With another several more weeks of isolation ahead of us, potentially more, I thought that this was the perfect opportunity to share some of the coping strategies I use daily to keep a positive mindset.
PLAN AHEAD
Despite the difficulty of juggling work and home schooling, I’ve promised myself to try and stick to a routine. Every day I get up and get dressed before planning my day ahead. Working towards long term goals, helps me overcome the daily angst of the uncertainty that surrounds us.
MOVE
Being an active person who works out on most days and spends a vast amount of time walking around the salon, moving my body is indispensable and has been an invaluable copping mechanism these past weeks. I’m so grateful for social media and Zoom, which have enabled me to continue doing gentle workouts with my PT Dino and Pilates with Francesca the Method. There are also, some other great alternatives to PT available. KXU have just started to offer FREE IG live classes Tuesday to Sunday. Other gyms, like Flex are offering virtual classes, which is another great way to keep your mind and body in sync.
NURTURE
Your mind body and soul. During this isolation I’ve been tempted to swap a nutritious lunch for half a pot of Nutella (my favourite) but I think that during these times succumbing to unhealthy habits can have a more detrimental effect on your morale. Nurturing means to care and protect, which is why I’m taking this time to treat my body with all the respect it deserves. My advice is: use this time for you and feed your mind and soul by doing the things you’ve been meaning to do. Whether it’s pick up that book you’ve been dying to read, plant some seeds in your garden, or find yourself a penchant for watercolours, it’s important to find something that will trigger positive emotions. What you choose to do doesn’t necessarily require you to be creative.
CONNECT
This surreal time at home doesn’t and shouldn’t be all doom and gloom. There are so many things we can be grateful for. I for one am thoroughly enjoying the amount of time I get to spend with my son. Spending this much time with him as enabled us to connect in a different way, we’d usually get the chance to. Connecting and catching up with friends and family has been very rewarding. Being there for others too has played wonders for my wellbeing.
It is normal to want to check out and to experience a down day. The important thing to do right now is to protect your mental health and remember we will come out of this eventually.
Hoping you and yours stay safe.
Love,
Elena
