Practical tips to help protect your mental health & wellbeing during the Covid-19 crisis

There's no doubt about it - the Covid-19 pandemic is a crisis unlike anything any of us have experienced in our lifetimes. To date, the virus has infected a million people and claimed the lives of more than a hundred thousand people. Global economies have stalled, around 20% of the world's population is in lock-down and millions of people are currently unable to go to work, have been laid off or put on furlough. As a result, there's been a sharp rise in the number of people reporting feeling anxious or worried about the impact of Coronavirus on their personal situation so it seems that there's a growing mental health crisis coming that could have an equally damaging and long-lasting impact on society.

I know that I'm one of the fortunate ones (so far, touch wood, thank the universe) - I've not been sick, no-one I know has been seriously ill, I still have a job, and life under lock-down, whilst a little tedious at times, is not unmanageable - but I've still had moments of worry since Coronavirus brought life to a standstill. Concerns like 'what if I get sick, or someone I love falls ill?' 'What if I get made redundant and lose my job? How will I support my family? How will I pay my mortgage?' Thankfully, none of those things have happened to me (and I pray that they won't) so I can only imagine what people that have been affected are going through right now.

I've had to work hard over the last few weeks to control my feelings and stop those dark thoughts from snowballing otherwise I would have found myself crippled with fear and a complete nervous wreck. I've written this blog with the aim of sharing the personal practices and rituals I’ve engaged to protect my mental health and well-being to hopefully help others overcome their own struggles and get through this trying time.

1.    Control what information (and how much) you allow in

In this digital age, with instant internet access in the palm of our hands and 24 hour news channels, it’s hard to escape the threat of Coronavirus from being in your thoughts all day long. And it’s not just online, the presence of Covid-19 is all around us and, if we’re not careful, it can quickly become the focus of every conversation. 

Living in this constant state of stress, where we’re continuously worrying and thinking about the virus, means we’re putting our bodies into permanent ‘fight or flight’ mode which studies have proven to be extremely damaging to our physical and psychological health and well-being.

I’m a news junkie, I like to feel informed and know what’s happening in the world around me but I’ve decided to limit my news intake as part of efforts to consciously control what information I allow in:

• I no longer begin the day by reading the news on my smartphone whilst having breakfast – studies have shown that you’re more susceptible to the effects of bad news within the first 30 minutes of waking up, and right now, it's more likely going to be bad news than good
• Instead I’ll now take a look at the headlines at lunchtime when I’ve had to time to build up my personal resilience through the morning and get myself into a good mood
• I’ve limited my allotted time for browsing the news and set myself a heavily reduced 15 minutes for reading the main stories, followed by 10 minutes looking at the latest celebrity news (non-Covid-19 related of course!) to lift my spirits again
• I’m also limiting how many stories I’m reading about Coronavirus and, most importantly, only reading articles from credible news sources like official Government channels or BBC News – my smartphone allows me to filter my feed so trashy tabloids that publish sensational stories and rumours have been blocked and unfollowed
• And finally, (I’ve always been a follower of this rule but) no smartphones in bed and no checking the news after 6pm. Otherwise I know I won’t be able to switch off and definitely won’t get a good night’s sleep (which is critical to my personal well-being)

It’s not about sticking your head in the sand and ignoring what’s happening around you, but it’s not healthy to obsess about Coronavirus and you don’t need to consume every bit of news that’s being produced about the topic. It’s only been a few weeks but the above practices have certainly helped me move away from feeling like there was a big black cloud constantly hanging above me and negative thoughts permeating every waking moment, which is a welcome relief. 

2. Focus on what you can control (and ignore that which you cannot)

There’s a lot to worry about right now but as the Serenity Prayer goes "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.” 

All I control right now are my own thoughts and actions so that’s all I should concern myself with right now. I can’t help develop a vaccine or find a Covid-19 cure, I can’t build ventilators or make PPE but I can make sure I’m doing the right thing in observing social distancing, limiting the number of trips I make outside, and practicing good hygiene. That’s my contribution to helping preventing the spread of Coronavirus and everyone’s contribution matters, no matter how small. 

Like a lot of people, I’ve found myself worrying about losing my job and being unable to support my family, which is a reality that has affected millions of people around the world. 

