As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, people around the world found themselves in isolation. With new variants constantly propping up, there’s no fixed guarantee that we won’t find ourselves in further lockdowns. This can be detrimental to our mental health, and we must do all that we can to keep our spirits high during this time.
There are many steps that you can take to help improve your wellbeing even in the most difficult of times. With this being said, it’s also important to allow yourself to feel however you want or need to feel in the moment. Completely suppressing your emotions isn’t healthy and recognizing your feelings and taking the right steps to deal with them is the healthiest coping mechanism. COVID-19 in the UK and the rest of the world has disturbed the routines of many. However, the following methods allow you to keep yourself occupied to prevent boredom and other negative feelings.
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Make a Mood-Boosting Playlist
Music is a very powerful tool when it comes to altering and amplifying moods. Therefore, during isolation, you should avoid emotional ballads as these are likely to make you feel sad. Instead, you should make a playlist of upbeat dance hits to bop along to and get your endorphins flowing. If you’re stuck on what songs to include in your own playlist, you can access quarantine playlists on music streaming services. Whether you blast these tunes whilst completing your chores or carelessly dance around the room to them, a lot can be gained from an energy-fuelled song.
Take Up a New Hobby
So many of us have hobbies in mind that we’ve never got the chance to pick up, and what better time to do it than when the rest of the world is in a standstill? Learn how to knit, pick up an instrument, get into photography. There are so many possibilities for what you can do so get cracking with something new.
Play Games
Lockdown is a great excuse to spend time with the people you live with. This is quality time that we otherwise take quite for granted. Whether you grab a board game, play I spy, or even make up your own game, there’s plenty of fun to be had in good company. Games are the perfect, easy going bonding methods for all members of the family.
Go for a Power Walk
A power walk treads the balance between a walk and a run perfectly. You’re not likely to get bored of the slow-paced nature of a walk, yet you’re not likely to get completely exhausted as you would with a run. You might even turn it into a competition with your family members to see who can go the fastest for extra motivation. In order to ensure that you have the technique down, you might watch a video to teach you how to properly execute the exercise.
Try a New Recipe
We’re all guilty of eating the same meals in a cycle simply because we don’t know what else to cook. However, there’s no better time to get experimenting with recipes than during a lockdown. Search online and on social media for various recipes that you might want to try and get cooking. This can also be turned into a family activity if you get everyone involved. Who knows? You might even discover your new favourite dish.
Get Coloring
Coloring isn’t a kids’ only activity, it can actually be fun for the whole family. It’s actually a very relaxing activity and is proven to reduce stress and anxiety. You could even start a family project for everyone to enjoy and marvel at once it’s done.