With all that’s been going on in the world lately, we mostly find ourselves in a very weird and anxiety-filled situation. These situations could largely be attributed to the Covid-19 blues that has hit some of us very hard.
We’re always finding ways to beat the Covid-19 blues, that is when we find ourselves endlessly browsing through the internet to find ways to feel better. We’re always finding ways to beat the blues in our lives in general.
It is always good to reassure ourselves into making each day better for ourselves. To learn how to do this effectively, do not forget to check out this blog post here.
There’s a lot of things we can do to make ourselves feel better during these quarantine times. Some of us have been on a lockdown for over 50 days and its ridiculously overwhelming. Personally, I’ve not been feeling great lately. There’s so much going on regularly but I like to do a few extra things to keep sane. Sharing some of those things with you all.
UNDERTAKE A FORGOTTEN HOBBY
As kids I’m sure most of us had a lot of hobbies which we enjoyed doing. These hobbies were an integral part of our lives and formed a major part of our childhood. I used to enjoy coin collection taken after my father. We’d occasionally collect stamps too. My siblings and I always enjoyed painting, sketching, doodling, art and craft.
Now with more time at our disposal, it is good to go back to these or more hobbies. Allocate at least an hour per day to do something worthwhile.
If you’re one of those who’d like to play any outdoor sport like cricket, football, tennikoit, etc. then go ahead and let loose. Recently the weather has also been very bright and sunny so don’t laze around, just go out and make the most of it. But, do not forget to maintain social distancing.
APPRECIATE NATURE
If permitted and safe to do so take a walk in the park or just go out for a stroll. However, make sure to socially distance yourself from those who do not belong to your household. If you’ve got some outdoor space in your yard at home please try and go out. Make a temporary sitting space in your garden and sit amidst nature. This is a very good exercise and we all should try and perform it as much as we can.
There’s many of us who do not have an outdoor space at home nor can go out due to health conditions. So, for all of us like this try and get some indoor potted plants or make a space to relax which is closer to the window and somewhere where a lot of direct sunlight can come in. This helps to some extent.
DO SOME COOKING AND BAKING!
Kitchen therapy is a real thing. It helps you in many ways- emotionally, mentally, physically, etc. With this lockdown I’m sure most of us feel like eating every few minutes. So why not give some time to cooking or baking, whichever you fancy.
Also to know some more amazing secrets about cooking and baking check this blog post out. It gives an overview of why is it important to cook or bake.
HAVE A CUP OF TEA OR COFFEE (MAYBE EVEN A GLASS OF WINE)
If you are working from home these days or even if you’re a key worker and working, Try and take small tea or coffee breaks whenever possible. If you’re not a tea or coffee person then maybe sip on some wine whenever you feel like it. But do not over do it too. This should be like a treat and not an overdose.
And for those who do not like drinking any of the above, try finishing a litre of water while doing some other self-care ritual. It is good to give yourself some time and in turn calm your nerves.
DO SOME READING
You do not have to shop for more books, just read the ones you’ve got lying at home. Read some books which will keep you in a positive frame of mind, like some inspirational and motivational books, autobiographies, etc. If you are anything like me then maybe even read some recipe books. I personally love doing that during my free time.
If you like fictional books then why don’t you pick a few and try and finish reading them in a week or two. Try some online reading too. There’s a lot of matter to read about which can be useful to you in the long run.
PRACTICE SOME SELF-CARE
Pamper yourself with a foot massage or a face pack. Try grooming yourself too. You can make a nice bubble bath if you’ve got a bath tub at home and chill in there for an hour or more if you’d like. Try on some nail art. If you are a make up junkie then try on some new eyeshadows or lipstick even if you’ve got nowhere to go.
Try dressing up every day and get out of your PJs. This should definitely give your life a perspective and also change your mindset to some extent. Give yourself a pedicure with some basic tools and equipment available at home.
To know more about foot care check the Scholl website.
TRY YOUR HANDS AT BLOGGING OR CONTENT CREATION
If you are someone who loves talking or sharing your views and opinions, then why not start a blog! Blogging can be done for free using host sites like WordPress for beginners. This is perfect for all those who are furloughed at the moment and cannot work from home. Blogging is a good way of making use of the time at hand. There are a lot of people who regularly use the internet these days so why not create some content for them to read or watch.
Try Youtube too if you’d like to create content in the form of videos. Instagram is another avenue which you can explore by creating an attractive feed and making Igtv videos of about any topic you fancy. It could be routine videos, singing, art, cooking, etc.
Tik Tok is quite addictive too. We’re on it too just for some fun. Do give us a follow.
CREATE A SMALL RELAXING CORNER FOR YOURSELF
You can create a small corner for yourself in the house with some of your favourite books, indoor plants, fairy lights, snacks, etc. with whatever you prefer to be honest. This can be a styled corner. Have a minimalistic style or a bohemian style or whatever you’d like.
You can enjoy your glass of wine here while listening to a podcast or reading a book. You can also sit and blog here or create videos or even paint and sketch. Do whatever you like but as long as it makes you happy and you like what you do.
DO SOME DIYs
Make a vision board. Do some decor pieces for the house out of stuff you’ve already got. Paint one of the walls in your room or the whole room to give it a new look. Decorate your study table or room. Revamp different places in your house. Give it a new, refreshing look.
