Humanity is facing the biggest challenge as everyone struggles hard to cope with the unprecedented times of the COVD 19 pandemic. As governments take steps like lockdown by shutting down the economy and businesses, and everything comes to a standstill, each one must stay indoors to cut the chain of infections and keep ourselves safe. With no signs of decline, it seems that we must prepare for a much longer battle against the coronavirus than envisaged. This would mean spending more time locked inside our houses and adopting an entirely new routine that is diametrically opposite to what we have been used to earlier.
The new indoor routine has disrupted our lives and created a lot of distress, which has adversely affected our wellness and wellbeing, observesMichael Giannulis. Despite many people working from home and spending more time with family, the essence of good living is remarkably missing. The stress of confinement for an uncertain duration and the uncertain future of public health and economy that no one can decipher are causing acute stress. No one knows how the pandemic will play out and what kind of life awaits us. As we struggle to adjust to the new lifestyle, it takes a toll on our physical and mental health. We must now address the issues of wellness in the right manner to stay active and agile that gives the strength to combat the virus and emerge victoriously.
It is time to accept the new norms of living by practicing social distancing and maintaining good hygiene and cleanliness that is so much essential to build body immunity that can resist the virus. At the same time, we must look after ourselves to maintain good physical and mental health by indulging in activities that bring back the happiness that once underlined our lives.
What you can do to take good care of yourself and maintain overall wellness will become clear from this article.
Have a routine in place says Michael Giannulis.
The sudden shift in lifestyle has thrown many people out of gear as they cannot figure out how to cope with the crisis. Now it is essential to recast your lifestyle to suit the changing scenario so that it helps to build a rhythm that you become familiar with after some time. Start the process by first accepting the change and then working out a routine by scheduling your work and activities to use the available time meaningfully. While creating the new schedule, leave some room for relaxing in between work for stress relief. However, be careful not to overemphasize the aspect of relief and relaxation as it can tend to cause a distraction that would impede you from achieving your goals. Create a schedule that keeps you engaged and motivated while staying in control.
Control stress and reduce it
The difficult times that we are passing through have all the elements that build stress and anxiety, but you must never fall victim to it. Instead, take it in your stride and work towards reducing it to acceptable levels if it is impossible to eliminate it. Combining relaxation, work, and other engagements in the right measures and building it into your routine should help mitigate stress and make it more bearable. During the brief recess between work, take a walk in the adjoining spaces or surroundings, and look around to identify things that you find interesting. At the end of the day’s work, engage in some refreshing activities that help to de-stress. Listening to music, doing some gardening, or playing with the children are excellent ways to unwind.
Hygiene, cleanliness, and body care
Cleanliness and hygiene are the most effective weapons to combat the coronavirus that also ensures healthy living. The hygiene level must be up to the mark even though you are at home because the contagious virus can spread by sticking to the surface and objects. As the saying goes, cleanliness is next to godliness, and it will make you more confident about staying healthy amid the pandemic by taking good care of your health. A balanced diet of nutritious foods comprising fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products, meat, and fish duly supported by beverages and fruit juices will ensure that the body receives the nutrition it requires to maintain good immunity. Besides, take some rest during the day and have a good sleep to enable the body and mind to refresh and start the day on a positive note.
Indulge in physical activities
When creating the routine, keep a slot for daily exercises, which are essential to staying healthy. Exercises will improve the metabolism and increase energy levels and immunity that will help you sail through the day smoothly while accomplishing your tasks satisfactorily. Select exercises that do not need any equipment or special arrangements thatyou can do within the small spaces without spending too much time and are easy to do. However, it is crucial to consistently stick to the exercise routine to reap the rewards of health benefits in the long run.
Avoid harmful coping strategies
Despite your best efforts to control stress, the task can be quite challenging and might derail your efforts to create suitable strategies to cope with the situation. This can drive you to take up some easy ways to tackle stress by falling back upon drugs, alcohol, or smoking in the hope of some quick relief that can cause more harm in the long run. The dangerous substances could develop an addiction and damage your life.
Information handling
Overload of information arising from its constant bombardment is a continual threat to your mental health as it damages your mental balance and builds enormous stress. Most of the information that floats around is fake and unverified; causing the most damage by creating confusion that robs your ability to choose the right from the wrong. It depends only on information from reliable sources and uses your mental filters to block unverified details that will give you some peace of mind.
Stay connected and be active within your network to vent your feelings and thoughts and relieve stress.