I can’t control how long the Government lock-down lasts or how the economy reacts but, as an employee that still has a job, I can control:

• My attitude; being a supportive team-member that tells his colleagues that we’re all in this together and an encouraging boss that reassures his direct reports that ‘this too shall pass’, being present and positive on video meetings and team calls, and making sure everyone is okay during these strange times 
• My output– now is the time for us to all come together, work hard and do whatever we can to keep the wheels turning and get us through this crisis. Working remotely can be challenging with lots of distractions so it’s important to stay focused and make sure you’re doing what needs to be done 
• My contribution– I work in the recruitment industry but I’m not a ‘fee-earner’, I don’t talk to clients and I can’t win new business and get fees confirmed. What I can do is make sure that the training I’m delivering and the resources I’m creating and sharing support the sales teams to win new business and convert that into placements and fees. If you’re unsure what you can do that will add value and help your business meet its short-term objectives to deal with Coronavirus, ask your boss (I’m sure they’ll appreciate the fact that you’re thinking on this level and asking how you can help)

So, stop worrying about the things that are out of your control and instead focus on what you can do to help fight the virus, protect yourself and get through this difficult time. By knowing that you’re doing the right thing and making a contribution you’ll gain a sense of control and feel better about the whole situation.  

3. Practice mindfulness

Next week marks my fifth of working from home and I’m writing this blog over the Easter Weekend where all the days have seemed to merge into one, hours ticking by slowly. There’s no doubt about it but the lock-down is starting to wear a bit thin and remote working has definitely lost any appeal that it might have once had. 

We’ve all read the blogs about how to stay motivated and keep occupied during the lock-down but it’s easy to fall into the trap of sleeping late, not following a daily routine, not bothering to get dressed and staying in your pyjamas, and just watching Netflix or scrolling through social media for hours on end simply to pass the time. 

This mindlessness is not good for our mental health and well-being so it’s important to practicing mindfulness during the Covid-19 crisis which includes:

• Developing a routine that includes getting dressed for your day, making your 'To-do' list, working in short, concentrated bursts with regular breaks, eating healthy meals and taking daily exercise (remembering to observe government recommendations, of course!)
• Differentiating your weekends to preserve its 'special-ness' and give you some downtime – my new ritual includes an extra-long dog walk on Saturday morning, takeaway pizza and a movie download on Saturday night, and making a special Sunday brunch
• Being aware of your thoughts and feelings and stopping yourself when you start to get into a negative loop and begin to catastrophize - noone has a crystal ball to see into the future, so there's no point worrying about what's going to happen or hypothesizing about what's to come. Focus on one day at a time, deal with the here and now, stay positive and if you're feeling in a funk then do something that will lift your spirits - whether it's going for a run or watching an episode of Modern Family (makes me laugh every time)

4. Focus on things that bring you joy

Right now, many of our external sources of pleasure have temporarily been taken away from us, like going dancing, having drinks with friends, shopping, playing team sports, so we need to find alternatives and substitutes to help us unwind and relax.

During this period of being locked down and home-bound, I’ve had the opportunity to rediscover my love of Friends, the TV show, (thanks Netflix), learnt to actually enjoy doing housework thanks to a new playlist of top tunes pulled from my Apple Music library, reading the latest books from my favourite authors, and I’m getting better, and more adventurous, with baking desserts and yummy treats. 

I’m not being flippant but Government advice is to stay home and limit social contact, and some variation of the lock-down could last for many weeks or months. We’ll never get this time back again, so let’s try to make the most of it! Also, how many times in the past have you said “if only I had more time to (read, learn to speak a foreign language, teach myself to draw, cook…)? Well there’s no time like the present!   

Remember to ask for (and get) help, if you need it

As I said at the beginning of this article, I’m very aware that I’m in the fortunate position of not having been sick or been made redundant, and my lock-down circumstances are very comfortable compared to others. Not everyone is in the same situation as me and there are people struggling right now, with financial stress, mental health or their physical well-being.

It’s okay to not be okay during the Covid-19 crisis and that there are people available to help. The resources and helplines for people impacted by Coronavirus include:

Government financial support for individuals/companies impacted by Coronavirus

Charities and support lines for individuals suffering with stress/anxiety

The Samaritans if you’re struggling and need someone to talk to

No doubt about it, we’re experiencing strange and difficult times right now, which are understandably causing a great deal of stress and anxiety. It’s important to look after your mental health and well-being, and I hope the tips that I’ve shared in this blog are helpful in assisting you to get through this crisis. 

Let me know in the comments what you think and what you’re doing to deal with this situation. Take care and be safe, and remember “this too shall pass”