

This global-pandemic has bombarded us with a massive amount of information every day worldwide, and we can easily be overwhelmed by that. Social media can still make us feel overwhelmed since we see and hear the same information over and over again, amplifying in our thoughts. If you observe that you feel angry or worried about the news, then intentionally sorting out your social media timeline with positive things only is the right choice. Take a look at some pictures of cute puppies or kittens that make you laugh or read about the good things that happened despite the crisis. You can always control how you decide to spend your time, even though you cannot control what happens in the world around you.

Maintain Social Interactions

Just because we are going through community quarantine and doing social distancing doesn’t mean we have to isolate ourselves. The good thing is that technology allows us to maintain connections beyond physically. Maintaining social relationships is extremely important in this isolation. Call your friend, have a video call with them, send a funny video or photo, make sure he is doing well and continue with your group’s conversation going. The more we can connect with the individuals, the more we can ease loneliness.

Focus on Personal Growth

The advantage of not having to go to school is that you can have a moment for yourself and give attention to other things. Consider creating one of these moments for your self-development! It is an excellent time to establish new positive habits. Enhance your skill, or go about a project that you’ve been planning to do.