Keeping Calm During COVID-19
I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling a heightened sense of anxiety because of the COVID-19 outbreak. As an anxious person to begin with, I find it easy to get wrapped into the sense of panic online and on the news. As such, I wanted to share a bit about what I’m doing to keep myself calm in the face of it all, while also not underestimating the issues COVID-19 brings.
Two things I want to note before I delve into what I’ve been prioritizing are:
- First of all, I’m not a medical professional.
- Second of all, most of the people on Twitter aren’t, either.
5 Ways to Prioritizing Mental Health During COVID-19
1 – Up Your Hand Washing Game
Short and simple, hand washing seems to be one of the best ways to avoid getting sick. I’ve been washing my hands even more than normal, especially before I eat. The CDC has some guidelines on when and how to wash your hands in order to prevent disease, along with some guidelines on general household cleaning.
Relatedly, I recommend keeping more lotion around for if and when your hands get dry and itchy from the extra washing. I’ve been using this Vaseline Intensive Care Lotion with Aloe (a longtime favorite of mine) and it’s definitely helping.
2- Avoid Going Unnecessarily to Crowded Places
Crowds can be stressful on a good day, so if you throw in a health crisis, it’s only going to wear on your mental health reserves more. So, where it’s not necessary to go into crowds, I’m planning on avoiding them. Doing so helps you avoid unnecessary contact with COVID-19, while also easing your stress and worry.
3 – Unplug from Anxiety-Inducing Social Media
I love social media. Instagram and Twitter are great ways to interact with people, whether you know them in “real life” or not. I’m not a proponent of “social media detoxes.”
However, in trying times, social media — especially Twitter — can become a cacophony of unnecessary doom and gloom. A reasonable, fact-based comment about COVID-19 can quickly spawn a thread of unverified (and unhelpful) information that serves little to no purpose besides stoking fear.
Like I said earlier, most people on Twitter aren’t medical professionals. If you’re looking for fact-based, verified information on Social Media, I recommend sticking with large organizations and responsible news outlets. I, personally, am a big fan of NPR and their related social media pages.
If you’re looking for some mellow Instagram accounts to enjoy, I recommend these travel blog feeds, my favorite lifestyle bloggers, and pretty much anything under #hashtagauthentic on Instagram. Lastly, if you’re still feeling anxious, I recommend checking out Kelsey Mech’s post here.
4 – Eat Well & Drink Plenty of Water
This isn’t really related to anything to do with COVID-19, but I always feel my mental health is better and more resilient when I’m eating well and drinking enough water.
In the same vein, while tea probably doesn’t replace drinking plain water, I’d group enjoying a nice, relaxing cup of tea into this category. I love a nice lemon ginger tea if I have the fresh ingredients. If I don’t have that on hand, a great green or rich black tea always do the trick, too.
5 – Take Time To Do What You Love
Whether you’re a crafter or a reader, a pet parent, or Netflix aficionado, I recommend taking the time to do what you love. There’s nothing like some nourishing self care to help mellow out anxious nerves. Work on some new paintings or crochet projects, or pick up a new book! Have couch time with your pup or cat while binge watching some great shows!
If you need some book recommendations, check out my book reviews.
If you want some new shows to watch, why not try Outlander or some of my other favorites?
