COVID-19 tips & tricks

Current guidance in the UK, and in many other parts of the world, asks us to physically stay away from other people as much possible. Having to stay away from people we love and care about is painful, especially if we live alone and don’t have others around us.

This physical isolation, as well as all of the challenges of dealing with the current COVID situation, can have an impact on our mental health. Everything is different right now, and we all need time to adjust. We all process things in different ways: there’s no right or wrong way with dealing with this situation.

There’s lot of advice around about how to cope during these times. We asked our Twitter followers what they’re doing to cope and their top tips include:

Create a routine

  If you’re someone who is needs a routine, try to allocate your time in a way that allows you to have routine with things in this list. Not having any routine for hours or days on end can make you feel low. If you can, try to keep a routine as close to your previous routine as possible

  That might include setting an alarm in the morning so you get up at regular times, instead of staying in bed; getting dressed in to ‘day’ clothes; having meals at regular times; and having a regular bed time and sleep pattern

  If you’re taking regular medicines, try to stick to your usual routine. If you’re struggling to take regular medicines, it’s important to talk to your GP or prescribing centre for support

Eat and drink

  Drink lots of water and stay hydrated

  Try to eat regularly and eat as healthily as you can, and can afford to

  This is a great time to experiment with cooking, trying new recipes and experimenting with different food

If you drink alcohol, keep an eye on the amount you’re drinking. If you’re concerned about the amount, or think you’re over-relying on boozing, you can find some help here.

Create surroundings that keep you happy

  Having a clean environment can help, keeping your house neat and tidy as well as frequently changing fresh bed-sheets could help you get a better sleep which is needed to stay healthy

  If it’s possible, find some space that is just for you: if you’re lucky, this could be a room. But it might be a corner, a desk or part of a table. You can ask the people you live with not to disturb you when you’re in this space

Give yourself a break!

  Take the pressure off yourself to be productive – we are in a pandemic and it’s OK not to be working or studying full on. Be forgiving to yourself and those around you

  Consider decreasing your news intake. Delete news apps and unsubscribe from newsletters. This could be a way to manage anxiety caused by constant negative stories. If you have to, watch one news programme a day on a mainstream channel or a 24-hour news channel. You could also ask friends who are sharing links about the pandemic to stop

Get it all out!

  Journal or write down your thoughts and feelings

  Call a friend and talk though how things are going

  Put some headphones on and blast out your favourite music!

  Masturbate, or buy a flesh-light or a dildo

Take some exercise

  If you’re feeling anxious during this time, exercising, yoga or meditating could be good. Practicing one of these when you wake up could be good as it sets you up for the day

  If you’re able to, make use of local parks, or head out for a brief walk round the block. A change of environment can be a huge stress relief

  Give your brain a workout with puzzles, games, crosswords, etc.

During these times it’s important to look after yourself – it’s OK to focus on your wellbeing. Allow yourself to feel your feelings and try to remember that this lock-down is temporary and will end. We will all cope differently, and use different ways to help our selves and others through this.

Our friends at Stillpoint Spaces have created this excellent COVID resource page.