As I’m writing this, we’re currently on Day 1 of lockdown in the UK. (That’s definitely not a sentence that I ever expected to type in my lifetime!)
While I fully support the lockdown, a lot of people are concerned about the mental impact that staying isolated at home is going to have. And I completely understand.
In fact, I’ve been here before.
After my back operation, I spent a week alone in hospital, followed by a further six weeks stuck at home. Over the next nine months I barely left the house, and I only saw my friends six times in total. It was the loneliest experience of my life – and I’d be lying if I said that it didn’t take a huge toll on my mental health.
But there are bright sides this time around. I’m able to do a lot more, so there’s lots of ways that I can keep busy and entertain myself that I just couldn’t do back then. And this time, I’m not doing it alone. None of us are doing this alone.
My heart truly does hurt for anybody mentally struggling right now, but I just want to promise you that you can get through this, and that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. (I’m proof of that!)
But, while we’re stuck in the tunnel, I wanted to share a few tips on how we can all get through this together:
Social distancing = physical distancing. Stay socially close!
When I was stuck at home from 2017 to 2018, I was the only person I knew going through it. It was incredibly lonely. But this time, everybody’s in the same boat!
This means that everyone is going to be keen to keep connected – and, thanks to technology, we’re able to stay more connected than ever before. Of course, there are the usual social media sites and messaging apps, but there are also plenty of platforms that let you make video calls, so you don’t have to miss hearing your loved one’s voices or seeing their beautiful faces.
Over the last few days, friendship groups have been getting together on free video conferencing app Zoom, as well as playing games and video chatting on the Houseparty app. Over the weekend, I saw some friends sharing a drink on video chat while playing Piccolo and Quiplash, while others hosted their own virtual pub quiz.
If you miss watching TV or movies together, Netflix Party allows you to all view videos in sync, and provides an added group chat so everyone can chat as they watch. I’d also recommend inviting your friends to use Google Calendars, so you can all schedule weekly online hang-outs or activities.
Human beings are social creatures, so staying connected is going to be crucial to staying mentally well.
Stay distracted
There are also a trillion-and-one ways to stay entertained these days! Netflix, podcasts, gaming, YouTube, social media, books, e-Books, audiobooks… We have an endless supply of entertainment right at our fingertips!
It’s perfectly understandable to want to indulge in a bit of escapism right now. We might not be able to go out into the real world, but that doesn’t stop us from getting lost in imaginary ones.
Have fun!
If you’re living with housemates or friends, think about what you usually do together at Christmas or parties. Do you play boardgames? Pictionary? Charades? Just because we’re experiencing upsetting times, doesn’t mean we can’t still try to have a little fun. Enjoy some quality time together while you can.
Spend time on your hobbies – or find new ones!
What are those things that you love doing that you usually have to put on the backburner because you “just don’t have the time”? Writing? Reading? Crafting? Have you always wanted to have a go at cross-stitching? Or maybe you like to experiment with makeup? Now’s your chance to fit a little bit of joy into every day!
Learn something new
When I was stuck at home after my operation, I decided to enrol on some free courses online. I used FutureLearn, but one quick Google search will show that there are plenty to choose from, and many are completely free. You could also use Duolingo to learn a new language, or get experimental in the kitchen and learn some new recipes. Or perhaps you could teach yourself a new skill with the help of WikiHow or YouTube tutorials.
Keep busy
A lot of us who are now working from home are still able to keep some routine, and I definitely find that this can be really helpful. If you’re someone who needs structure to keep you sane, have a go at writing out some sort of schedule and/or a daily To-Do list. Now would be a great time to complete all of those chores that you’ve been putting off, for example! Whether it’s cleaning your room, organising the files on your laptop, washing your makeup brushes or clearing out your wardrobe… It’s easy to put these things off when you’re too busy, but now that we all have more time on our hands, why not use it wisely?
Don’t put pressure on yourself
That being said, don’t feel that you have to accomplish a billion things a day just because everyone’s pointing out that Shakespeare wrote King Lear when he was in isolation. We’ve been given a very unique opportunity to slow the hell down for a change. If that’s what you need to do, then go ahead and do it.
I’ve been feeling pretty overwhelmed this year after being told by health professionals that I need to rest. “But life doesn’t let you rest,” I kept thinking… Except, now it’s letting us. So if you need to rest, don’t feel guilty about it. Time and societal pressures don’t have to exist right now – we’re in the middle of a pandemic, for Christ’s sake!
Ration!
Okay, so we probably won’t have to worry about rationing food like we did in wartime – but there is one thing you probably should ration, and that’s the news. Only allow yourself a certain amount of time to read up on it (e.g. once at lunchtime and once before bed), be careful what you read (only use reliable resources), and step away if it’s becoming too much. You’re not obligated to keep up to date with every little thing. Make use of the option to mute certain words if you need, and don’t let yourself get too stressed about things that you can’t control. (If you want a brief daily wrap-up, the main official pieces of information can be found here.)
Plan coping strategies
It’s important to have a plan in place for if and when you do find yourself mentally struggling. This can be something as simple as taking a hot bath, calling up a friend, or putting on an episode of your favourite comedy show. For an endless supply of amazing examples and ideas, click here.
Remember that it’s okay to struggle
Although I’m trying to stay positive, I’m not trying to pretend that this will all be sunshine and rainbows. When I was stuck in the house after surgery, I cracked regularly. We all know that there are horrible things happening in the world right now, but that doesn’t take away from your own struggle. It’s okay to find isolation hard, it's okay to be upset about cancelled plans, and it’s okay to talk about it – and the likelihood is, your peers will understand. You’re not alone.
And last but not least: plan what you’re going to do when this is over
This isn’t going to last forever. We’re going through a difficult time now so we can experience freedom later. Give yourself something to look forward to when this is all over. That’ll definitely be cause for celebration.
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