COVID-19, a disease caused by a highly contagious novel corona virus affecting the respiratory tract, is talked about by every lips today. Globally, executives are identifying new ways to fight this invisible enemy. Until a treatment is developed, strict self-isolation, social distancing and lockdown of the country has been forced upon to prevent the spread of this pandemic. Social distancing might seem minor, but as days pass by, being indoor creates anxiousness. So, one of the important aspects to communal detachment is ‘Self Care’, because, certainly, ‘You can't pour from an empty cup’. Prioritizing and being kind to oneself is immensely vital to further take care of family and loved ones.
Self care escalates well-being, positivity, productivity and motivates you to find purpose in life, though halted, at the moment. Also, emphasizing self wellness allows you to be more calm, rested and balanced; creating an environment for building healthy relationships. Moreover, it boosts your immune system, highly indispensable at the moment to fight the epidemic.
For that, hygiene and prevention is the key, physical wellbeing and nourishing body is precedential. Washing hands every now and then with soap for at least 20 seconds is, of course, mandatory. Taking a relaxing bath helps you reduce body stress.
And, depending upon the availability, a balanced diet of food (green vegetables, legumes, fresh fruit, whole grains, meat and lean protein) should be consumed. Immunity building spices like ginger, garlic, turmeric and cinnamon add flavor to the food as well as bolster the health.
Whereas, staying hydrated helps your body to function efficiently. So, drink at least 1.5 liters of water, cold or warm, per day. Avoid smoking and limit alcohol, sugary drinks and caffeine; these stimulants attribute anxiety in overwhelming situations.
Turn into a digital resource to regulate the body movements, practice indoor exercises and yoga. Clear the mess around; clutter adds unbearable heaviness to mental wellbeing.
While remote working, create a zone; sitting on a couch the entire day or in the same area will only make you lethargic. Take timeout of 2-3 minutes for basic bodily care and refreshment. Schedule your time off the work for integrating into personal life.
Emphasize indoor and online games to ruminate boredom and loneliness. Although digital detox is a typical tip to self-care, studies have shown, proper amount of guilt free screen time increases wellness.
Watch something fun; you do not always need to stick to COVID-19 news. However, be informed on what’s going on in your locality or state. When you feel you are missing, it increases stress and nervousness. Thereby, filter the fake news catastrophizing the situation and seek on reliable media for accurate information.
Moreover, be physically distant, not socially and emotionally detached. Regularly connect and check on your loved ones through phone calls, text messages, emails, face timing or even letter writing. Share your feelings; it’s very vital to validate your feelings rather than denying it. Recognize feelings such as loneliness, anger, sadness, boredom, stress, panic and anxiety. Find a convenient safe space to express them. Presently, trained professionals are voluntarily creating virtual space to provide counseling services. Allocate and approach those experts for consultation and supervision.
Mindful activities are paramount to alleviate overwhelming feelings; focus on inner power and strength. Practice mindful meditation by closing your eyes; be aware of all your body parts and take deep breaths in and out. Mindfulness is significantly rooted with Buddhism; listening to Buddhist chants further avails staggering emotions. If not, connect with a higher source of spirituality you are acquainted to such as reading spiritual texts, devotion books or chanting mantras for hope.
You can also find numerous guided meditations on YouTube; a participatory meditation leads you towards mental image and visualization for coherent wellbeing of mind and body.
Moreover, activate your senses to pleasant sounds and smells. Listen to soothing music; to avoid monotony of your playlist, ask suggestions with your family or friends. Burn the incense that soothes your body. The aroma generated from the incense raises serotonin in the brain, which contributes to the feeling of wellbeing and happiness.
Consider the current reality, allowing you to take plentiful advantage of nature. Embrace the nature; it is a natural therapy; and, an exposure to green space lowers the levels of stress. Simply, grab a cup of herbal drink or drink of your choice and watch outside the window, and get enough fresh air and sunlight.
As human beings, we fundamentally seek purpose of life, generally associating happiness with productivity. With the present-day lifestyle at abrupt, learning something new, partaking in online class, language, music, photography will validate efficiency.
Also, foster the spirit of acceptance and patience, and apprehend that everything prevailing is temporary.
Thus, self-care is extensively personal. Identify the things around that make you vigorous and energetic. Be consistent to reach the goals you have scheduled and avert dithering. Be rested, healthy and mindful so you can overcome the agitation of the unpredictable end of the COVID -19 crisis.
By:
Roji Maharjan
MA in Counseling Psychology