Looking After Your mental health in lockdown 3.0

Returning to lockdown, I’m sure, has caused lots of frustration and stress – I feel it too – everyone is back at home and the kids are back to online schooling and it’s been difficult finding the balance.

During stressful times we often forget about self care as we think it is over-indulgent however, I’m here to tell you that taking care of you is important. It will help you get through these ‘challenging times’ (sorry, I know it’s overused!) and help you to care for those closest to you too!

Here are some small steps to take, that I have found super helpful, in order to look after number one!

Stay connected

The most difficult part of all of this, I find, is not being able to see my wonderful friends and family. I don’t know about you, but it’s left me feeling disconnected from people and can take a real toll on my own mental health if I don’t do something about it. 

Whether you are self isolating or have been working from home for a while it is super important to make the effort to stay connected with the people we love, even if you can’t physically be with them. Thankfully, technology has made this easier than ever with video calls, social media and messaging services, plus we all know how to do it already with lockdown’s 1.0 and 2.0 for practice!

A word of warning with this, be careful to limit the amount of time spent on your phone as too much time can disrupt a good night’s sleep and you might want to manage time spent looking at social media and the news as too much if this is making you feel anxious.

Exercise

Not only is exercising good for your body but it is also really good for your mental health. I’m told by my very clever teenagers that physical activity releases endorphins (a natural chemical that makes us feel good) – so I’m constantly encouraging them to spend more time outside running about but sometimes I forget to do it myself. Exercise can even help to relieve feelings of stress and anxiety and it can improve sleep.

If exercising seems daunting, you are not alone, even going outside for a short walk regularly will give the same benefits – plus getting out in the fresh air can help with feeling cooped up indoors. Trust me, I always feel x10 better after a little run or a walk in the neighbouring fields.

There are also loads of people on Youtube and Instagram that are uploading regular workout videos for you to do from the comfort of your home! I recommend Yoga with Adrienne, her videos range from beginner to expert so there is something for everyone and there are relaxation videos too. I also have a friend, katerh_fitness, that posts tabata workout videos over instagram which I try to attend religiously and are only around 30 minutes long so they’re easy to work in around everything else. 

Eat well

Eating well is so important, but we all know that as busy people – whether you’re busy with kids, work, life or all three – we often forget to eat healthily.  A take away seems like the best kind of treat when there’s very limited treats on offer.  However, remember that a healthy diet helps build strong bones, it protects our hearts from high blood pressure, heart disease and it will also improve your mood!

Here are a few tips from one busy mum to another for eating healthier:

• Try to have at least one day a week without eating meat. There are tonnes of recipes and meal plans on Pinterest for #veganuary and most of them are super quick and easy to make which is perfect if you have a hectic lifestyle like mine!
• Swap soft drinks for water. I tend to carry a water bottle around with me everywhere so that I can keep track of how much water I am drinking, an easy hack!
• Ensure at least 50% of your meals are made up of fresh produce; more fruit and veggies and less processed meats. Try shopping at a local greengrocer to guarantee your fruit and veggies are super fresh!
• Get the kids involved in meal prep, if they’re old enough! Encourage them to help you with mixing, washing up, baking or chopping – this will really help inspire creative meal planning because we all know the ones with the best ideas in any family are the kids!

Do things you enjoy

Sometimes taking these steps may feel too much, and that’s ok! It’s ok to just do you, do what you enjoy whether that’s chilling on the couch binge watching something terrible on Netflix with some snacks or reading a good book – if it makes you happy and helps you to relax then do it!

Fingers crossed 3.0 will be the last lockdown, but if it’s not we know what we’re facing, we have the tools to beat it and ultimately we’re all pretty darn resilient!