Lockdown Tips to Help Your Mental Health

The last lockdown was difficult for us all in many ways, but we had amazing weather which meant we were able to get out of our homes a lot more. Unfortunately, this time that is not the case. However, we can still find lots of stuff to do to stimulate our minds! In this piece I am going to give you some tips on distracting your mind from all the business going on in the outside world.

Separate Work from Home

It is very important for our minds to understand the boundary between work mode and relax mode. This can be done in many ways. One way is by working in a different place other than your bed. Your mind should view your bed as a place to sleep and to have sex. If you begin to introduce other things then it can cause you to have problems with sleeping and relaxing. Even if you set up your workplace in a different part of your bedroom, it will be so much more beneficial for you! You can also separate work and relaxing by going on a small walk, even if it is just around your garden. Your mind is so used to a journey between work and home, so this will help it distinguish the two and enable you to unwind.

Exercise, Exercise, Exercise!

A lot of people are put off by the word exercise, but exercising does not mean that you need to be really athletic and fit. When we do some form of exercise, it releases endorphins in our brains that put us in a better mood. If you just take twenty minutes out of your day to go for a walk, do some yoga or maybe a run then this will help distract your brain and keep you fit! There are so many videos on YouTube; I would recommend Yoga with Adriene which is good for beginners. The couch to 5k app is also amazing for beginners in running too. You do not need to be the next Jessica Ennis, but a little bit of exercise will keep your brain healthy.

It’s All About You

As the title suggests everyone needs time alone. For some people this can be really difficult because they like to be kept busy. I was like this for a long time and it caused me unnecessary stress. Being on your own and doing stuff for yourself is extremely important and it will let you understand your own feelings and thoughts a lot more. Allocate this time and, if you are like me, have a to do list for each day and make sure this is on that list! What can you do on your own? Have a bath, listen to a podcast, watch a film, draw - just do anything that you love!

Be Social!

Just because we cannot properly see people does not mean that our socialising has to go. It is really important to check up and keep in contact with your family and friends, not only for them but for you. If you have Netflix, then Netflix Party is a big recommendation of mine. Start a new series with a friend or relative and allocate a day in the week to watch it together. This not only gives you something to do but also gives you something to talk about! It is a hard time for everyone at the minute, so call someone you have not spoken to in a while to show them that they are not alone.

I hope these tips and tricks have helped you and given you some new ideas of what you could get up to in lockdown. If you think that this could help anyone please share it with them - the more people this helps the better!