We are home, but our minds are probably bouncing off from dark, heavy clouds to pools of endless uncertainties as we deal with the crisis brought by the outbreak of COVID-19. A lot of us are surely stressed! However, we all know what too much stress can do to our body, and as hard as it may be, we still have to keep in mind that we need to focus on our health and take care of ourselves. But how do we do that, when we’re in the middle of a pandemic?
Here are some advice from the experts in the Psychological Association of the Philippines (PAP) that could guide us on how we could lessen stress by taking care of our mental health:
- Do your best to maintain a healthy body. Eat healthy food, try to exercise everyday (even for just a few minutes), and try to sleep on schedule. Key word: Try. Yes, don’t be hard on yourself! We know how hard it is to keep up with the times especially when we feel overwhelmed with a lot of uncertainties. But, let’s give a healthy lifestyle a big try, especially during these times when having a healthy and strong immune system is a must for our bodies.
- Make and maintain a daily routine. According to the Psychological Association of the Philippines, “having a routine can give a sense of purpose and order to your day.” which is indeed relevant now that time feels weird. Days pass by in a blink, sometimes excruciatingly slow, and the next thing you know you’re at the end of the week, and you don’t even know which dates have passed. So yes, why don’t we try adopting a daily routine and sticking to it so that we can put a structure that can guide our everyday lives and put your thoughts into perspective.
- Stay connected with your family and friends—online! Constantly talking to the people close to us can help us put balance in our system. Lucky for our generation, we have the technology that enables us to see and talk to people from miles away. Click that video-call button or send a funny video! Whatever you and your best friend’s language is, don’t forget to check in on each other.
- But that doesn’t mean that you have to be online the whole day. If you’re feeling anxious from seeing all the news about the current happenings, Psychological Association of the Philippines (PAP) advises you to take a break from the overwhelming content of the online world and just allot a certain time of the day to check on updates. This way, you are able to breathe and think more clearly.
- Make time for things that you love doing! Do you feel like plucking the strings of that old guitar, drinking coffee as you watch your favorite show, or dancing to that new TikTok challenge? Go do it, as long as you’re inside your house, why not?
- You can reach out to people in need. Psychological Association of the Philippines also says that you may also look for ways on how you can help other people. Check the initiatives of the people all over social media, you can also visit the Campaigns posted on our site to see how and where you can help.
- Seek the help of an expert by taking online counseling services. If you feel like things are getting too hard to control, seek professional help through these accessible online counseling services that can provide support for your mental health. Check all the links compiled by Rappler here.
How about you, what are the things that you do to take care of yourself during these uncertain times? Feel free to share it with us. Hope you’re safe and doing well during these trying times!
References:
https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/mental-health-considerations.pdf
https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1245621/mental-health
https://asiasociety.org/philippines/mental-health-time-covid-19
https://www.rappler.com/move-ph/257641-list-groups-providing-free-online-counseling-during-the-pandemic
