Taking Care of Yourself During Pandemic
Taking Care Of Yourself During The Pandemic
By: Ashley and Cilicia
Why is self care important? Well, your bodies will undoubtedly get more tired as the day goes on. Even basic things like getting out of bed or eating lunch require energy. But as you add more tasks to your day, more energy has to be expended. This goes for mental energy as well.
Your mind can only take so much stress before it starts affecting your actions. By practicing self care you can recharge from day-to-day stresses so that you don’t burn out, cause mental health struggles, or worsen your mental health.
Taking care of your mental health improves your overall wellbeing and vice versa. Here are some ways to take care of yourself during the pandemic:
- Exercise
- Additional to the physical benefits, working out actually releases chemicals in your brain that make you feel happy, capable, and confident. Exercise is a great way to de-stress and/or give yourself a motivation boost. By exercising, you can build healthy habits that will help you build self-esteem and cognitive function.
- Prioritizing Sleep
- As many know, sleep plays a huge role in creating a better mood. Sleep increases your productivity since you would be more energized. Adding on, sleep improves your immune system.
- Interacting with Others
- Social interaction has been shown to be beneficial for your mental health. It can lighten your mood, making you feel happier. Because of the pandemic it can be difficult to see your friends and family. Things like calling or video chatting people is a great way to interact with others while being socially distanced!
- Find a Hobby
- Spending time on a hobby you enjoy, improves your mental health! Research has proven that people with hobbies are less likely to suffer from depression, stress etc. Hobbies add enjoyment and excitement to people’s everyday lives. It encourages you to build new skills, discover things about yourself and helps with your growth as a person. This can be learning/playing a new instrument, reading, taking part in a particular sport, the options are endless!
- Drink More Water
- Although it may not seem like it, water has a lot of benefits for you! Water helps improve your focus and concentration. It also helps improve your skin complexion and maintains regularity. Most importantly, water takes part in flushing out any toxins in your body.
- Have a Relaxation Day
- Everyone knows how nice it feels to relax but not everyone remembers how important it actually is to do it. By giving yourself a day or even a couple of hours to completely relax, you can mentally reset and return to your tasks with a calmer and clearer mind. Taking baths, meditating, or even just binge-watching your favourite show are easy ways to take your mind off things that may be stressing you.
- Watch or Read Something Uplifting
- Taking time to read or watch something uplifting - especially at the beginning of the day - can improve overall mood by flooding your brain with positive words and uplifting concepts. Following motivational accounts on social media is usually easier than taking the time to read a book, listen to a podcast, or watch a video, and it does the same job!
- Clean Up After Yourself
- It might sound crazy to some people, but doing something as mundane as cleaning can often help clear your mind. When your surroundings are less cluttered, it can help your brain focus better because there are less distractions around. Additionally, by picking up after a mess you make right away, it doesn’t pile up and become a huge task at the end of the day or week.
Follow the simple self care tips mentioned above to improve your overall wellness! In February we will talk about relieving stress and anxiety. Keep up with our monthly articles to learn tips about how to improve your wellness and quality of life.
Helpful Sources:
https://jack.org/getattachment/03b5be04-4607-46b0-8eb2-139a6de6d25f/Be-There-Poster-1.aspx