It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the coronavirus disease, and for good reason. Since it started wreaking havoc at various points across the globe, the virus has since claimed thousands of deaths as well as caused lockdowns in many countries. You need to do your part in making sure the disease doesn’t come to your doorstep. And one way you can do that is by keeping yourself mentally healthy. Below are tips you can follow.
Admit Your Feelings
It’s not wrong to feel scared and anxious about the COVID-19 outbreak. With the virus threatening you and your loved ones, it’s the normal response to have. So instead of hiding those feelings under a false facade of optimism, it’s better for you to just acknowledge them. That way, you’ll be able to come to terms with it sooner, as well as keep your mental health in check.
Focus on Yourself
Look after yourself while waiting out the COVID-19 pandemic. You may not be able to stop the virus from its warpath, but you can still protect yourself from its clutches. Implement a healthy regime in your home. Get enough sleep, eat healthily and exercise regularly. Doing these things would not only keep you mentally healthy, but it would also keep your body fit enough to resist any diseases. You can also practice yoga and other meditation techniques for the time being. Both can help your mind greatly in keeping its edge.
Consume Quality Information
Believing misinformation and hoaxes is another way to ensure that you stay scared and anxious during the COVID-19 outbreak. So to keep your mental health sharp during the pandemic, best shove those away. Replace it with accurate information that comes from legitimate sources. By limiting yourself to quality news, you’ll be able to minimize the fear and panic caused by the coronavirus.
Limit Your COVID-19 News Intake
Still, it won’t be good for your mental health to listen to too much news, even if it comes from legit sources. So as much as you want to stay in the loop regarding the latest info on COVID-19, try not to take in too much of the media coverage. Limit yourself to a certain schedule, turn off the automatic notifications in your devices (save those used for emergencies), and focus on your day-to-day life instead. That way, your feelings of distress and worry won’t get intensified, and you’ll stay mentally healthy in the process.
Comfort Your Children
If you’re a parent, you also need to consider your kids’ fears and stress alongside your own. So aside from making sure they stay physically healthy, you should also comfort them during this crisis. Explain as much info about COVID-19 as you can to them in ways they can understand. Let them know that it’s okay to feel scared about the situation, while reassuring them that they are safe.
Keep Your Emergency Fund Close
Lastly, you need to have a good supply of cash while waiting for COVID-19 to disappear. Admit it or not, money (or lack of it) can affect a person’s mental health. By having your emergency fund at hand, you’ll have one less thing to worry about. In any case, it can help you buy everything you need to wait out the outbreak. And in case you find yourself short, you can just borrow money. A lot of banks and lending firms are willing to give out personal loans to help out in this crisis.
Be Safe and Stay Mentally Healthy
Worrying about things you can’t control (i.e., stopping COVID-19) won’t do your mental health any good. So better focus on energies on things you could, including abiding by the emergency rules and doing everything in your power to stay mentally sharp.