Things I’m Doing For My Mental Health Right Now

This is a trying time for many. For some of us, we are working from home for the first time in our lives. Some of us are experiencing the anxiety of not getting paid — whether it may mean that it’s a reduction in hours or not getting a paycheck whatsoever. And, of course, there is the increasing anxiety of what’s going on in the world. The cases — and deaths — of Cornavirus have increased daily to a number that’s frightening.

In times like these, self care is more important now than ever before. Here are some of the things that I’ve been doing to take care of myself during this crazy time in between working from home:

Getting Dressed In The Morning: Since many of us around the world are in quarantine, chances are, you’ll be thinking that you can wear PJ’s all day and no one will ever notice. Yes, that’s true. That said, I have found that I feel really crappy about myself when I don’t get dressed. I also don’t feel as if I can get motivated unless I’m wearing something that’s not PJ’s. So, get dressed. But, you don’t have to get dressed in your typical workday clothes. I have been wearing sweatshirts, and comfy pants since this began.

Enjoying Nature: It is springtime. That said, it’s nice weather outside. So, whenever there is a nice day, I’ve been getting outside. This weekend, my boyfriend and I went to the beach and walked the boardwalk. After the walk, I felt instantly better. Here in Connecticut, there are a lot of great hiking places to enjoy. So, on those nice days, why not road trip to some of them? After all, now we have the perfect excuse to enjoy nature — six feet apart while being in small groups no less than ten that is.

Exercise: Many of us probably are without a gym right now, because they are all closed. That said, I am the queen of working out at home, because the only time that I am able to do so is at 5:30 in the morning. One of the things that I’ve been doing is making sure I still workout in the morning for 20-30 minutes a day. Exercise is crucial because it helps you both mentally and physically. I will be posting about some great ideas to work out at home later this week, but there are so many options to still get your workout in.

Watching TV: The concept of binge watching has been completely lost on me. That said, I am trying to use this time to watch TV shows that I’ve been procrastinating on. This is something that I’ve been doing and enjoying. I finished the Morning Show last week, and am working on Love is Blind. After that, I am going to watch Little Fires Everywhere, which I am really excited because I loved the book.

Doing things that I love: I have a lot of hobbies. I love reading. I love to crochet and knit. I also am getting really into Animal Crossing. Making time for things that you love is extremely important — and do wonders on your mental health. That said, since we are quarantined in our homes and

Texting/Calling Friends: Social distancing doesn’t mean that you can’t talk to your friends. Thanks to my iPhone, I am able to keep in touch with family and friends easily. However, I do want to make one thing clear — just because we are social distancing doesn’t mean that you always have to answer everyone’s call or text back immediately. If you’re not in the mood to talk, that is completely fine as well.

Organizing/DeCluttering: This was definitely one of my resolutions for 2020. So far, I’ve been cleaning out stuff and rehoming books that I no longer have any interest in reading. I’ve only done a fraction. of what I wanted to do, but I am so proud of my accomplishments thus far. After all, there is no better feeling that getting rid of stuff that you no longer use and declutter. And, you’ll be so proud of yourself for doing so.

Treating Myself: The stores may be closed, but I’ve noticed that there are a lot of online sales — such as local businesses and stores that are currently closed. And, with all of the extra time, I wanted to make sure that I am stocked up with books and craft supplies. So, I’ve been treating myself quite a bit to items that I was planning on purchasing anyways, but getting a better deal on them.

How have you been helping your mental health during this time?