It’s hard to find your equilibrium when everything feels upside down. Five ways to be very intentional about protecting our mental health now that our lives have been stripped down, from a clinical psychologist:
videos, or bust out those ballroom dancing home instruction videos you’ve been meaning to get to. Consistent physical activity is well known to lower stress and anxiety and improve mood, not to mention strengthening your immune system.
Speaking of your immune system, choose healthy food options like vegetables and fruits, and avoid highly processed foods and refined sugar. Resist the pull toward letting your diet turn to rubbish during this time. Limit your alcohol consumption, and beware of too much caffeine, which can aggravate stress and anxiety. If you’re aiming to eat better, focus on making one improvement to one meal at a time, and gradually build from there. Good nutrition is good not just for your body but for your mind and emotions.Few things are more challenging for your well-being than a lack of daily structure. Your body and brain operate on a 24-hour cycle, and need specific activities to happen at predictable times. There’s a perfect German word for activities that provide timed structure to our days; the direct translation is “time giver.” Establishing a consistent routine is one of the friendliest things you can do for yourself during this period of social distancing. Incorporate as many of the following Zeitgebers as you can:Spend time in the sunshine in the early part of the day. Exposure to natural light is probably the most powerful way to establish a healthy circadian rhythm. If your area is discouraging nonessential time outdoors, at least sit by a window in the morning.Eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner at consistent times.It can surprisingly easy to fall off the shower wagon when you don’t have to leave the house for an extended length of time . If you have kids at home, ensure that they bathe regularly, too. The routine is good for them, and being stuck at home together is a lot nicer when everyone smells fresh.Follow a predictable work schedule, even when working from home. Put it in your calendar to make it feel more official.Your thoughts can be a powerful ally or a formidable foe, now more than ever. Practice training your mind in helpful directions that support your well-being:about the future. Right now, it may be telling you stories like:The economy will completely collapse. You don’t have to believe everything your thoughts tell you. Know that they’re fantasies that may or may not come true—and that other outcomes may be more likely.We can’t completely control the thoughts that go through our heads, but we can decide where to focus our attention. For example, we can choose to focus on the worries of the day, or on being the person we want to bring to these challenges we’re facing. We can dwell on our struggles, or on opportunities to love each other through this time.On a related note, we can make a habit of noticing all the things that are right in our lives, rather than dwelling on what’s wrong or missing. If it’s hard to think of things to be grateful for, just imagine how things could be worse—because as hard as this time it, it could be much, much worse. For example, thankfully this crisis isn’t hitting us in the dead of winter when spending time outside would be extremely challenging, as my wife pointed out. Even our current difficulties can point to something good—for example, being stuck inside with your kids underscores that you have a family . Finding ways to practice thanksgiving is one of the most reliable ways to guard your mental health.Stress and tension collect in the body and mind throughout the day. Set aside time religiously to release this nervous energy. Step out of the modes of
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