With the announcement of a new winter lockdown in the UK, we know it’s a tough time. January is hard at the best of times, but without access to the things that bring us joy, it’s more important than ever to take care of our mental health and of those who are important to us. Here’s a quick guide to what you can do to keep your mental health in check to get you through the lockdown.
Try to keep things as normal as possible
Whether you’ve been thrust into another term of remote learning, or you are working from home, try to keep on top of your obligations. It can be easy, when the days are short and the weather is cold, to stay curled up in bed all day. But keeping on top of your obligations will help to reduce long term stress caused by missing them.
Similarly, keep to a routine
Like we said above, it’s tempting to stay in bed. But keeping to a daily routine of school or work, exercise and regular meals will help the days feel more normal. They can have a tendency to feel long when we’ve got nothing to do, so this will help to keep you feeling on top of things.
Keep a gratitude journal
This is a great way for you to keep track of the positive things in life. That way, when you feel low, or like nothing is going your way, you can look back on it and know that things have been better in the past and they will feel that way again. Check out this article for more help on how to keep one.
Schedule social stuff, not just obligations
We’ve all become pros at zoom quizzes and facetime gatherings, and so it’s time to do it again. We know it doesn’t feel quiter the same as being able to give your loved ones or your friends a hug, or chill with them in person, but it’s all we can do right now. Find the joy in it, and remember it won’t be this way forever.
Remind yourself of the good news
Follow good news accounts on social media, and limit your interaction with daily current affairs to a certain amount of time a day or a week. When the news is so upsetting, it’s hard to feel positive about anything, so a quick win is simply to cut it out.
Remember, it won’t last forever
It might feel like this has been an endless journey but it won’t really last forever. There is a vaccine, there are lots of amazing people working really hard to get this virus under control once and for all. Remember that.
For more information on how to manage your relationships and mental health during the pandemic, check out our coronavirus support hub here.
