How to avoid the corona stress?
The whole world is fighting the covid-19 pandemic. Many cities and states across the world are under lockdown to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. People need to follow social distancing and stay back at their homes. In this unusual period, you may feel a lot of anxiety and stress which will deteriorate your mental health which is as important as your physical health. I am staying in self-quarantine from the last one week and have felt quite overwhelmed and stressed at times but then I discovered certain ways to help myself and now I am spending my days more peacefully and productively. So, here I am sharing some tips out of my personal experience which you can also use to avoid stress during your self-quarantine at home.
1. Acknowledge the importance of self-isolation: We can’t be positive about a situation unless we realize it’s significance. So, first of all, it is important to convince yourself about the need of self-isolation to prevent the further spread of the pandemic and do it happily for a better tomorrow.
2. Wake up early in the morning: If a day starts well, it ends well. It is very important to start your day early in the morning to enjoy the fresh air from your window or balcony. This will certainly make you feel very positive.
3. Follow a daily routine: You should wake up with a purpose and following a daily routine will help you in this regard. So, set a schedule to perform different kinds of activities and spend your time productively. It gives you a sense of satisfaction and is crucial to your mental health.
4. Exercise and meditate daily: Even if the gyms, swimming pools, and clubhouses are closed, you can still do some physical exercises like yoga, sit-ups, crunches, etc. at home itself. Also, practice deep breathing and meditation to get some good mind space.
5. Stop spending too much time on social media: There are many pieces of information and opinions being bombarded on social media about the coronavirus outbreak which will overwhelm your mind and cause a certain kind of restlessness. So, it’s important to use your social media accounts more specifically and wisely. Open your social media account with a purpose and close it when you are done.
6. Avoid following the news continuously and don’t keep discussing the negative effects of the pandemic with others: There is a thin line between being vigilant and being paranoid. Continuously following the news and statistics about the coronavirus spread can make you paranoid. So, I will advise you to watch or read the news briefings once in a day at a fixed time, mostly in the evening and then don’t keep discussing the news with your friends and family unless something is really important to share. This will help in reducing your anxiety and stress. Try to focus more on the other positive aspects of your life and count your blessings. It is rightly said that “thoughts become things” so attract positive things in your life no matter what the situation is.
7. Express your feelings on paper: You can start writing a diary and note down all your experiences on paper at the end of each day. Writing down your feelings is a great way to relieve any kind of anxiety. This can also help you to discover and introspect within yourself.
8. Start doing something with a higher purpose to help others: There is no better way to attain inner peace than to help others. You can discover several unique ways in your capacity to help and contribute to the lives of other human beings. This is the time when the entire human race must stand in solidarity.
9. Learn something new and upgrade yourself: When was the last time you did something for the first time? It’s your time to create some new experiences by doing something which you might have been postponing until now due to your busy schedule. It’s time to reboot yourself. Learn a new skill, read a new book, write your first blog, upload your first youtube video, watch a new movie and so on. In this way, you get a sense of accomplishment and subsequently feel good about getting time for yourself.
10. Practice spirituality: Prayers are a great medium of boosting your inner strength. Spiritual practices have always been a tool for self-healing and attaining serenity. You can read some holy scriptures. After all, you should reinforce your faith in nature and the almighty. According to a popular Hindu scripture “The Bhagwat Geeta”, Lord Krishna said, “whatever happens, it happens for a good reason and whatever will happen, it will also happen for a good reason”. Ultimately, there is always light at the end of any tunnel.
