5 Tips on How to Stay Calm, Stay Centered and Stay Mentally Safe in these times!

We are living in extraordinary times! This situation of being home-bound or isolated has brought a lot of issues on Anxiety, Depression, Sleep issues and many more to the fore. But how do we handle it? Here are a set of tricks and tips that can help you…

Tip 1:

The Power of Keeping A Journal:

Everyone is very anxious in this time of rightful confinement! But how can you maintain a positive bent of mind in an unprecedented situation like this?

One trick that has worked very well is keeping a journal. Some have kept it from the first day of their conscious existence (like my daughter). It helps you to reflect, revisit the day, look at what went right and what went wrong, why did you behave the way you did, and philosophize on the bigger picture!

But these are extreme times, for this you require a more powerful tool, one that can help to jump-start a positive thinking in your mind. Here is a one called a “Gratitude Journal”. How is it different? Well in this you can capture top 3 people or top 3 things you are grateful for! This would also help you reflect and focus on the positive!

We encourage you to do it and see how it makes a definite difference in your way of thinking and help build a stronger and healthy mind!

Tip 2:

The Power of Routine/Habit :

Have you ever wondered how the amazing Nelson Mandela stayed sane in prison for 27 years? Routine! From the initial time when he was breaking rocks, to the time when he was reading books, playing chess, teaching fellow prisoners, and going for Sunday service, he always managed to create and follow a routine.

So it is safe to say, things that keep you always in control of your emotions and state of mind, is a routine. And if you have a routine already that you followed during the time when you were regularly going to office, maintain it; if not in full, then partially at least. Get up at a regular time, make the bed, brush your teeth, do some exercise, bathe and get ready, have breakfast etc.; all as if you are going to office! Settle down in your designated “office” space and start your day.

To induce this or give it a boost, blend in the new stuff like having your family eat together, divide chores like cleaning and washing among yourselves as a family, involve children, crate a family plan, take time out to chat during lunch time etc.

If you do not have a routine, create a new one; and stick to it! If you are finding it difficult to create or maintain the new routine, ask for help from your family, friends and colleges. The more you do this, the more your mental state would become stronger.

Tip 3:

The Power of Staying Connected:

Man is a social animal. That is why the highest form of punishment is Solitary Confinement in prison. In the olden days we did not have any other way of connecting with people but going out or inviting them in; to meet and mingle. But today, thanks to social media, we don’t have that need and barrier anymore! We can connect with anyone across the world no matter where we are physically!

Personally: We can feel close to our near and dear by doing video chats, call those that are living alone at this time to see how they are doing. Have an open conversation about things that you are feeling and what you think is worrying them, keep the channel of communication always open. Make sure that you and they are not feeling alone or isolated. If you can stay connected and close for 21 days, then your relationship has truly stood the test of time!

Professionally: You can use all collaborative platforms that all have capability to connect and in voice, chat and video these days. #Microsoft #Teams, #FB for Business, #GotToMeeting, #Zoom, #Slack, #Redbooth, #Trello, #Wimi and many more! Always start the conversation with : “How are you feeling?” and don’t immediately move on to the official work in hand, spend some time with on this topic, share your experience, then do your work. At the end, give positive affirmations, praise even the smallest victory! Keep the mood as happy as possible.

We have our own collaboration tools in our “BeSerene” mobile app like the ChatBot, the connection to a personalized or company assigned Coach with whom you can share all your anxiety and doubt in a confidential manner, so you are never alone!

Tip 4:

The Power of Happiness:

Are you looking at only the dark side of the current situation? Are you overwhelmed by the feelings of sadness, boredom, confusion, loneliness, being overwhelmed and anxious? Don’t do that, there are so many positive things that are coming out of this lockdown as well. Look at it this way, what are the things that you always wanted to do but never had the time to do it.

I know a lot of my friends that have re-kindled their passion of reading, cooking, doing puzzles, knitting, writing, planning a vacation, sprucing up your social media accounts, updating your CV, listening to their favorite music, picking up that guitar that is rusting in the store space, creating or reviving your blog, learning how to play the harmonica, making a podcast that talks about how you are coping, how others are coping, finishing that book you were supposed to have completed by now, trying your hand at poetry, trying origami, trying your hand at cooking and baking, developing that app you always had in mind, collaborating with others to build a community, take up that “Masterclass” you always wanted to, get yourself certified in latest technologies, become an on-line teacher, build on your strengths, work on your weaknesses, make new acquaintances, build friendships, and many many more! You can still do a thousand things that was never ever possible to do before!

And most of all, calm your mind by meditating! You can do that with the guided meditation that our mobile app “BeSerene” provides, there are sessions as small as 3 minutes to 15 minutes, based on your ability, time and maturity level.

Tip 5:

The Power of Planning:

In this series so far, we have been taking about mostly individual planning, but a wellness plan is something that not only individuals are looking at, but also corporates all across the globe. In the present context where everything is shut down, companies feel it is mandatory to have a well-defined plan on measuring and keeping in touch with the “well-being quotient” of the hard-working people in the organisation. In most organisations, there is a very ad-hoc approach to this in which they allocate a budget to the HR or Admin function a certain amount of money for creating a gym facility, so some type of training, or giving membership to a gym, having a collaboration or team building activity; like a one-off yoga session, or a meditation class, or an off-site activity, or any other similar something. But there is no organisational level wellness plan that has been created that has budgets, goals, activities and outcomes clearly defined.

“BeSerene” as a solution that fills this gap! If you combine the online (in this case on app) activity and measures, with the piecemeal physical group activity that the organisation already does, but in a more predictable, planned and systematic manner, then the whole equation becomes tangible.

Imagine that you take a present-day snapshot of the mental health of the employees as far as overall anxiety level is concerned and make this the starting point. Then you go ahead and execute the entire plan with a combination of on-line, offline, group and in-person based activities, and then end up measuring the starting point, the middle point and the end point and compare the results, what do you think you will see? We guarantee you will see a marked improvement!

To know more go to our website or by downloading “BeSerene” here: www.beserene.in