Mental health can be tricky ordinarily. Amidst the hectic times of worrying about staying physically healthy and being socially limited during the stay-at-home order it’s easy to see how mental health can slip. Here are a few tips for managing mental health.
Realize every day is not going to be a good day. A classic pitfall of self-care thinking you have to be positive or in a good mood all the time. Sometimes it is everything is overwhelming and it’s okay not to get as much done. Having realistic expectations will make managing things like depression and anxiety easier.
Set a routine. Having a daily routine or even a weekly routine will help set boundaries for how to be productive in a home environment versus the typical work/school environment. Remember to schedule yourself some free time. Otherwise, you can risk getting overwhelmed.
Enjoy the little things. Contrary to what Hollywood is selling not everything is a grand gesture or that the struggle will always lead to the all-around happy ending. Sometimes it’s that sky cleared up and that will help you feel energized, that you’re still healthy, you got the chance to have a shower, or getting the chance to eat a good meal today.
Remember that this pandemic isn’t forever. It might be the only thing you see on the TV, the internet, social media, the news, and pretty much everywhere, but there was a time before this and there will be a time after. Humanity has survived every disease outbreak before and thankfully we have some of the most advanced understanding of medicine and disease on our side.
