The lockdown has all of us stuck in one place, experiencing a lot of emotions, be it boredom, anxiety, frustration, laziness, or fear. And it is easy to get overwhelmed. The global COVID-19 pandemic has changed our lives in many ways and one of the prominent changes is that we have to stay inside our homes except for grocery shopping and medical emergencies. Three months ago, none of us would have predicted we would be locked down in our homes with both our working and social lives restricted to virtual communication. We now have a new way of existing to which we need to adapt. Remember that all crises end eventually.

As COVID-19 social distancing and quarantine times continue, some of us may be going stir crazy not being able to go and do the things we’re used to doing on a daily basis. Now is the time to relax and really focus on those things you never got the chance to do during your regular work life. Here are a few tips and thoughts that might help in guarding against the lows and coping with this lockdown.

• This is an excellent time to pick up new hobbies or old ones that got lost in your busy schedule. This time can be as productive, as fun or as challenging as you want it to be.
• Stay active. The temptation to do nothing is strong. Let’s try to resist it. A key principle for a healthy mind and body is to keep oneself active each day.?
• Don’t be a 24/7 news junkie. Read books that have nothing to do with the current crisis, fiction or non-fiction can be your much-needed break.
• Have a schedule to plan your time. Not a single day will pass without the schedule falling apart, but it still lends a structure to your own work-at-home habits.
• Stay curious. Try new things. When a person has nothing to do and has nothing to focus on or engage in, anxiety and other mental health-related complications might pop up.
• Sleep more. Go to bed early, you won’t regret it. Just like our schedules for eating, working, and exercising, it’s important to maintain a regular sleep routine. Limiting the electronic screen time before going to sleep can help you sleep better.
• Eating healthy is important not only for our physical but for our psychological well-being, too. Avoid processed foods.
• No gym? No worries! Make an online fitness plan or enrol in an online fitness program. While working out in the open is not an option now, we have the best online fitness programs tailored to achieve your goals.
• Consuming tons of water is extremely essential. We, humans, tend to answer water calls with food. Ensure you’re well-hydrated to combat unnecessary snacking.
• Keep a journal. It can calm your racing thoughts, give a break from the screens, provide useful memory jogs for when this pandemic time is over and helps in connecting with oneself.
• Meditate. Each time you find your attention wandering, bring it back to the next breath. Don’t be concerned if thoughts are persisting.
• If you are lucky enough to have a garden, get out in it. In fact, if you develop an interest in gardening, you probably won’t notice the lockdown at all.
• Maintain social connections. We can’t meet people face to face but if we have access to telephones, social media, or video software, and we can still keep in touch.
• Exercise. It lifts your mood and helps depression and anxiety. Try going for short walks, do more around the house, try to add in some resistance work to maintain strength and muscle mass, and some mobility to keep the body moving well and pain-free.

Work, rest, workout, and play… all under one roof, you ask? Well, we can make the workout part interesting for you! Stronglife offers the best online fitness coaching programs that can keep your physical and mental health in optimum condition. Follow these tips and hopefully, you might actually enjoy small parts of it this lockdown. Other than these strategies, anything that makes you smile and laugh will be a positive addition to your repertoire!