There are individuals in certain countries and communities have informed that their mental health is getting worse. Even those without any mental health issues have felt that the pandemic had adversely affected their mental wellbeing. In these situations, we need to look for one another and do what we can to ease each other’s burdens. Here are some actions you can take to cope with the circumstances each of us is facing;

1. Be Kind

Being kind to yourself and others is a very polite act if living through this pandemic. You might be feeling worried, anxious, confused, and lost, everyone is also facing them. These are all normal emotions and allow yourself with these feelings. You just need to have patience and compassion for your struggles. All emotions are fine even the tough ones. Be kind and help yourself to face these.

2. Manage Your Feelings 

Find a controlled way to express your hard emotions. You can do these by talking to a friend, writing a journal, practicing meditation or yoga, and having physical exercise. If your symptoms are severe and it interferes with your capability to function, seek support. For instance, you have a friend who struggles with the same situation you are in right now, apply the same compassion and advice to yourself.

3. Be Realistic

It is not realistic to think that you can do everything such as;

• Work full time at home
• Homeschool your children
• Maintain a clean and orderly household
• Take care of yourself and your family

You may try prioritizing one or two things and let other slides a little. Have time for self-care. Focus on our high priority items and don’t expect too much on yourself.

4. Make The Best Of The Situation

You need to differentiate the things you can control and the things you can’t. Accepting the worries of the future while at the same time recognizing areas in your life you can control is a good place to start. You can even go out for a walk and have some fresh air and natural lights. If your children are around more now without school, you may try letting them join with chores and teach them how to do the laundry.

5. Maintain Routines

Catching up on sleep is good but it might be better not to sleep until noon. Keep your routines much as they were before that suit your new routine. Set the time for your work, meals, activities, and a regular bedtime. Do not drink alcohol more than usual. If you’re having a couple of drinks each day, you can cut it back.

6. Stick To Reliable Sources Of Facts

You can pick one or two sources where you can get information that you trust. If social media makes you anxious, you can take a break from it. If you can’t do it, you can limit your scrolling time for at least 20 minutes or so.

We can learn a lot from taking care of one another and from slowing down things. Once this pandemic is done, take the opportunity to carefully consider what you want into your life. We need to carefully consider what life lessons we can take away from this unexpected time.