We are living in strange and challenging times. Most of us are at home living in lockdown and having to adapt daily without any idea when this will all end. As this is our present reality, how can we best deal with it and come out the other side with hopefully a stronger emotional and psychological mindset than when we went in?
We have no choice about where we find ourselves at the moment, however we do have the choice about how we are going to best deal with this current situation. This is where our personal power lies. I want to suggest a few things that will help you to achieve a positive mindset. ‘Why is this important?’ you may well ask and ‘how can I be bothered with this when there are much more important things to worry about?’ Aha! But this is the key to everything!
Let me explain a bit about how the brain and body works so that with this understanding you can better observe what is happening to you and the people around you. The whole Coronavirus experience is sending most people into fear and flight mode. This is where the body is flooded with stress hormones and the rational brain shuts down. The result of this is that instead of being in the best state to make informed decisions about ourselves and loved ones, we find ourselves in a supermarket aisle desperately fighting other shoppers over toilet paper! When we are in fear and flight mode we are overwhelmed with anxiety, and fear is literally blocking our much needed common sense. We can see this happening through social media and among our colleagues and friends. This is when our rational thought has left the building and we are on autopilot responding to situations in a very high stressed and full alert mode.
So the best way for us to function is to ensure that we stay out of fear and flight mode and instead focus on remaining calm and being deliberate in how we navigate these uncertain times. A positive mindset will allow you to make the best decisions and also, dare I say, actually find things to enjoy during this lockdown period.
Here are a few ways to stay on the good side of lockdown.
1. Limit Media Exposure
If you are obsessively following the news and Coronavirus on social media at every moment, you are feeding your fear and flight mode. If you observe yourself you will notice that you are more anxious during and after exposure to media sources, so ration it. Decide that you will watch the news once a day and especially avoid reading updates about the virus on social media as there is so much fake news it will send you into a lockdown crisis! Being informed is different to obsessively watching and reading absolutely everything on the virus. Learn to know the difference!
2. Walk in Nature
The latest research has proven that even as little as 10 minutes of walking in nature can lift your mood. So when you are taking your once-a-day outside exercise time, make sure that it counts. Living in South London we have amazing green spaces, I recommend Oxleas and Bostall Woods that are part of the Green Chain Walk, which is an amazing ramble that cuts through beautiful natural woodland and open spaces. If you have a car drive to these places or if you don’t, make the decision to turn left instead of your usual right as you step out of your front door. Mix it up! Do this every day and watch how much better you feel!
3. Dance and Sing
Choose a song that you love, crank up the volume and dance and sing at the top of your lungs (the neighbours will forgive you!) This simple act will release tension and flood your body with good feeling hormones and have you feeling better in no time!
4. Connect with loved ones
We are all in the house together and the normal fast-paced family living, where everyone is busy, has seriously slowed down, so time to make the best of it. Get out those old board games, you know the ones that were a Christmas present and haven’t been played with since and remember the fun you can have with playing cards. If you’re on your own join friends and family and play online. This shared time is precious and by playing and having fun together we can begin to appreciate one positive side of this lockdown.
5. Sleep
You may have noticed how quiet it is now in London. There is a stillness and where I could hear traffic and the bustle of people going about their business, now I can only hear the birds. This is the time to catch up on sleep and relaxation. We are sleep deprived as a society and most of us have forgotten how to rest and relax. Make a conscious effort to sleep more, breathe and rest. This can be a wonderful recuperation period if we decide it to be.
We live in a society where being busy is the norm. We find ourselves always doing. Busy, busy, bees. Well, now we have been given the gift of more time, how are you going to choose to use it?
Stay well and stay safe, from a fellow Londoner on Lockdown.
For more information on coaching with Carrie, visit: https://www.carriebrooks.co.uk