DIY some of your planters and make them look a little different. Make some wall hangings. Create some photo walls. Redecorate your kitchen and pantry.
BECOME A PLANT PARENT
Caring for plants is easy but only if you’re 100 per cent committed to it. For the longest time I had only one succulent here in the UK and mainly because it was very easy to care for it owing to our busy schedules. But now with the lock down, we’re proud plant parents to 4 new plants and 3 growing-in-progress ones.
Plants need nurturing. It is like taking care of a pet or a human. They’re living entities too and need as much love but not too much. It is a bad idea to over feed them with plant feed, that’ll only poison them.
My dad loves gardening. It is one of his fond hobbies and I was inspired to do the same here even though we’ve not got enough space in the house where we live. Caring for plants is a very pure and calming task. It is a way of appreciating nature.
LEARN A NEW SKILL
Learning a new skill is always good to boost your mental growth. It helps you to come out of your vegetative self. It makes you more active. If you’ve got some extra time at hand then try learning a new skill. It can be cooking, photography, gardening, sewing, wine-making, exercising, etc. I use Skillshare and it is a must try.
You can also do some online courses and even get a certificate at the end of it. Harvard University is offering a lot of online courses which might be useful to you. Do give it a try.
CLEAN YOUR PERSONAL SPACE
Some people find pleasure in cleaning and dusting. It is good to keep your personal space clean and clutter free. And now that we’ve got more free time at our disposal, it is the perfect time to maintain cleanliness. Try starting with your own room. Your desk or study table is some place you can start by decluttering and cleaning.
Get rid of unwanted stuff which is not in use. Give away piles of unread or unwanted books.
Clean your medicine box or first aid kit. You’ll surely find a lot of expired stuff in there. Throw it away. The same applies for your pantry. Clean it.
DECLUTTER YOUR CUPBOARD
Do a deep clean and throw away or give away clothes which you’ve never worn or do not plan on wearing anytime soon. Specially get rid of the clothes which do not fit you and you keep thinking you’re going to go back to being that size one day. It might never happen but that piece of clothing will be lying around in your cupboard occupying unnecessary space. Clear it out.
Give away whatever possible and whatever is in good condition.
SPRING CLEAN YOUR HOUSE
Some of us love hoarding stuff and then there’s piles and heap loads of stuff we do not require or need. Get rid of it. Spring clean your home. This lockdown is the perfect time to do so. Start with a small task every day. Do not over tire yourself because then you will not get anything done. Complete smaller attainable cleaning tasks every day.
DANCE LIKE NO ONE IS WATCHING!
Dancing is a form of exercise. Even if you think you’ve got two left feet then still dance like no one is watching you. Because it does make you feel better and positive. It also helps in burning calories, the ones you’ve gained lately by eating non-stop.
If you ‘d like to take dancing seriously then learn a new dance form. YouTube is one of the best teachers.
Try Zumba too.
LEARN A NEW MUSICAL INSTRUMENT OR SINGING
If you want to learn a new musical instrument or even learn to sing, this is the perfect time to do so. Try Simply Piano or Smule. They’re very helpful apps. Maybe learn it off YouTube or even Skillshare.
READ MOTIVATIONAL QUOTES
Reading motivational quotes are good to uplift your mood. You can find these on the internet in abundance. Read some self-love books. This can change the way you think.
Start the day with a motivational quote and try living by it. I like writing mine down on a small paper and putting it up on my vision board or even on the fridge. You can also download an app like Breathe, or use Motive us.
I’ve also go a small chalkboard on which I put new motivational positive messages regularly.
USE PINTEREST
I personally love pinning away about different topics which interest me. Pinterest in a very helpful app for different things. If you like travelling, then pin on some travel ideas. If you like cooking, then pin about food. If you like DIYs, then pin that.
You can pin about anything and everything. I’ve got two Pinterest accounts. One for this blog and one for the other blog. Feel free to follow.
PRACTICE MEDITATION
Meditating daily is a good practice to control your emotions. I use an app called Synctuition for my daily dose of meditation. It is a paid app but you can always find some other free meditation sites if you like a guided meditation. Find something on YouTube too.
You can also meditate by yourself by doing some basic yoga. This is very important in a time like this to calm your senses and give a perspective to your life.
Personally I’ve noticed that whenever I start my day with 15 mins of meditation, I automatically have a more productive day. I am able to feel positive and therefore take on the day being and feeling good about myself.
If you have a chance then meditate in the open. Try listening to the birds singing and chirping . If you live near the river or sea then try going out there and listening to the sound of water or the waves. It does have a different calming effect.
SAY HELLO TO A STRANGER
If you go out, try greeting a stranger with a smile. It always helps bringing in positivity. Say good morning or good evening on your daily walks. This is a good way to beat the Covid-19 blues.
If you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours.
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If you want to, then call a friend and chat over the phone for hours. Call family and talk to them if you live away from them. Speaking to people is a very good idea if you’re not feeling your best. Try making some Zoom or WhatsApp video calls. Have meals together over a video call. Have Zoom parties. Play some online games together.
This list can continue and you can add whatever suits your style but the main idea behind this post is to make you realise that we’re all in this together and we can beat all these Covid-19 blues if we work together and also without forgetting to take care of ourselves.
This what you’re going through is normal and you are not alone.
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Until next time…CHEERS!