The Coronavirus pandemic has changed our lifestyle as we become more conscious of our surroundings and maintaining proper hygiene. The lockdown has made us work from home giving us some quality time to be spent with loved ones. Many of you are indulging in your hobbies, learning something new, experimenting in the kitchen and connecting with loved ones over video calls. The pandemic has definitely changed the priority of many people. Do you look at these positives of the pandemic or are you wondering about the things you cannot do?
As the extended lockdown has prevented free movement, many individuals have developed negativity in their outlook. They have become cranky, depressed or stressed. Moreover, the increasing number of virus cases is also making them worry when the pandemic would subside. What about you? Are you able to maintain a sound mental health in this time of crisis?
A healthy mind is a healthy body. Sound mental health is, therefore, important if you want to live your life peacefully. While the spread of the virus and the lockdown is not in your hands, your mental health is. So, here are some tips on how you can maintain a healthy mind in these trying times –
- Exercise and meditate
Exercise has been proven to release endorphins which are called ‘happy hormones’. Endorphins react with those receptors in your brain which reduce the perception of pain. In simple words, these hormones make you feel less pain and more positivity which helps in fighting depression and negativity. Similarly, Yoga and meditation have proven to be effective in achieving peace of mind. With the spare time that you have, start exercising and indulging in Yoga and meditation. Start your day with meditation activities so that you feel peaceful the entire day.
- Try something new
There is no age for learning as learning is a continuous process. So, try and learn something new in this lockdown. Do what you always wanted to do but kept delaying it looking for free time or to do after retirement. Now you have time which can be invested towards something you have never tried. If you have never entered the kitchen before, cook a meal for your family. Learn a new language and boost your vocabulary. Develop a new hobby like gardening, reading or even dancing if that gives you happiness. Do whatever makes you happy as long as you are doing something different.
- Invest in yourself
In this spare time you can invest in yourself by boosting your skills and knowledge. You can register for online learning courses which would help increase your qualification. Take courses in marketing and sales to polish on your sales techniques or in communication to learn the art of perfect communication with clients. Take up soft skill courses which would help in improving your personality. Motivational courses are also available online which can boost your mental health and give you peace. You can also take a professional course on insurance to learn the technical nitty-gritties of the concept to help your clients better. When you increase your knowledge base, you can render effective services to your clients and your clients can also trust your expertise on their financial matters.
These are some of the steps which you can take to remain positive in your outlook. Here are some pitfalls which you should avoid at all costs –
- Don’t read too many reports on the pandemic. They are depressing. Know what is going on around you but don’t dig deep into the current pandemic situation
- Don’t believe whatever you read on social media platforms. They are not always true
- Don’t connect with people who are particularly negative about everything
Dale Carnegie has said, ‘Our fatigue is often caused not by work, but by worry, frustration and resentment’. He cannot be more right. Worry never solves anything. It only gives you fatigue and you don’t want to be fatigued, don’t you?
The current situation is not in your control. So, instead of worrying and thinking about the negatives, change your outlook. Think about the positives and do positive things which make you happy so that you come out of this pandemic happier and healthier.