4 Ways To Deal With Mental Stress During Lockdown

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No one was prepared to forgo their lifestyle completely this year, yet the entire world is now dealing with the same sense of uncertainty. All the news about the virus, politics, and possible financial insecurity is enough to impact just about anyone’s mental health.

In a whirlwind of daily changes, you may not even realize that you’re developing unhealthy habits. If you’re struggling during lockdown, here are some ways you can deal with mental stress.

SEE ALSO: 10 Powerful Self-Love Tips For Ascension And Awakening

Therapy

One of the best ways to deal with mental stress is to seek outside help. Even if you don’t think your mental health is “that bad,” you could benefit from speaking to a professional. You may not be ready for an in-person visit just now, but there are plenty of choices for online therapy out there.

This therapy format can be more flexible if you have a busy schedule or don’t want to leave the house during lockdown. You don’t always have to choose a face-to-face session. Text interactions are available as well. If picking a set time doesn’t work for you, you can have ongoing text conversations. This gives you more time to think through and compose a response, and these sessions are often less expensive than an office visit.

Routine

If lockdown has you feeling unsettled or ungrounded, one of the best ways to get back on track is sticking with a routine. This will also help you better adapt to your daily life again once lockdown ends. You may be tempted to lay around all day, snacking and watching your favorite streaming service, but a more sedentary lifestyle isn’t going to help much with your mental state. If you’re working from home, the temptations may be even greater.

With no one to lord over your schedule, it’s up to you to enforce some boundaries. Without the added pressure of a social calendar, you should have an even easier time setting up some structure. Setting a specific wake-up time and bedtime is a great start, but don’t slack on your exercise regimen. With all this time spent inside, fresh air and exercise is more important than ever.

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Mindset shift

Lockdown is a pretty intimidating word, and it’s easy to feel like you’re stuck or even trapped indoors. Framing your situation as a trap doesn’t do much good for your mental state. You may not be able to go out anywhere you want, but chances are you do have more time to fill.

Instead of focusing on all the things you’re missing out on, think of all the things you get to do now. You can dedicate more time to hobbies you enjoy or projects you’ve been wanting to tackle. This is a great time to get organized and reevaluate some of your goals. If you’re constantly taking care of other people, this is an opportunity to place more focus on yourself.

Smart research

There are a lot of opinions being thrown around online, and logging on only to see the latest devastating news report isn’t going to put you in a good mood. Those negative comment sections on social media aren’t the healthiest of places either. If all the pandemic coverage has you stressing about your health and safety, you may want to consider limiting your time online.

Select a handful of reputable sites or sources you can check every so often for updates and commit to less time on social media. Free time is good, but not if you’re using it to compound your stress. If you do want to spend more time on social media, take the time to curate your home feeds. This may mean unfollowing people who post stressful or negative content, at least for a little while.

The pandemic has sent ripples of upheaval around the world, so remember that you’re not alone. Adjusting to a new normal takes time and maybe even a little hard work. By investing your time and energy in healthy routines, you should be better prepared to cope with daily life moving forward.