Self-care has never been more important than it is today amidst the COVID-19 prevention steps we’ve all been asked to take. Never before in our current lifetimes, have we been required to “stay-at-home” for a matter of weeks. Yet, this is exactly what our governor Jay Inslee and other elected officials across the United States have ordered all of us to do in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus in our communities.
At Catherine Place, we are dedicated to the welfare of women in Pierce County, and we’re here to help you cope during this unprecedented time of uncertainty and mitigation. Below, we’ve outlined some important mental health self-care tips you can focus on while you weather through this difficult period in time:
Mental Health
1. Create a new “routine”:
We’re all creatures of habit, so defining a ‘new normal’ or a routine, is going to keep your mind occupied and engaged in doing the things that still need to get done. You may be tempted to keep your pajamas on, but getting up, bathing, eating breakfast, and considering your plan for the day are important steps to take so that you establish and maintain a healthy routine. Create an easy hand-drawn grid with times and areas you can fill in to schedule your normal routine activities. This is also a good place to list a menu for the day, build in exercise time, and also segment certain hours for watching news and catching up on the day’s announcements.
2. Reach out for help if you need it:
All of the mental health support lines are still available to you during this trying time. If you have any anxiety about what is going on, it is crucial to prep yourself with a list of agencies, websites, and phone numbers you can access anytime you start feeling overwhelmed, unsafe, or scared. These agencies are here for you and want you to stay connected to them for help. If you are unsure where to turn to start this list, or what information sources are even credible, our staff here at Catherine Place can assist. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us for help and watch our blog for more tips and referrals as we post them.
3. Don’t overwhelm yourself with information:
Maintaining a boundary that distances you from the frenzy of news updates is actually healthy. Set a certain time of day, or a limit on the number of times a day, you look at global and local updates. Also, take time to pre-determine which news outlets and methods (i.e sitting at your computer versus constantly watching your mobile device) you will be monitoring. Then, keep to the schedule, so you can help yourself (and others in your household) maintain a certain level of detachment from all the news, posts, and announcements that keep happening and might prove to overwhelm you if you saw them all at once. In short, find a balance that still keeps you informed, but doesn’t paralyze you or keep you away from following the plan you’ve set for yourself that day.
4. Keep exercising:
As much as humanly possible, it’s important to continue your former exercise routine. This is one area that “all” health officials agree is critical for maintaining positive mental health. Be sure to follow the local guidelines for social distancing, but do whatever you can to utilize the space around you to help you stay active, and make it a daily part of your activity schedule.
5. Your contacts need you and you need them:
It’s easy to fall into a state of isolation during a time like this, but it’s better to stay in touch with your loved ones and people in your network. Apps like WhatsApp, Messenger, Google Hangouts, Skype, or FaceTime can help you maintain a connection with people, in addition to an old-fashioned phone call. Remember, doing this is just as much for you, as it is for everyone else in your network of friends and family that may be feeling vulnerable, scared, or detached. In short, spend more time connecting with others than you did before, and it will help you feel normal and less isolated.
6. Avoid alcohol or drugs:
When you’re feeling isolated or disconnected from the world, it’s often natural to turn to things like alcohol or drugs to manage and mask the pain, but these actions do not promote your mental health and wellbeing. Please remember, mind-altering substances are addictive and will likely impair your efforts to keep positive and strong, instead of helping you in those efforts. If you are tempted to use controlled substances to maintain balance, please reach out to your friends at Catherine Place first for guidance on what else you can do to occupy your mind and soothe your worried soul.
7. A healthy diet is a must:
When people feel stressed or stuck, there is often a tendency to eat to feel comforted. Plan your meals into your daily schedule and use it as a checklist to keep yourself on track and aware of your food consumption. This is another area where setting these personal boundaries will help you stay “feel” like you are in balance and it ensures you are filling your body (and your family) with the right nutrients needed to keep your mind sharp and your mental health positive. The key here is to try to maintain normalcy. Think about what a normal healthy eating routine looks like and write it down. Then, use this as your guideline for shopping lists, and building your daily menus.
8. Help your children understand the truth:
This is an uncertain time for families, and your children need extra love, because they don’t understand everything they are seeing or hearing. It can also be difficult for them to understand the boundaries they need to follow if you are working from home and need their cooperation. Further, as state education systems determine the best ways to continue educating students remotely, it is hard to know the right steps for helping your children stay focused and less worried. Experts are suggesting “extra patience” and “reassurance”, as well as confirming the facts. It’s also important to keep them connected to family members that aren’t in the household, and especially those that are in high-risk groups, so they can maintain a sense of comfort about their loved ones.
One easy and highly credible reference to keep yourself and your family connected to is the World Health Organization (WHO). They are providing excellent guidance on how people can self-care, and also responsibly care for loved ones.