Living
1. Don’t be a news junkie
Did you know there’s such a thing as bad-news burnout? According to distinguished psychology professor and “compassion fatigue” expert Charles Figley, a constant stream of bad news is pretty toxic for our mental health. He recommends asking, “Can I do anything about this now? Is this additional information going to be useful to me?” If the answer is no, turn off the news and consider taking a walk outside or diving into a book instead.
2. Activate your endorphins
For most healthy adults, the NHS recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate activity (or 75 minutes of vigorous activity) a week, along with muscle-strengthening exercises at least twice a week. Fortunately, there are loads of options to help you stay active from home. For a zen workout, check out Yoga with Adriene (https://www.youtube.com/user/yogawithadriene), a popular YouTube channel with yoga classes ranging from five minutes to an hour. There’s also Nike Training Club (https://www.nike.com/gb/ntc-app), a free workout app endorsed by sports scientists. Another option? Johnson & Johnson’s J&J Official 7 Minute Workout app (https://7minuteworkout.jnj.com/), designed to provide the maximum health benefit in the shortest amount of time.
3. Eat an apple a day
Well, not really. But the old phrase “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” is a good reminder to maintain a healthy diet. That’s because nutritious food doesn’t just benefit your body, but your mind, too. According to Harvard Medical School, studies show that healthy diets can help lower the risk of depression by 35%. To stock up on fresh fruits and veggies while social distancing, consider services like Abel & Cole or ODDBOX or different supermarkets’ delivery services. And, of course, balance is key. If your sweet tooth is acting up, it’s perfectly fine to eat the cookie you’ve been eyeing. After all, feeding the soul is important as well.
4. Reassess your to-do list
If you’ve felt pushed to be extra productive lately, you’re not the only one. But let’s be realistic. We’re all trying to get through a global pandemic, and you shouldn’t feel pressured to create the next Instagram, Uber or WhatsApp – all of which were founded during the 2008 recession. However, you can use this time to cross off tasks you normally don’t have the chance to tackle. Consider writing a to-do list of everything you’d like to get done at home and work and look to complete one task each day.
5. Subscribe to self-care
Indulge in retail therapy and practice self-care with the help of a monthly subscription box. There’s The Natural Wellness Box for £37 a month, which includes wellness goodies to deliver “the ultimate self-care experience”. For a little me-time, consider Pause for just £7.50 a month from the mental health charity Mind. And to satisfy your tastebuds, check out boxes like Snackcrate and Universal Yums, which bring international snacks right to your doorstep.
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No matter how you choose to use this time, try to take heart in knowing the loss of normalcy we’re all experiencing is temporary. We will get through this, and we’ll emerge stronger and wiser for it. Till then, make sure to take care of yourself.