Nishall’s Blog: Staying Positive during the Lockdown

SOMETIMES in life, we find ourselves faced with obstacles or situations that we don’t agree with but cannot necessarily do much about, for example, this social distancing lockdown. If you’re feeling stuck or frustrated in this situation and it seems like your world is falling apart, be aware that regardless of what’s happening, you have still have control and can pull yourself away from negative feelings. – A lockdown can be a difficult and complex time, as nobody is used to isolation. So, to help keep the positivity and optimism up, I’ve come up with a few tips to help.

Firstly, plan your day, set out goals on what you want to get done, it easy to drift off into negative thoughts when the mind has nothing to do. It is important that you plan your day and include other activities like rest breaks, exercise and time to socialise. Throughout this period, every day represents a new challenge. If you plan them effectively, not only will they pass by more quickly, but you will also take better advantage of them.

Secondly, stay in contact with people. Nowadays, distance is no longer an obstacle, so make video calls and use chats to keep in active communication with your family, friends, professional contacts and classmates. It is very important to maintain the cohesion; humans are naturally social, so they need to interact with a variety of people even if it’s not face-to-face.

Being connected to the world is important, but it’s also important to balance that connection; what I mean by this is don’t be social media and news obsessive. Yes, keeping abreast of the latest developments in the pandemic is important, but it only takes one or two brief scans of a news site to find out what you need to know. Outside of this, refrain from slipping into a routine of constantly checking for updates. As long as you’re following Government guidelines, you don’t need to know every minute detail – and flooding your brain with negative information is terrible for your wellbeing. I understand that unplugging from the internet at home can sometimes be hard, but this is one of the only ways to prevent saturation and frustration, enabling you to keep working through your everyday routines with strength and motivation.

The next point is for people working from home; don’t stress about productivity, your bosses will understand if you have a blip now and then, especially if you’re not used to working from home. The pressure to over-preform in this troubling and uncertain time is overwhelming. The culture of sites such as LinkedIn perpetuates a message that to be successful, you must be working on bettering yourself and churning out work to be succeeding. This is not the case at all. Take time for yourself. Honour your work hours and don’t be afraid to be inactive and recharge sometimes. Yes, having creative outlets outside of work is beneficial, but this doesn’t have to take up all of your waking hours. Sometimes, when you’re anxious, taking time to watch TV or simply sit in silence and unwind is just as important.

Another way to stay positive is to stay active both mentally and physically. I know that we have been advised to stay inside as much as possible, but this doesn’t mean we have to be imprisoned in our own homes. If you suddenly find yourself dwelling on your problems or if you feel a little less productive, go and sit in your garden or take a short walk up your street, but not far afield. Research has shown that exposure to nature not only makes us feel better emotionally and mentally, it also contributes to your physical well-being – reducing blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension and the production of stress hormones. – If unfortunately, you can’t go outside, staying mentally active is as important. If you have a favourite hobby which you can do indoors, make time for it every day.

Talking of hobbies, do try something new as well. Even if you are working from home, take this rare opportunity to do something that you have never had time to do and always wanted to. Learn a new language or a musical instrument maybe, or read those books that have been gathering dust on your shelf for years. Remove yourself from the everyday negative headlines all around us as much as you can.

Last but not least, it’s essential to maintain a positive attitude, focusing on the here and now, and what motivates you to keep moving forward in your day-to-day life. This is sure to be a complex period, but these are the challenges that define us as people, so take heart and keep moving onwards!

Also, just before I finish this blog, let me take this opportunity to thank all the Key Workers, NHS Staff and others who are doing their bit in response to Covid-19. Thank you!