CHOOSING TO THRIVE DURING COVID-19

Tips on how to survive & thrive at home

If you’ve been watching the news, you know the score. Thanks to the COVID-19 global pandemic, life as we knew it has changed for ever. With self-isolation, physical distancing and working from home the new norm, adapting to this massive upheaval along with the underlying threat to our health and wellbeing, may have left you feeling a little distressed or anxious.

With the uncertainty of how long our lives will be disrupted, the worry about our jobs and the economic future of the country, there’s never been a more important time to put our house of wellbeing in order to sustain us through this challenging time.

What counts is your resilience, adaptability and willingness to improvise when necessary. Here are eight tips to help you not just survive but to thrive:

1. Acknowledge your emotions.

You have a full range of emotions. Trying to stay positive if you are feeling angry or sad, can make you feel worse. Your emotions reflect how you feel at this moment and just like the pandemic itself, being temporary, will pass. It’s OK to have bad days, others will be better. Be gentle on yourself. Seek to let go of what’s beyond your control and pay attention to what is possible.

2. Seek calm.

Finding calm in the chaos with a short, mindfulness, meditation practice for a few minutes every day helps to allay anxiety, reduce stress, improve sleep, and helps you cope.

If things are getting on top of you, taking three slow breaths has an almost instant effect to reduce muscular tension, lower blood pressure and reduce stress.

3. Dial up the positive.

It may be stormy outside but above those clouds the sky is still blue and the sun is still shining. Tune into those simple things that give you pleasure. Do what gives you joy, like writing a book or playing music, making cupcakes to share with your neighbour or taking a couple of minutes to reflect on the beauty of the natural world. Keeping a gratitude journal to note 3 things you are grateful for each day, builds hope and raises optimism

4. Use nature to sustain your mental wellbeing.

Getting outside can feel a godsend when you’re been cooped up at home all day. It’s been shown that spending a minimum of two hours each week in nature helps to sustain a positive mood, boosting the feel-good hormones dopamine and serotonin and lowering cortisol. Green or blue it’s up to you to choose.

5. Get enough sleep.

Stress and anxiety can play havoc with sleeping patterns. Here consistency of routine is key. Keep to a regular time for going to bed and for rising. Avoid the sleep poisons of alcohol, smoking and coffee (if sensitive). Practice a pre-bed wind down of 60-90 minutes to relax, including dimming the lights, listening to gentle music, and switching off technology.

6. Nourish your mind, body and soul.

When stuck at home or bored, it’s tempting to chow down on the snacks. Planning your meals to include plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit will help sustain a healthy immune system ready to resist infection and boost your mood. Get creative, try out new recipes and get your kids involved in the meal prepping and cooking too.

7. Get physical.

If your usual exercise routine is out of action, it’s time to seek out alternatives. Walking, running and cycling are easy options or why not sign up to the many online classes now available – yoga, Pilates, or if the gym is your thing, ‘P.E. with Joe’ on You Tube, is a 30 minute workout that will get your heart rate up and those muscles pumping.

But this is not the time to try and get super fit. It’s about doing what is manageable for you and enough to stay healthy.

8. Connect and help out.

Isolation and feeling lonely can make us feel bad. Despite physical distancing, there are many ways we can connect. Schedule time each day to phone a friend, set up group online conversations using What’s App or facetime, run a virtual book club, or play group online video games. Check in with your neighbours or family members you may not have spoken to for a while. The fastest way to feel better about ourselves, is to do something for someone else.

Despite everything, some good will come out of this challenging time. It’s a time to reflect and reset and reimagine what you want for your future. To design a new, healthier, better world. What will your world look like?

Dr Jenny Brockis is a Medical Practitioner and Board-Certified Lifestyle Physician specialising in brain health and mental performance. Jenny’s approach to overcoming life’s challenges is based on practical neuroscience which enables people to understand their thoughts and actions leading to effective behavioural change. Jenny is the author of Smarter,

Sharper Thinking (Wiley) and may be contacted via her website.